First Milk offers more suppliers full membership

Dairy farmers on milk supply contracts with First Milk have been given the chance to apply for full membership of the co-op from 1 November.

The offer is open to producers who supply over 1000 litres per day, and First Milk says this applies to 80% of the 410 farmers on MSCs – many of those on MSCs moved over to First Milk from Dairy Farmers of Britain back in the summer.

“We originally recruited these producers on to MSCs in line with our strategic aim to grow our milk pool. The board has decided to bring forward the date when these producers can join as members to enable us to secure as much as possible of this milk,” a statement said.

Farmers who take up the offer will move from the MSC price of 19.65p/litre to the standard litre price of 22.06p/litre from 1 November and will pay a 0.3p/litre capital retention.

“The monies generated from the sale of MSC milk will fund the difference between the current MSC price and the member milk price for the producers recruited,” the co-op said.