Three farmers share their thoughts on the immediate and longer term challenges facing their dairy businesses.
Matthew and Coral Senior, Eastfield Farm, Somerset
340 Friesian cross Jersey organic cows yielding 5,300 litres. Spring and late summer blocks, milked through four Lely A5 Astronauts. 5% of milk sold through five vending machines. Supplying Arla
The immediate challenge is the milk price in relation to how input costs have gone up. We cant bring labour into it as we dont have that as an issue now because of the robots. Wed be in a worse position if we didnt have them. In the medium term, public perception, a lack of understanding of where their food comes from and veganism will continue to create issues. As were involved in the processing side we always work to portray dairying positively, but our experience shows there is a disconnect."
Threat
"Bovine tuberculosis will continue to be a threat. Arla wants to show that every calf has a value, which is a good thing, but the issue is finding an outlet for dairy beef calves if we get shut down with bTB. In the long-term, dispelling myths around dairying and its impact on the environment will be a key challenge. We need to show that farming is part of the solution. And we also need to promote agriculture in a positive light so people from non-farming backgrounds want to come into the industry.
Robert Brunt, Lane House, Wincle, Cheshire
Family-run farm in the uplands on the edge of the Peak District. 180 all-year round calving Holsteins yielding 9,000 litres a cow a year. Supplying Muller Co-Op
Rising input costs are going to be the biggest challenge, theres no end in sight. Youve got to be as efficient as you can and make the most of resources available by using slurry to the best of your ability and looking at milk from forage. In the medium term, loss of the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and the new environmental schemes coming forward will create a challenge. Possibly the more intensive you are, the less youll be able to use what environmental schemes are available. Im not hugely concerned as the business is not built around BPS. Weve applied for the Sustainable Farming Incentive pilot to see if it fits within the business without affecting the financial viability of what we do."
Long-term
I sit on the Environmental Forum for the NFU and in the long-term Im concerned about Nitrate Vulnerable Zones, the Clean Air Strategy and Farming Rules for Water and the pressure they will bring on livestock. Permitting for dairy farming is a big concern. This is not pie in the sky, its coming, but the dairy industry shouldnt have to shoulder the cost.
Patrick Barrett, Tresallick Farm, Stoke Climsland, Cornwall
Family-run farm in East Cornwall. 390 all-year-round calving Holsteins yielding 10,500 litres a cow a year. Supplying Saputo Dairy UK
Milk price is the main challenge. From December were getting an extra 1.5ppl from our milk buyer which equates to an extra 4,000 in January but my extra feed bill, which I need to pay in December is 7,000. Milk buyers are not looking at farm costs and are too slow to catch up. I will get another 2.35ppl in January, but were lagging behind."
Farm subsidy
"In the medium term, adapting to farm subsidy changes will be an issue. As BPS decreases we need to consider how we subsidise that in terms of environmental management and public money for public goods. Im going to look at hedgerows, trees and perhaps birdseed mixes. Im concerned that I am a high input/high output system, so finding a scheme that will fit will be difficult. In the long-term I think we need to look at green energy options. We also need to be proactive in showing the good things were doing for the environment. For example, weve soil tested and it shows farms in Stoke Climsland are storing three times the carbon that the parish of Stoke Climsland produces.
