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Farmers angry at Government UHT plans
Farmers are furious at Government plans to stop people drinking fresh milk to save the planet from global warming.
Officials at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have proposed consumers switch to UHT (Ultra-Heat Treated) milk.
The plan is part of the Government's strategy to ensure 90 per cent of milk on sale would not require refrigeration by 2020.
It was revealed in a Government paper which was sent out last month to the dairy industry.
It does not aim to reduce the use of domestic fridges because UHT milk must be kept chilled once opened.
The paper states: "Retail and domestic refrigeration is an area with the potential for significant impact reduction.
"The milk chain should enhance the development, marketing and placement of UHT milk products."
It also states consumers might not buy UHT milk because there is little on display.
But Sussex farmers have reacted angrily to the proposals because the industry has already been rocked by foot and mouth and bluetongue.
National Farmers' Union (NFU) dairy board chairman Gwyn Jones, who keeps 750 dairy cattle on Crouchlands Farm, near Billingshurst, accused the Government of plotting against farmers.
He said: "Defra are completely against us. There is no doubt there are individuals in Defra who see dairy farmers as bad for the environment.
"We have struggled to cope with foot and mouth, bluetongue and, in some parts of the county, tuberculosis.
"Given all of that, to start talking about this demonstrates Defra is not on the side of dairy farmers in this country.
"When I look up from my fields where my cows are grazing I see dozens of planes flying overhead from Gatwick.
"It is crazy for the Government to blame dairy farmers for the problems with the environment."
An NFU South East spokeswoman said: "Any environmental targets which are set for the dairy industry must have the support of that industry and must be practicable and achievable.
"The NFU would not want any targets set which would compromise the economic viability of the dairy sector, which has been very fragile.
"The last few years have been awful for dairy farmers and we do not want nanny state environmental targets."
A Defra spokeswoman said the Government would make a decision on the future of fresh milk next spring after speaking to dairy farmers.
She said: "The Government is not and will not be telling people what kind of milk to drink. People need to make their own decisions.
"The Government's role is, however, to provide the facts to help us make informed choices based on a range of considerations, one of which is the need to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."
Would you ditch fresh milk for UHT? Tell us what you think about the Government's plan below.
11:29am Tuesday 16th October 2007
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CommentPosted by: Alarm Clock, Under the Blankets on 12:09pm Tue 16 Oct 07
Wake up there!
This story was in the national papers yesterday. Let us have some cream in the news reporting here.
Wake up there!
This story was in the national papers yesterday. Let us have some cream in the news reporting here.
Posted by: Alarm Clock, Under the Blankets on 12:11pm Tue 16 Oct 07
Wake up there!
This story was in the national papers yesterday. Let us have some cream in the news reporting here.
Wake up there!
This story was in the national papers yesterday. Let us have some cream in the news reporting here.
Posted by: spooky sue, goring-by-sea on 12:11pm Tue 16 Oct 07
UHT Yuk! not quite the same taste. I sympathise with farmers who struggle enough now but seems the reporter couldn't tell their tongue from their tooth, perhaps as the story says "farmers have struggled with foot and mouth and BLUETOOTH" perhaps the next time you see strange pulsating lights over fields it might merely be cows bluetoothing each other than extra-terrestial goings on.Stranger things have happened!
UHT Yuk! not quite the same taste. I sympathise with farmers who struggle enough now but seems the reporter couldn't tell their tongue from their tooth, perhaps as the story says "farmers have struggled with foot and mouth and BLUETOOTH" perhaps the next time you see strange pulsating lights over fields it might merely be cows bluetoothing each other than extra-terrestial goings on.Stranger things have happened!
Posted by: DD, Hove on 12:18pm Tue 16 Oct 07
Well done to The Argus for only being one day behind the rest of the country, normally they are weeks.
That aside, the Government has actually denied these reports so in the end it looks like the newspapers are just crying over spilt milk.
Well done to The Argus for only being one day behind the rest of the country, normally they are weeks.
That aside, the Government has actually denied these reports so in the end it looks like the newspapers are just crying over spilt milk.
Posted by: John Lisle, Walton on Thames on 12:20pm Tue 16 Oct 07
I aqm amused at Gwyn Jones's comment that dairy farmers in Sussex are struggling with mobile phone technology (bluetooth) Should read bluetongue. Smack the editor's hand for not reading the article before it was published.
I aqm amused at Gwyn Jones's comment that dairy farmers in Sussex are struggling with mobile phone technology (bluetooth) Should read bluetongue. Smack the editor's hand for not reading the article before it was published.
Posted by: clive, brighton on 12:25pm Tue 16 Oct 07
UHT means ultra high tempreture. Sulely heating up milk to the high tempretures required uses more electricity than putting milk in a fridge!!!
UHT means ultra high tempreture. Sulely heating up milk to the high tempretures required uses more electricity than putting milk in a fridge!!!
Posted by: clive, brighton on 12:28pm Tue 16 Oct 07
Uht means ultra high tempreture. Surely heating up milk to the required tempreture uses more electricity than putting milk in the fridge
Uht means ultra high tempreture. Surely heating up milk to the required tempreture uses more electricity than putting milk in the fridge
Posted by: john b on 12:52pm Tue 16 Oct 07
Maybe Andy Whelan uses bluetongue on this mobile phone. Or maybe he's just a lazy journalist. Probably the latter.
Maybe Andy Whelan uses bluetongue on this mobile phone. Or maybe he's just a lazy journalist. Probably the latter.
Posted by: Milko, Sussex on 1:45pm Tue 16 Oct 07
Why not set up a system whereby consumers could have milk delivered to their home every day? Then they wouldn't have to store it in the fridge any longer than UHT.
It could be transported to their doorstep by zero-emission, electric powered, vehicles that could also deliver other foods like soft drinks, bread, potatoes, etc.
If people chose to have these goods delivered they may not have to endure the nightmare of driving miles to some sort of huge industrial warehouse full of stuff they didn't realise they needed every week.
Who knows it could even provide some sort of informal early-warning system for society to keep an eye out for vulnerable people. If their milk was left on the doorstep the delivery driver could alert neighbours, in case there was a problem.
Just a thought.
Why not set up a system whereby consumers could have milk delivered to their home every day? Then they wouldn't have to store it in the fridge any longer than UHT.
It could be transported to their doorstep by zero-emission, electric powered, vehicles that could also deliver other foods like soft drinks, bread, potatoes, etc.
If people chose to have these goods delivered they may not have to endure the nightmare of driving miles to some sort of huge industrial warehouse full of stuff they didn't realise they needed every week.
Who knows it could even provide some sort of informal early-warning system for society to keep an eye out for vulnerable people. If their milk was left on the doorstep the delivery driver could alert neighbours, in case there was a problem.
Just a thought.
Posted by: JP, Sussex on 2:07pm Tue 16 Oct 07
I think the cows themselves, through their own emissions, are much more damaging to the environment than maintaining the cold chain ever will be.
I think the cows themselves, through their own emissions, are much more damaging to the environment than maintaining the cold chain ever will be.
Posted by: Stuart, Brighton on 3:01pm Tue 16 Oct 07
... and then we can import it very easily; our farms shut up shop; and then what?
... and then we can import it very easily; our farms shut up shop; and then what?
Posted by: Mr.Meaner, Up on 4:26pm Tue 16 Oct 07
[quote][bold]Stuart[/bold] wrote:
... and then we can import it very easily; our farms shut up shop; and then what?[/quote] Who cares? They cannot supply me with my regular diet of fresh lobster, Madagascan prawns and Beluga caviar. All it would mean to me is that there were fewer stinky welly-wearing, ruddy-faced oiks around. Now that is no bad thing, agreed?
Stuart wrote:
... and then we can import it very easily; our farms shut up shop; and then what?
Who cares? They cannot supply me with my regular diet of fresh lobster, Madagascan prawns and Beluga caviar. All it would mean to me is that there were fewer stinky welly-wearing, ruddy-faced oiks around. Now that is no bad thing, agreed?
Posted by: CAROL BARNES, worthing on 8:51am Thu 18 Oct 07
I DON'T WANT UHT AT ALL!
This rubbish about emissions - they want to enlarge airports and increase planes, but we are supposed to go without our fresh milk!!
I DON'T WANT UHT AT ALL!
This rubbish about emissions - they want to enlarge airports and increase planes, but we are supposed to go without our fresh milk!!
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