A new industry report sets out a £2.4 billion pathway towards a more sustainable and resilient UK dairy sector
The UK dairy sector needs ÂŁ2.4 billion of investment to accelerate its transition towards a more sustainable and resilient industry by 2030, a new report says.
The plan comes after a difficult summer in which extreme heat, challenging weather and the spread of bluetongue have put additional pressure on dairy farms, animal welfare and milk production.
The Dairy Roadmap’s Sustainable Dairy Pathways: The Path to 2030, independently developed by Scotland’s Rural College, sets out a shared programme of investment and environmental action across the dairy supply chain.
It argues that many of the measures needed are already available, with the challenge now focused on increasing their adoption and providing the finance and infrastructure required to do so.
The report says on-farm emissions per litre of milk have fallen by around 22% since 1990, while methane emissions are nearly 14% lower.
Industry data cited in the report also shows greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by 9% over the past five years.
Processors have reduced energy intensity by more than 30% and cut water use by over 50% per kilogram of milk, while waste sent to landfill has fallen from 24% to less than 2%.
Bas Padberg, chair of The Dairy Roadmap, said: “Sustainability is about securing the future of dairy farming, and now for the first time, the whole dairy value chain has come together behind a shared pathway to 2030.”
He added: “Most importantly, it shows that many of the solutions already exist. The priority now is scaling what works.”
The report identifies four main priorities: increasing uptake of proven practices, investing in infrastructure and technology, preparing for emerging innovations and improving access to policy, finance, data and advisory support.
It says achieving the transition will require collaboration across the supply chain, alongside greater regulatory certainty and targeted government investment.
Slurry management and storage are among the areas highlighted as needing further support.
The report also calls for improved access to finance, stronger knowledge transfer, skills development and better alignment of data collection across the sector.
Those measures are expected to help unlock the ÂŁ2.4 billion of investment identified as necessary to support the transition.
David Homer, chair of the Sustainable Dairy Pathways Task and Finish Group, said recent weather had highlighted the risks facing dairy farmers.
“The extreme heat experienced this summer highlights changing weather patterns, and the very real risks climate change presents to dairy farming. Alongside challenges such as Bluetongue, these pressures are already affecting animal welfare, productivity and farm resilience.”
He said the report was intended to provide a practical route forward for the sector.
“What sets this report apart is that it represents a collective vision for the future of UK dairy. For the first time, the whole value chain has come together behind a practical pathway to 2030, bringing together existing evidence, recommendations and proven actions into a single plan for accelerating progress.”
The report also underlines the economic importance of the sector.
UK dairy produces around 15 billion litres of milk each year and supports more than 50,000 jobs on farms, along with a further 22,500 jobs in dairy processing.
The Dairy Roadmap says the aim is to ensure environmental progress can continue while protecting food security, maintaining milk production and supporting rural economies.
A second report is due in 2027 and will examine the longer-term pathway for the UK dairy sector to 2050.