The dairy industry must retain its confidence and take advantage of future opportunities to grow, said Dairy UK Chairman Billy Keane today.
Addressing political and industry leaders at the Dairy UK Annual Dinner in London, Mr Keane said: “We are all acutely aware that the last twelve months have brought their share of uncertainty. However, we must be confident in the long-term future of our dairy industry.
“We know that the fundamentals of the market are right and that our industry has unique prospects and a bright future ahead. We embrace the challenges wholeheartedly and I have every confidence that we will be able to seize opportunities to further the interests of our great industry. Now is our chance to get in the game and become the global player we’re expected to be.”
Mr Keane also highlighted a number of achievements in the UK dairy industry this year:
• Capital expenditure by Dairy UK members reached almost £1.3bn within the last decade, showing the dedication and drive of dairy companies to develop a successful and strong dairy industry in the UK;
• The industry led the way in terms of environmental stewardship and achieved a 15% improvement in energy efficiency since 2008, surpassing official targets five years ahead of schedule;
• Striving to get ahead of the game, the industry developed new tools to guarantee the highest and most robust standards of food safety;
• Dairy UK engaged in a series of proactive partnerships which have been important in launching initiatives such as the Johne’s Plan and to further research and promote milk and dairy;
• The Dairy All-Party Parliamentary Group gave the industry a platform to communicate more effectively with Government and parliamentarians, addressing common misconceptions about dairy.
Guest of Honour, New Zealand High Commissioner to the UK, Mr Lockwood Smith, said: “One of the most fundamental lessons the New Zealand industry has learned over the last 40 years is that an outward focus and market diversification are critical to success in a volatile world.
“Global dairy demand is set to rise dramatically in the coming years, bringing new opportunities for dairy producers and processors to work together In fact, the changing nature of the value chains means that synergies available from joint investment strategies will lead to far greater success than going it alone.”
Dr Judith Bryans, Chief Executive of Dairy UK said: “One of our key priorities remains creating an environment in which our dynamic dairy industry can thrive and ensuring there is ample recognition for how good our products taste, how safe they are and how they make a difference to the nation’s diet.
“We want to bring public health and the role of dairy right back to the top of the agenda and address how dietary policies, whether developed in the UK or in Brussels, affect the dairy industry and the consumer. In the next few weeks every MP, MSP, AM and MEP will receive a copy of our latest report which will deliver the facts on dairy and health to their doorsteps.”
