First Milk to launch new regenerative milk pool in partnership with Yeo Valley
26th June 2023
At the Down to Earth South event last week (21 June), British farmer-owned dairy co-operative First Milk announced a new partnership with dairy manufacturer Yeo Valley, which will see the creation of a new regenerative milk pool in the Southwest of England.
First Milk sustainability director Mark Brooking speaking at the Down to Earth South event in Somerset last week.
Founded on the principles of nature-positive farming, the ‘Naturally Better Dairy Group’ will supply Yeo Valley Production with milk for its dairy products, with group members committed to delivering better outcomes for animal welfare, the environment, biodiversity and the local community.
Recruitment for the new group will commence immediately, and First Milk members within the catchment area will also be invited to join.
Speaking at the event, First Milk’s sustainability director Mark Brooking explained more about the cooperative’s regenerative farming programmes involving the UK dairy sector.
“We already have 700 farmers on the regen journey and are delighted to have agreed this exciting partnership with Yeo Valley Production, which will see us broaden this activity further, demonstrating that great tasting dairy can be a force for good.
“As the Regenerative co-op, we firmly believe that this approach to farming is the way to continue to produce affordable, nutritious food whilst addressing the growing climate and nature challenges we face.”
Mr Brooking said there was an interest among food buyers in selling positive stories of dairy farming being part of the climate solution and were willing to adjust the milk price accordingly.
This year’s Down to Earth South event was attended by a record number of visitors, demonstrating a rising interest in regenerative agriculture among the farming community.
Organised by the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF), event took place at Rushywood Farm near Crewkerne, Somerset, hosted by owner Neil Baker who farms 1,800 dairy cows in a fully-housed system.
Due to unprecedented demand, a second Down to Earth event is to be held next month on 6th July in Cumbria.
Down to Earth North will be hosted by Mark and Jenny Lee, true converts of regenerative farming, milking 175 milking crossbred cows, which are mob-grazed on a 30–40-day rotation. They graze areas of silvopasture, have pigs and chickens in the rotation and have been using herbal leys with great results.
Visitors to Down to Earth North will see first-hand the benefits regenerative farming has to offer through farm walks, informative talks and practical demonstrations. The event will cover a wide range of topics related to regenerative farming, such as benefits, how it applies to different systems, case studies and practical ways to improve sustainability on farms.
For more information on Down to Earth North, event timings and speakers, visit https://projectdowntoearth.co.uk/
