On-farm processing: business sense or desperation

More dairy farmers than ever are considering processing their own milk, judging by a spate of enquiries received by The Milk Development Council (MDC). And in response to this interest in marketing added-value produce such as locally/regionally branded milk, dairy beverages, cheese, ice cream or yogurt, the MDC is running a series of meetings across England and Wales at which dairy farmers can gain insight into the pros and cons of starting their own on-farm processing venture.

There is much to be considered before moving forward with a processing venture; business plans, market and consumer research, production capability; financial projections, regulations and so on. The MDC hopes to answer some of the many questions that are poised at the early stages - not least of which is, should you actually go ahead.

Liz Broadbent MDC's Marketing Director says: "It is not our intention to actively encourage on-farm processing, it is simply our job to assist those who are trying to decide whether it is for them and how best to proceed if they have made the decision to go down this route.

"The MDC needs to ensure we provide appropriate and effective assistance and I would like to emphasise how important it is to come to us early in the planning stage so we can best assess how the MDC can be of help. These meetings might be the first step."

If you are interested in attending one of the meetings or would like more information on what MDC could do to help your venture please contact Deborah House at the MDC on 01285 646542 or email deborah.house@mdc.org.uk.