Assurance scheme boost for dairy supply

Dairy UK has announced that, in future, all stages in the UK dairy industry supply chain will be covered by assurance schemes. This follows the launch in Warwick yesterday (Tuesday 14th September) of the Dairy Transport Assurance Scheme (DTAS).

Developed by Dairy UK, the new scheme will cover the transport of milk and milk fractions from the farm gate to the dairy processing site and between dairies. The standards will cover sub-contractors, vehicle hygiene, site requirements, HACCP, personnel and training, complaints procedures and record keeping.

It will fill in the gap between Assured Dairy Farms, which covers up to the farm gate, and British Retail Consortium standards, which cover milk processing and beyond.

The scheme will be introduced in three phases, leading up to full UKAS accreditation, independent certification and assessment and incorporation into the Red Tractor scheme.

Commenting on the launch Jim Begg, Dairy UK Director General said "This new scheme means that industry customers and consumers can be confident that all stages of the supply chain are operated and inspected to the highest standards".