Ahead of the organic game

AN ORGANIC milk production system without conventional feed inputs is achievable as one Welsh milk producer is already demonstrating ahead of new regulations governing organic livestock feeds.


From August, it is possible that all milk marketed as organic will have to be produced from non-conventional feed. But it is likely the EU and DEFRA will compromise on the proposed scrapping of the current derogation. This allows organic livestock to be fed up to 10% conventional feed over 12 months, up to a daily maximum of 25%.


The Soil Association is preparing producers who use the derogation for changes. Its technical team manager Anna Jonas says producers are being encouraged to feed a ration as efficiently as possible to lessen the costs of switching to fully organic.


“It”s going to cost more, but there may be ways of reducing the impact on costs by feeding straights instead of compounds,” she says.


Meanwhile, the Agricultural Industries Confederation is pressing for a 5% non-organic derogation for the immediate future. Daily non-organic maximums should be between 15% and 20%, it says.


The suggested 5% derogation is to allow producers to phase in changes. But there may be specific derogations for individual farms and for ingredients which are virtually impossible to source, such as soya and molasses.


100% ORGANIC


Organic farms in Germany and Denmark must already use 100% organic feed and some British producers, such as Bruce Carlisle, are adopting this policy ahead of the changes.


For the past five years, all the organic feed needs for Mr Carlisle”s 80-head dairy herd near Cresselly, Pembrokeshire have been grown at home, or in partnership with his neighbours, Ian and Fiona Elliott.


Mr Carlisle relies on short-term red clover leys to deliver all the herd”s protein requirements. This fits well with a rotation of brassicas and potatoes.


Starch comes from 16ha (40 acres) of winter oats and barley.


Oats are an easy crop to grow, but more difficult to feed. “It”s a self-sufficient, tall-standing crop which suffocates weeds and only needs low levels of nitrogen, which make it perfect for an organic system. It is great for dairy cows because it has a high oil content,” adds Mr Carlisle, who converted the farm in 1987.


“The biggest downfall is the ability to feed it. We mill and mix it and blow the rolled oats into the loft above the milking parlour.” His mainly New Zealand-type Friesian/MRI crosses get a daily 4-5kg, producing an average annual yield of 5000 litres.


Although he accepts his view will not be shared by all organic producers, Mr Carlisle says removing the derogation will increase the integrity of organic milk.


“Our customers expect organic cows to be fed organically. The removal of the derogation will prevent a possible backlash from the public in the future.”


He believes that, wherever possible, producers should grow their own feed requirements to maintain control over their system. He has forward contracted 16ha (40 acres) to make sure he has enough inputs for next year.


But the timing of the derogation decision, expected in the next few weeks, has made it difficult for many producers to plan crop requirements, particularly for protein crops. “A decision should have been taken last autumn,” believes Ms Jonas.


“Producers need time to think and plan what they are going to feed their livestock. We now won”t have a decision to coincide with spring planting,” she says.


One concern is that the changes could push the industry towards seasonal milk production, to deflect a steep rise in winter feed costs. As a director of the organic milk supply co-operative OMSCo, Mr Carlisle agrees it”s a worry.


“The last thing any market wants – particularly a small market – is a seasonal supply of milk. Our customer is predominately liquid milk-based and we don”t have the ability to release milk into cheese, butter or skimmed milk powder,” he says.


“We really need a year-round supply of milk or we could find ourselves with major supply problems.”

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