The joy of dairy
Image: Suzanne Christiansen
The Dairy UK Annual Dinner was a highlight of my week last week. It was held in the Raffles Hotel in Whitehall, London, site of the Old War Office. Hugh Dennis, who is a rather amusing comedian, was the featured speaker. Plus, the food was good (Eton Mess and a very comprehensive cheeseboard) and the socialising delightful. I spent so much time chatting with the fellow tablemates, I forgot to go and network more. Thanks to Charlotte Walsh of AB Agri and Brian Longman of Defra for being such good company.
It did highlight the good work Dairy UK has been doing throughout the year, from the Dairy Roadmap to standardising carbon footprint tools throughout the industry, to raw milk contracts, to ensuring that whoever is in government, they recognise that dairy needs to play on a level playing field. As Paul Vernon, Dairy UK chair said, “We want dairy to be recognised for the important role it plays: in food security and nutrition, in livelihoods and economies, and in sustainable food systems.|
One example of the good work done is the Dairy Transport Assurance Scheme (DTAS), which provides assurance to milk purchasers that the transport of raw milk and milk fractions meets food safety requirements, recognised industry good practice and specific customer needs. This year, the scheme upgraded its standards, and these are now based on a modular format. Each member’s annual certificate, and their website listing, will display which modules they have been audited against, making it clear to potential customers exactly which operations each depot is certified for.
Sometimes it feels like a lot of dairy processing is paperwork, but getting the papers right (and digitising these papers) is a key focus for the sector, and one where Dairy UK is helping through its fieldwork, again and again. It’s not the easiest, but feeding the world with good, healthy products, is important.
Next stop Harrogate! Only a few weeks until our inaugural Dairy Industries Expo and Society of Dairy Technology annual general meeting. Don’t forget to register for both: www.dairyindustriesexpo.com and www.sdt.org or email [email protected]
- Suzanne Christiansen, editor, Dairy Industries International.
Keep in touch via email: [email protected]
Twitter: @dairyindustries or LinkedIn: Dairy Industries International magazine
