Farmer fury
OPINION: The new Labour Government in the UK is facing the wrath of farmers. Last week thousands of farmers and their supporters converged in London protesting changes to inheritance tax for farmers announced in the Budget.
Whereas liquid milk consumption may be declining, the production of value-added products is increasing.
Milk consumption in the United Kingdom has dropped by just under 50% since 1974.
The fall in UK’s per capita consumption of milk is greater than in the US — it experienced a reduction of 40% of per capita liquid milk consumption since 1975.
The UK findings were reported within an analysis by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).
According to AHDB, despite 98.5% of UK households still buying milk to drink, the average per capita consumption has fallen from 140 litres per year (2.7 litres per week), to just 70 litres (1.4 litres per week).
But it’s not all doom and gloom — AHDB reports that value-added dairy products like cheese are experiencing growth.
AHDB says that the volume of milk going into UK cheese has increase by 1.09 billion litres in the past ten years.
In contrast, the volume of milk going into liquid manufacturing has dropped by 720 million litres in the same timeframe.
With the current situation in the European farm machinery market being described as difficult at best, it’s perhaps no surprise that the upcoming AgriSIMA 2026 agricultural machinery exhibition, scheduled for February 2026 at Paris-Nord Villepinte, has been cancelled.
The Meat Industry Association of New Zealand (MIA) has launched the first in-market activation of the refreshed Taste Pure Nature country-of-origin brand with an exclusive pop-up restaurant experience in Shanghai.
Jayna Wadsworth, daughter of the late New Zealand wicketkeeper Ken Wadsworth, has launched an auction of cricket memorabilia to raise funds for I Am Hope's youth mental health work.
As we move into the 2025/26 growing season, the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA) reports that the third quarter results for the year to date is showing that the stagnated tractor market of the last 18 months is showing signs of recovery.
DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown is urging dairy farmers to participate in the 2026 Levy vote, to be held early next year.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling for nominations for director roles in the Eastern North Island and Southern South Island electoral districts.
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