BUTWHERE DOES CASH COME FROM?
BUTWHERE DOES CASH COME FROM?
THE principle of dairy farm assurance is good, but it is difficult to see a return on work needed to meet the standards, says Hants producer Neil Cutler.
His two dairy units housing a total of 250 cows, near Southwick, were assessed by his milk buyer Milk Link last summer. He was given assured status following some improvements. This work included rendering walls in an isolation box, replacing a sliding door in the dairy and fitting locks.
Mr Cutler is keen on a national assurance scheme for milk, as it ensures unnecessary criteria are not imposed on producers by milk buyers. But he finds it difficult to find money to invest in farm assurance requirements with current low prices on his tenanted units, where the landlord is unwilling to invest.
"Changes to the unit required have taken time and there has been a cost to it." However, ideally the alterations are ones that he would have liked to make anyway.
Time was also needed for the assessment. "Assessing the two units took nearly a day, because I went round with the assessor to ask his opinion on the facilities."
However, he is concerned that other producers feel involved in the scheme, rather than believe its an imposition. "Farmers have to see a return and it would be good if there was a premium for assured milk." His buyer plans to impose a penalty for milk from farms which isnt assured.
Milk Links Simon Mercer confirms that if its suppliers fail to meet the standards within 90 days of an assessment, a 0.5p/litre deduction can be made. This could be applied from Apr 1, by which time all Milk Links suppliers should be assured. "But there are a small number of people failing to reach the assurance standard."
Mr Cutler is pleased that his milk buyer will shortly be able to supply assured milk and hopes other buyers complete farm inspections quickly. Then, the British Farm Standard logo should start appearing on milk and producers can see that becoming assured is beneficial. *