Kategorie: News

The (Northern) Irish dairy cooperative Lakeland Dairies has completed the acquisition of Belgian-based butterfat business De Brandt Dairy International NV. The acquisition allows Lakeland Dairies to significantly grow its operational capability in the premium Texturised Butter market. Texturised butter brings a technical solution to specialist requirements in the catering and baking industries. It facilitates the preparation of pastries, improves the expansion of layers during baking and enhances taste and quality in final consumer and foodservice products. The De Brandt business comprises of texturised butter in addition to conventional butter fats, all of which will now be serviced by Lakeland Dairies.

In Ireland and Northern-Ireland a great majority of the 3200 member farmers of dairy cooperative Lakeland Dairies which together supply 90 percent of the milk the dairy takes in from member farmers have applied for the dairy its sustainable program. Farmers that join the program and meet the criteria get during the three year program a premium of 0.5 eurocent per litre milk supplied. To the measures farmers can implement to meet the criteria belong among others: milk recording, using sexed semen, heifers calving at an age between 22 and 26 months, a nutrient management plan with the use of fertilizer with protected urea, a plan to improve water quality on and around the farm.

In Denmark construction has started on Arla’s daughter company Arla Food Ingredients its largest processing plant to install an energy-saving heat pump which is expected to reduce CO2 equivalent emissions by 14500 tons a year. Once fully operational the facility will have the capacity to convert 2.8 MW of electricity into 8 MW of heat and 5.7 MW of ice water for cooling purposes. By 2026, the site will run entirely on green electricity.

In Denmark the dairy cooperative Arla will close the Tistrup plant and transfer production to the Taulov plant. This is due to the fact that the dairy in Tistrup is of older date and will require significant investments to meet future standards for safety, working environment and quality, according to Arla. At the same time, production volumes have been declining in recent years, and the spare capacity at Taulov will be utilized. The majority of the cheeses produced today at Tistrup are fully matured at Taulov whereby this transport can also be saved away while reducing CO2 emissions. The closure means that 25 jobs will be cut by the first quarter of 2026, according to Arla.

The Denmark headquartered dairy cooperative Arla and its farmer owners reduced carbon emissions close to 1 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents in the last two years 2023 and 2022.

The Denmark headquartered dairy cooperative Arla states that because of the great potential of plant-based products it is expanding the brand Jörd with a new product portfolio and a roll-out in two new markets. The first four years of the plant venture were about innovating, testing and finding a foothold. Because they now have Arla brings a new venture with six products in Denmark and a roll-out in two new markets, Sweden and the Netherlands.

A research team from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) found that scent from cow urine can help reduce the spread of malaria. The traps tested in the study were prepared with a synthetic scent of fresh cow urine that attracts different types of mosquitoes, which use the urine as a kind of energy drink.

In Sweden in 2023 dairy farms had average 110 cows. Half of the Swedish dairy farms had more than 74 cows and half of them had less than 74 cows.

In Finland the dairy cooperative Valio is launching an extensive research, development and innovation project called Food 2.0. Its goal is to create a Finnish nature-smart food system in which growth, profitability and added value are built on the basis of sustainable production. The duration of the program is five years. The project has been granted 10 million euro funding in Business Finland’s challenge competition for leading companies. In addition, Business Finland is preparing to fund ecosystem projects on the Food 2.0 roadmap with 20 million euro. Business Finland is a Finnish government organization for innovation funding and trade, travel and investment promotion. Valio’s role is to initiate and lead wide-ranging cooperation as well as research and development projects with its current and new partners. Hundreds of companies and other operators are connected to the food system in Finland and the goal is to have at least one hundred partners in the network. Valio’s and the ecosystem’s goal is to invest 100 million euro more in research and development activities over five years and to increase exports connected to the food system by more than one billion (10*9) euro in the following years after the project has ended. Valio is the first food company that Business Finland has chosen.

In Finland in 2023 dairy farms produced a volume of 2174 million litres milk. This was one percent milk less than in 2022. Of the produced milk 2132 million litres were supplied to dairies. Ultimo 2023 the number of dairy farms was 4200 which was eight percent less than one year before. Organic milk production was just over 73 million litres which was nine percent less than in 2022. There were less than 100 organic dairy farms which was 20 percent less than one year before. The number of dairy cows was just over 236000 head which was three percent less than one year before. (Source: Natural Resources Institute Finland)

In the EU in 2023 the average farmers milk price was 47.0 eurocent per kilogram milk which was 3.2 eurocent less than in 2022

Switzerland exported in 2023 a volume of 73500 tons of cheese which was 4.5 percent more than in 2022. Swiss import of cheese was in 2023 in volume almost 74300 tons of cheese which was an increase of 1.6 percent. This makes that Switzerland in 2023 for the first time was a nett importer of cheese.

In Switzerland Greenpeace is calling for a ban on advertising for dairy products and meat. The numerous advertising measures by retailers and industry organizations legitimize and increase consumption, even though it is known that the production of animal products has significant negative effects on the climate and the environment, according to Greenpeace. Farmers who sell their own products are exempt from the proposed ban.

Switzerland has extended the period between killing animals for slaughter on the farm and disemboweling them in the slaughterhouse to 90 minutes. This means that more farms can introduce the animal-friendly process of on-farm slaughter in a feed fence or on pasture and reduce the number of slaughters without transporting live animals. Previously the deadline was just 45 minutes.

In Greece an organization of sheep and goat farmers has complained about adulterated feta. According to EU Protected Designation of Origin regulations, feta can only be called feta if it is made from Greek sheep or goat milk. According to the organization this is being resolved by using cow milk. According to the organization adulterated feta is among others sold by well-known supermarkets in Europe.

In Greece FrieslandCampina Hellas which is a subsidiary of the Holland headquartered dairy cooperative Royal FrieslandCampina has got a fine of more than half a million euro for excessively high consumer prices for, among other things, baby food. In Greece apply maximum prices set by the government. FrieslandCampina Hellas denies the accusation and is appealing against the fine.

In France the stock market listed dairy Danone has re-opened the transformed production facility in Villecomtal-sur-Arros in southwestern France. The plant is converted for the production of oat-based drinks for the Alpro brand.

In France in 2023 national milk production decreased 2.9 percent compared to 2022. Production of organic milk decreased even 4.4 percent. It was the third year in a row that French milk production decreased.

In Germany in January 2024 compared to December 2023 the raw material or compound value of milk at farm decreased 1.0 eurocent to 42.7 eurocent per kilogram milk with 4.0 percent fat and 3.4 percent protein (exclusive VAT). This is 2.1 eurocent less than in the same month one year before. The highest future price of milk for the next 18 months on the Kieler Börsenmilchwert European Energy Exchange is the price for August 2025 at 49.9 eurocent. The lowest future price is the price for February 2024 at 41.9 eurocent.

The Germany headquartered private dairy Hochland which is specialized in cheese production and has an annual turnover of about two billion (10*9) euro will introduce in March a plant based cheese alternative through its brand Patros.