Against the backdrop of the Semex 2020 dairy conference in Glasgow this week, NFU Scotland President Andrew McCornick from Dumfries and Galloway (right) and Milk Policy Manager Stuart Martin (left) met with Dr Patrick Muller, the Chief Executive of major milk buyer, Muller Milk Ingredients.
As a top priority, the Union stressed the importance of stability for Scottish dairy farmers and Scottish milk fields and underlined its disappointment with regards to Muller’s decision in October 2019 to serve notice on 14 dairy farmers in Aberdeenshire and the scale of new haulage charges to be imposed on many dairy farmers supplying the company next month.
The group discussed the transformational phase that Muller are going through as a business in both Scotland and the wider markets, and any subsequent impact on the dairy landscape in Scotland.
On processing, the Union delegation heard more about the £15 million investment made in Muller’s processing facility at Bellshill last year which represented the largest single investment in Scottish dairy processing for more than a decade.
The Union welcomed Muller’s intentions to add more value to the dairy sector through product innovation, targeted marketing and customer price negotiation. Similarly, it welcomed Muller’s commitment to the promotion of liquid milk and recognition of the need to re-engage with the consumer.
