Finland: salmonella infection

In Finland 25 dairy and beef cattle farms are under restrictions because of salmonella infection. 19 of these 25 cases have been detected during this year, 7 cases are from last year (2018). Jackdaws (Corvus monedula) are suspected to spread salmonella in the western part of the country, but there are other reasons for infections as well. One of those is rodents which are bringing the bacteria to the farms. There have been several types of Salmonella in cattle farms (S. Altona, S. Diarizonae, S. Enteritidis, S. Infantis, S. Konstanz, S. Typhimurium). This year is exceptional, because normally less than 10 salmonella cases are found from Finnish cattle farms during a year. In Finland all the salmonella infections will always be eradicated from any farm producing animal products. In Finland there is an eradicating program in samples are taken from all around the farm (feeds, barn, animals, birds, …). They will search the origin of salmonella and then decide how to eradicate it. Normally cattle get clean from the bacteria, if they do not get new infection. When feeds are infected, they will be destroyed. Farms have insurances for that.

Rabobank Global Dairy Top 20 2019

The Rabobank Global Dairy Top 20 2019, is the latest survey of the world’s largest dairy companies in 2018. In 2018, lower commodity prices, adverse weather conditions in key export regions, a strong US dollar, and currency shifts have affected the combined turnover of the Global Dairy Top 20 companies. In US dollar terms, there was an increase of 2.5% on the year, compared to 7.2% in the previous year. However, combined 2018 turnover in euro terms dropped by 2.0% versus an upward trend of 5.1% in 2017. For the total ranking, see the attached Excel-document.

Germany: ife data June/July

In Germany in July compared to June the raw material or compound value of milk at farm fell 0.6 eurocent to 30.4 eurocent per kilogram milk with 4.0 percent fat and 3.4 percent protein (exclusive VAT). This is 3.5 eurocent less than in the same month last year. The highest future price of milk for the next 18 months on the Kieler Börsenmilchwert European Energy Exchange is the price for February 2021 at 36.1 eurocent. The lowest future price is the price for August 2019 at 31.2 eurocent. www.ife-ev.de

The Netherlands: Analysis on economic results of farms

In Holland an analyses by the accountancy Flynth of economic results of 300 farms with that average have 110 dairy cows and produce one million kilogram milk a year shows that farms that are pasturing their cows make average 400 euro per hectare more profit. This is most realized by lower feed and labour and mechanisation costs and a higher milk price.

The Netherlands: initiative to produce local cheese

In Holland, the dairy cooperative Royal FrieslandCampina will join the initiative to produce local cheese on the northern isle of Terschelling with nine dairy farms. On the isle a new cheese plant will be built with the help of RFC and RFC’s daughter cheese wholesaler Zijderveld will help with the distribution and marketing of the cheese with the brand Skylger.

The Netherlands: RFC wants to meet the German market demand

In Holland, the dairy cooperative Royal FrieslandCampina increases the number of member dairy farmers that produce farm milk in conformity with the German VLOG standard from 400 to 600. In this way, the dairy company wants to meet the German market demand for Dutch cheese in which milk has been processed from cows that are given feed free from gene technology and graze outside. In 2017, the dairy started a pilot with a number of 183 member dairy farmers for the production of milk in conformity with the VLOG standard. VLOG (Verband Lebensmittel Ohne Gentechnik) is a German association responsible for the certification and issuing of the ‘Ohne Gentechnik’ label. VLOG certification has impact on the whole chain from cow feed, dairy farm, logistics, milk processing to the shelf. The goal is to produce products without the use of gene technology. Important conditions for meeting the VLOG standard are that participating dairy farmers give their cows feed that is free from gene technology. Additionally participants apply full outside grazing at their farms. Also, the dairy processor has to guarantee that this milk is processed in a separate milk stream. Dairy farms that produce according to the VLOG standard receive an extra reward of 1 cent per kg of milk on top of the outdoor grazing premium.

Great Britain: Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers – no-deal brexit

In the UK the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers states that prime minister Boris Johnson must consider the drastic implications leaving the EU without a deal could have on our already strained overseas labour network. EU-labour is making a significant contribution to dairy businesses with farms becoming more reliant on overseas labour with 56% of respondents (2016) employing staff from outside the UK in the last five years compared with just 32% in 2014 and that the government must realise that these gaps will not be filled by British workers. A survey shows that of 2000 UK adults only four percent is willing to consider job roles on a dairy farm.

Great Britan: ‘Arla UK 360’

In the United Kingdom last year the Denmark headquartered dairy cooperative Arla unveiled a farming standards model called ‘Arla UK 360’ to bring sustainable change to dairy farming in the UK. The Arla UK 360 program covers the six areas essential to building a profitable, responsible dairy farm business. It incorporates best practice in today’s dairy farming across animal health and welfare, people development, environment and natural resources, community engagement and economic resilience and reinvestment, and will then drive a vision for research and development areas that will lead the UK dairy agenda, Arla states. As part of Arla UK 360 Arla has decided that starting 1-1-2020 it will no longer be allowed that calves born on an Arla members farm will before eight weeks of age will be slaughtered or euthanized. To help farmers with this Arla has made an agreement with UK supermarket chain Morrisons that it will sell veal of those calves. For this the farmers can sell the calves to the veal producer Buitelaar.

Ireland: consequences of no-deal Brexit

In Northern Ireland after a no-deal Brexit 45000 dairy cows could be culled. Now Northern Ireland exports annual about 700 to 800 million litres of milk to the Irish republic. With a no-deal Brexit EU-import tariffs would make Northern Irish milk much less competitive. In that case Northern Ireland would have a surplus of milk and farmers would have to sell cows for culling, according to the BBC.

Finland: number of dairy farms decreases

In Finland the number of dairy farms has dropped under 6.000. In June there were 5992 dairy farms. That was nine percent less than in June 2018 when there were 6566 dairy farms. During the year 2018 on average 1.5 dairy farms per day stopped milk production. In the 2000 Finland had still over 20000 dairy farms, in 2010 there were about 10000 dairy farms. It is expected that in 2020 there will be about 5000 farms producing milk.

EU: EDA welcomes Mercosur agreement

Several European farmers organization abuse the new trade agreement between the EU and south American countries organized in Mercosur. However: the European Dairy Association (EDA), in which European milk processors are united, welcomes the new agreement. EDA states that the new agreement offers much better conditions for much more European dairy products to south America. Among others the new export contingent of cheese of 30000 tonnes is about ten times the current export volume, EDA states.