The report identifies actions and recommendations intended to enhance the industry’s export performance and add value through selling more British dairy products abroad.
The organization said a new taskforce should be formed to improve and increase dairy exports; the British dairy sector should collaborate on a new strategy to grow dairy exports; government investment, in partnership with the industry, is needed to drive dairy exports through trade deals, agriculture counsellors, and market development; and investment in domestic processing capacity to take advantage of new markets should be encouraged.
The NFU also said there needs to be a stable regulatory environment for dairy farmers to thrive, and an increased focus needs developing to build on existing work by AHDB & Red Tractor on dairy exports & market development.
NFU dairy board chairman Michael Oakes said, “We have developed a fantastic reputation around the world for quality and already export over £1.6bn ($2.2bn) worth of dairy products to more than 135 countries across Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East.
“Following a spell of uncertainty for dairy farmers faced by market volatility, the country’s exit from the EU, and the Covid-19 pandemic, the time is right to take a fresh look at our exporting opportunities and capitalize on the tremendous global support for great British dairy products.”
Oakes said the NFU’s dairy export strategy sets out recommendations the organization believes will enhance the industry’s export performance and could double the value of British dairy exports over the next 10 years.
“It demonstrates why by expanding our markets overseas, we can strengthen and enhance the domestic milk market, as well as cementing our position as a profitable and progressive industry and help set the global standard when it comes to climate-friendly food.
“In particular, we are calling on government to work with the dairy industry to set up a new Dairy Export Taskforce, whose sole purpose would be to grow dairy exports and investigate the recommendations outlined in this report.
“There’s no doubt we are at a crucial time for British farming, as the government seeks to do free trade deals with countries around the world. The strategy also makes clear the importance of the British dairy brand on the global stage not being undermined by trade deals that allow imports of dairy products that fail to meet our own sector’s high standards of food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection.”