Scottish Dairy Review October 10, 2013 12:00 am The Scottish Government has released a bold dairy strategy with the aim of increasing milk production by 50% over the next 10 – 12 years. The document, proudly called ‘Ambition 2025’, contains nineteen recommendations to help achieve this aim. It can be found at – http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0043/00434082.pdf The Rural Affairs Minister, Richard Lochhead, commissioned a review of the Scottish dairy industry back in November 2012. The strategy is a result of consultation with the whole dairy supply chain. It aspires to be a ‘call to arms’ for the Scottish dairy sector. At the heart of the vision is ‘collective and collaborative leadership’. The report recommends a ‘Scottish Dairy Growth Board’ be set up to drive forward the strategy. An Action Plan to implement the recommendations will be drawn up. Interestingly, members of the Growth Board will be required to ‘talk-up’ the prospects of the Scottish dairy industry! Among the other recommendations are; the industry should focus more on export markets and use the powerful Scottish food and drink brand to drive growth. An Export Growth Fund will be set up support would be given for the setting up of Producer Groups in the Scottish Dairy industry the report highlights the fact that there has been too much focus at farm level on the milk price as a driver of profitability and not enough on business efficiency. It suggest that there needs to be a culture change in the acceptance of ‘external, professional, advice’. To that end, and independent ‘Scottish Dairy Bureau’ should be set up as a one-stop-shop for information, advice, and training the part that dairy products can play in a healthy, balanced diet should be emphasised in any future campaigns to improve Scotland’s diet. The ambition of the strategy has to be admired. And, at least the Scottish Government is trying to drive the industry to embrace the opportunities that no doubt exist. A nice strategy document isn’t, of course, going to produce any change – it is whether the recommendations produce any measurable effects. One area of concern must be the setting up of further industry bodies, particularly when these seem to overlap with what already exists. It is not clear to us how the proposed Scottish Dairy Bureau is going to interact with DairyCo for example.
