Dairy UK opens debate portal

British industry body Dairy UK has launched the Dairy Debate website. The first debate, focusing on the EU and market management, went live on 28 May at www.DairyDebate.co.uk

Dairy Debate is an independent online platform set up to promote discussion and debate on issues facing the industry. A question will be posed by the moderators, together with opinion pieces from three leading experts. Visitors to the site can then take part in the conversation and share their views.

Jim Begg, director general of Dairy UK, says: “Our objective is to promote debate and discussion. We want this to be a safe place for the industry to comment on the problems we face. It is essentially an independent barometer for views and opinions throughout the supply chain. Experts will give their views on the issue at hand, but the really interesting material is what will be generated by the industry stakeholders and the public.”

Commentary for the first debate over whether or not the EU should engage in market management included a statement by Kimberly Crewther from Fonterra making the case for total liberalisation, The European Milk Board case in support of market management, and an alternative approach put forward by Peter Dawson at Dairy UK.

Though created by Dairy UK, DairyDebate.co.uk is a stand-alone website to which anybody and everybody can contribute their thoughts and ideas, the association says. Topics and answers will be moderated by Dairy UK and anything illegal or offensive will be removed, but that will be Dairy UK’s only involvement.

The site will also host a back catalogue of past debates.