It began life in 2008 and was originally spearheaded by AHDB, Dairy UK and the NFU. Last year it expanded its membership to include more processors, retailers, wholesalers, supply chain representatives and the wider UK farming unions including NFU Cymru.
The relaunch signifies the full dairy value chain coming together with a refreshed focus on sustainable dairy production.
New report
The Dairy Roadmap has commissioned a new report called 'Sustainable Pathways for UK Dairy' which is being produced by SRUC with the aim of aligning the whole dairy value chain and setting a practical route forward for the sector to achieve it’s ambitions, highlighting the barriers and the support the sector will need to be sustainable and resilient in the long term.
Alongside research and impact assessments, to inform the report a number of farmer and processor facing workshops took place across the UK and a farmer facing online survey, which attracted hundreds of responses, was available. NFU Cymru worked with the other UK farming unions – the NFU, NFU Scotland and Ulster Farmers' Union – to submit a joint response to the Roadmap, highlighting how we think industry can collaborate to achieve a sustainable UK Dairy sector, one that produces healthy top-quality dairy products underpinned by profitable and productive farm businesses.
Ten key principles
In our response we set out ten key principles which are critical if we are to make progress as a sector. These include:
- Acknowledge and help capture current on-farm activity.
- Keep farmers front and centre of the conversation; any recommendations must consider on farm practicalities, cost and accessibility. The pressure, onus and cost of change must not be placed on the farmer alone.
- Recommendations or targets which come out of the Pathway Report must be economically and socially viable, as well as environmentally.
- Targets should be measurable and where emission reduction has been achieved, this must be reflected in the national greenhouse gas and ammonia inventories to help inform future policy discussion.
- The nutritional-density, quality and accessibility of dairy products must not be compromised.
- Food production and security must be central to sustainability considerations. Policies and pathways for environmental sustainability in the UK must not result in the offshoring of production.
- Where the cost of improvement is prohibitive, the report should investigate how government and the private sector can enable investment through a joined-up approach, well thought out environmental payment schemes, tax incentives, and by ensuring local authority and planning rules enable the sustainable development of farm businesses.
- Whilst the report is focused on driving environmental improvement, any recommendations must keep wider commercial and welfare needs in mind. Emphasis should be placed on economic, social and cultural considerations as well as environmental. Consumer expectations cannot be compromised.
- An advice-led and educational approach will be central to supporting the uptake of sustainable activity and improving knowledge exchange across the sector.
- The report must recognise and respect where there are different policies, support schemes and incentives in place across devolved administrations.
It is vital that any goals or ambitions agreed in the Roadmap work for dairy farmers across the UK and NFU Cymru is using its seat at the table to ensure the interests of Welsh dairy farmers are represented and championed.