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British food logo for foreign milk?

- 15 June 2000
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15 June 2000



British food logo for foreign milk?

By Alistair Driver

DAIRY processors say they see no reason why the new logo designed to promote British food should not be used on imported milk.

Jim Begg, director general of the Dairy Industry Federation, which represents dairy processors, made the revelation in an interview with Farmers Weekly.

“As far as I can see, imported milk could go on the scheme as long as it is produced under a farm assurance scheme that meets the British standard,” he said.

Britains dairy processors currently import vast quantities of liquid organic and UHT milk. More than 112 million litres were imported last year.

Mr Beggs comments raise the possibility that foreign milk produced to British standards could bear the logo, even though it is not British.

They are in stark contrast with claims made by Ben Gill, president of the National Farmers Union, who helped launch the logo on Tuesday (13 June).

European free-market rules mean the logo can only denote that a product has been produced to British standards, not that it was produced in Britain.

Mr Gill said that supermarkets who had agreed to use the logo prior to its launch in London had assured him that they would not use it on foreign produce.

Although foreign produce can carry the British Farm Standard logo as long as it comes up to minimum standards, this will not happen, he insisted.

The logo is not appearing on dairy produce, until some “practicalities” have been finalised, according to NFU officials.

According to Mr Begg, these practicalities include the method of accreditation currently used by the National Dairy Farm Assured Scheme.

The issue of imported milk was also being discussed between processors and Assured Food Standards, the company set up to run the scheme, he added.

But the discussions have nothing to do with the fact that dairy products are not carrying currently carrying the logo, he added.

Mr Begg said processors wanted to join the scheme and wanted to resolve the problems “as quickly as possible” but gave no indication of when that would be.

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