New hope for dairy farmers

ONE of the biggest changes to the face of Cumbrian dairy farming happened on Monday when tankers from Partners In Cheese (PIC) began collecting milk from county farms.

The company set up by Dutch entrepreneur Ronald Akkerman has 150 milk producers onboard and intends to build a £50 million cheese factory at Kingmoor Park in Carlisle.

The farmers, whose Dairy Crest contract to supply the Aspatria creamery expired on Sunday, saw their milk price jump from 18.25p per litre to around 27p overnight.

Some of the farmers who left the Aspatria factory, now owned by First Milk, joined rival co-operative Milk Link.

Allan Lowrey, of farmer group Dairy Crest Direct, said: "The changeover has gone smoothly up to now.

"Twelve months ago, these producers thought their only option was First Milk. I'm looking forward to a brighter future and I'm feeling very optimistic for the future of these Cumbrian farmers."

Much of the milk is going to the catering industry while some is being turned into cheese and matured ready for when PIC's packing and cutting plant opens in the spring.