NFU publishes update of vision for dairy industry’s future

The NFU is making progress in implementing its Vision for the Dairy Industry but producers have been told that they have a part to play too.

The union has published an update to its vision document which sets out seven action points that it wants to achieve during 2006.

One of these is encouraging farmers to play an active part in negotiating appropriate contracts which align notice periods with price changes.

NFU dairy adviser Tom Hind said it would be a step forward for the industry if producers who are unhappy about their contract arrangements started pushing for changes.

“Nearly every producer in the country is represented by some kind of group and if they put pressure on their representatives they might get somewhere,” he said. “It’s not a panacea but it is a starting point if we get farmers to ask for it.”

NFU dairy board chairman Gwyn Jones said he thought the industry would benefit if it could get a direct link between retailers and dairy farmers.

The union has said that it wants to see at least one retailer create a producer partnership this year.

“I still think if we could go directly from retailers from farms we would be better off, simply because we would have better understanding from both sides which has to improve efficiency.”