Dairy farmers! Which milk?

DanceswithCows said:
Very out of date thinking - the link between diet and heart disease is fast being disproved, and natural fats are becoming known as good for you. I've seen the results myself, the more fat I eat (usually from meat and dairy) the slimmer, fitter and healthier I get.
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Do youo remember the programs they had some years ago where they placed a family in a given period where they had to live as people had in that particular time. They had a family live as in war time in West Wycombe. They lived on war time foods, where all the cooking was done in lard - beef fat - the people actually came out of this experiment in better health than they went in.

As a child we had some meat, potatoes and a vegetable - in season. An orange was an amazing treat - we ate butter, drank milk and put cream on our porridge and fruit when we were lucky enough to have some. We salted vegetables to preserve them in big stone jars. Fruit was bottled in Kilner jars. Somehow we grew up with few problems - we didn't have ADHD kids or the aggression that kids show these days.

So I don't eat any processed foods - if I do I choose tinned or frozen as those rarely ever have any additives in them. I would not touch margerine with a barge pole - the things that are done to it are horrendous. Soy is totally banned in my home. My fridge has milk, butter and cream in it and I eat steak for most dinners, sometimes lamb and rarely chicken - has too much done to it.
 
I have found this thread and the one about rose veal absolutely fascinating and I have learned lots of new facts to tell my children when they ask about the farming industry.

The answer to the original question seems to be that to give dairy farmers the best deal, buy your milk from M&S or a local shop that sells milk from a local farm. Organic milk production methods seem to be better for the environment overall, and the cows will definitely have had some grass.

I want to give Runtoearth a hug, because no-one deserves to see their livelihood that they care passionately about slagged off by some misinformed generalisations. I have learned from the information on this thread how to do a little bit more to support British Farming - something I try to do anyway, so let's all go and vote with our feet and buy British veal.
 
Merlinsquest -

I think you need to find a new source to copy and paste your information from. Your portrayal of farmers cackling away in darkened barns full of downtrodden animals in farrowing crates and battery cages certainly is damning, but unfortunately totally untrue.
Farrowing crates and battery cages for hens are illegal in Britain. Bull calves are not shot at birth, there's too much value in them these days.

Your information is completely outdated and inaccurate. You talk like a typical vegan crusader spouting third hand 'facts' which you really should research before you go bad mouthing all farmers.


If people are interested in supporting good animal welfare practices - BUY BRITISH. We lead the world here for animal welfare legislation in farming practices.
 
The milk processed at he Aylesbury dairy will be British.

Same as the rest of the sites across the uk. Not sure where you got the idea they are importing it from.
 
Garnet said:
I have found this thread and the one about rose veal absolutely fascinating and I have learned lots of new facts to tell my children when they ask about the farming industry.

The answer to the original question seems to be that to give dairy farmers the best deal, buy your milk from M&S or a local shop that sells milk from a local farm. Organic milk production methods seem to be better for the environment overall, and the cows will definitely have had some grass.

I want to give Runtoearth a hug, because no-one deserves to see their livelihood that they care passionately about slagged off by some misinformed generalisations. I have learned from the information on this thread how to do a little bit more to support British Farming - something I try to do anyway, so let's all go and vote with our feet and buy British veal.
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We have had very positive feedback on our rosé veal business, and are working closely with a local butcher and online local produce company.

RTE we are soooo singing from the same Song sheet!

I got my information regarding importing milk from Europe from the meeting with the company when they tried to appease the locals, and it is an option in their future plan to import.... This is the vice they will use to squeeze the British farmer.
 
jockmaster said:
We have had very positive feedback on our rosé veal business, and are working closely with a local butcher and online local produce company.

RTE we are soooo singing from the same Song sheet!

I got my information regarding importing milk from Europe from the meeting with the company when they tried to appease the locals, and it is an option in their future plan to import.... This is the vice they will use to squeeze the British farmer.
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I think we are. I don't want to come across as a raving loon but I read all this absolute third hand rubbish and speculation on an industry that I eat sleep and breath and it really gets to me that people actually believe this stuff.
 
Patterdale said:
Merlinsquest -

I think you need to find a new source to copy and paste your information from. Your portrayal of farmers cackling away in darkened barns full of downtrodden animals in farrowing crates and battery cages certainly is damning, but unfortunately totally untrue.
Farrowing crates and battery cages for hens are illegal in Britain. Bull calves are not shot at birth, there's too much value in them these days.

Your information is completely outdated and inaccurate. You talk like a typical vegan crusader spouting third hand 'facts' which you really should research before you go bad mouthing all farmers.


If people are interested in supporting good animal welfare practices - BUY BRITISH. We lead the world here for animal welfare legislation in farming practices.
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If you read my post correctly I said that if all farmers operated in the fashion quoted by the poster I was talking to then I would not be vegan. A farmer on this thread has said he shoots his bull calves at birth, another has said he sells his for beef for £50 so clearly different farmers operate in different ways, some better than others. Yes battery cages are illegal in Britain, the hens are now able to be caged in slightly larger "humane" cages, hurrah. Yes farrowing crates are illegal, but many pigs are not kept outside, but intensively reared living on concrete in sheds. I am not a "vegan crusader cut & pasting my information" but until the farming & slaughter industry begins to operate in a way described by the farmers working with good practice such as those posting on here I choose my lifestyle based on what I am happy with. And to those who think they need milk for calcium, hilarious, as another poster said, what do the cows eat to create the calcium.
 
It is an option. A business plan would be useless without some sort of contingency plan wouldn't it.

They support the industry, it is a cooperative owned by farmers (admittedly majority in Europe)
They were the first to increase the price paid to farmers.

Farming is on it's knees. It is thanks to the supermarkets- they are the only ones squeezing anyone. The weather, oil, new legislation all contribute


What would you rather them do?
Go back to small farmhouse dairys and churns at the end of the lane, tipping milk down the drain and just supplying the local village?!

For the majority milk comes from the shop. Near where I live you aren't going to get doorstep deliveries- the sheer volumes that would be required and cost for the families round here makes it unattainable. Irregardless of what you you think, it is important in the diet. These kids don't have leafy green vegetables or whatever other sources you advocate.
Everyone is feeling the squeeze, in a perfect world we would be drinking organic milk from daisy in the back garden, digging up misshapen carrots and baking bread but life's moved on. The dairy industry is the only one that hasn't really moved on!
 
That option may be used sooner rather in than in the future as the processing plant was built to be mainly supplied by the super milking dairy that was to be built in the north, this was refused permission. So they must have to make up the shortfall somewhere?

Dairy farming does have to move forward but it can't if the farmers are dictated too rather than consulted, they are being driven not to evolve but to extinction, and the huge super dairys... well bigger is not better for animal welfare or a quality product.

Those children will never see a leafy green product if the big companies carry on dictating farming practice it will just dislocate those children further.
 
xloopylozzax said:
It is an option. A business plan would be useless without some sort of contingency plan wouldn't it.

They support the industry, it is a cooperative owned by farmers (admittedly majority in Europe)
They were the first to increase the price paid to farmers.

Farming is on it's knees. It is thanks to the supermarkets- they are the only ones squeezing anyone. The weather, oil, new legislation all contribute


What would you rather them do?
Go back to small farmhouse dairys and churns at the end of the lane, tipping milk down the drain and just supplying the local village?!

For the majority milk comes from the shop. Near where I live you aren't going to get doorstep deliveries- the sheer volumes that would be required and cost for the families round here makes it unattainable. Irregardless of what you you think, it is important in the diet. These kids don't have leafy green vegetables or whatever other sources you advocate.
Everyone is feeling the squeeze, in a perfect world we would be drinking organic milk from daisy in the back garden, digging up misshapen carrots and baking bread but life's moved on. The dairy industry is the only one that hasn't really moved on!
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I refuse to set Arla, Wiseman and Muller apart from supermarkets, they bouce off of eachother but essentially they are both responsible for farmgate pirces being where they are, and every single one of those supermarkets and processors turned their backs on us last year, if it wasn't for SOS Dairy and FFA we would probably have rolled over again to another price cut.

We have been given this voluntary code of practice, and this cooperation from processors and I hope the industry use it, FFA fought our corner very well last year and I would hope the industry at the very least pivots slightly in reflection. In addition arla have actually instigated a "milk race" following tightening milk supplies where between 1 July and 31 December 2013 the processor will pay a bonus of 5p/litre on additional production above 2012 monthly volumes. The bonus will be paid on a monthly basis.

Not all doom and gloom.
 
its not all doom and gloom,
good farmers are making good money even in bad years but bad farmers are not making any money even in good years never mind bad years.
i think all farmers should sit down and look at their business, look at their milk contract and then make the changes needed, instead of continuing to do the same old thing because their grandfather/father did it like this.

i think milk price will rise in the next 2 months then again in the back end of the year, i wouldnt be supprised to see nearly 40p litre due to the large shortage of milk.

as regards importing milk. watch this space.
i was in ireland looking at farms last year and they where gearing up ready for the end of the quota system over there. they are ready to produce more milk and export it.
 
we supply dairy crest which is then sold in Morrisons. we get a bum deal really but struggle as they are the main processor in our area and the dairy is only a few miles away.

m&s and waitrose look after their producers.
 
xloopylozzax - received a reply from Anchor UK

Good Morning

Anchor Butter is now produced in the UK at Westbury and has been since October last year. We no longer have a contract with Fonterra for the supply of butter but Arla have the full rights to the Anchor Brand for all dairy categories in the UK.

Hope this clears up any confusion.

Best Regards
Michelle Mcilroy
Consumer Relations Department
 
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