World Milk Day: Raise a glass to hard-working dairy farmers

UK farming unions are urging consumers to celebrate the country’s hard-working dairy farmers and raise a glass to milk and dairy products on World Milk Day – Wednesday 1 June.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) established World Milk Day in 2001 to celebrate and create public awareness about the nutritional and economic importance of milk and milk products across the globe.

The annual day is celebrated with different themes and this year’s theme is focusing on the climate change crisis and how the dairy industry can reduce its impact on the environment.

See also: Low milk supply supporting farmgate prices

The FAO’s goal is to reach net zero by 2050 by lowering greenhouse gas emissions and improving waste management. The NFU has set its own ambitious goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions across the whole of agriculture in England and Wales by 2040.

The focus for this year's World Milk Day is highlighting the work already being done to accelerate climate action and help reduce the dairy sector’s impact on the planet.

Share your story using #WorldMilkDay and #EnjoyDairy

Find out more: https://t.co/2uL3nBGghO pic.twitter.com/MvG23i3lax

— AHDB Dairy (@AHDB_Dairy) June 1, 2022

NFU Scotland has highlighted that milk currently supports the livelihoods of one billion people.

But with inflation in agriculture soaring to over 30%, NFUS milk policy manager Stuart Martin said dairy businesses are among those that have been hit the hardest with rising costs on labour, feed, fertiliser and fuel and a constant demand for additional capital investment projects to stay in touch with industry demands.

Milk has historically been used as a loss leader by supermarkets to increase footfall.

Farmgate prices spike

But to meet the rising costs and allow for future investment and confront the current challenges on farm and in the supply chain, Mr Martin said an industry target last year of farmgate milk prices reaching 40p/litre “now looks grossly outdated”.

Good morning from our little corner of Cumbria on #WorldMilkDay 🥛

Converting lush organic grass (we get plenty of rain to help it grow!) into nutritious healthy milk.

Thank you cows 💚 pic.twitter.com/OUfKVUiRNc

— James Robinson (@JRfromStrickley) June 1, 2022

Indeed, several processors have pushed their farmgate milk price for July above the 45p/litre barrier.

Addressing concerns of animal welfare in the industry, Dai Miles, a Pembrokeshire dairy farmer and vice-president of the Farmers’ Union of Wales, stressed that Welsh and UK dairy farmers already  produce milk to world-leading standards.

“As dairy farmers we rely on our cows being healthy and the ground they graze to be healthy too. That is reflected in an outstanding, trustworthy product that keeps us healthy and the rural economy flourishing,” he added.

Benefits of milk

Milk is an important source of healthy nutrients including calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, iodine, iron, potassium, folates, vitamin A, vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin B12, protein and fat.

In addition to providing children with a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to keep them healthy, milk is especially important to help build and maintain strong bones. 

• Dairy farmers are being urged to share their stories, photos and videos about milk and dairy production on social media, using the hashtag #WorldMilkDay