The Milk Digest

Listen to George Gordon from dairy labour specialists LKL talk about the labour issues facing the dairy industry following news that access to foreign labour will be restriction from January 2021. He also discusses what the industry and individual dairy farmers need to be doing now to prevent severe labour shortages. 

First-generation dairy farmer Liz Haines talks on how she switched from a career in marketing to full-time dairy farming with her husband Nick and some of the ups and downs they have experienced along the way.  Liz also gives some tips on what to look out for when thinking about joining the industry as well as some useful courses to attend. 

Dairy farming businesses have been stressed tested over the last few months. In this month’s podcast, we speak to Gold Cup winner Robert Sloan, of Darnlaw Farm, Ayrshire, to find out how changes made over the last decade to his business has helped keep it afloat during turbulent times.

Farmers may seem like a resilient bunch but the intense pressures they face can often threaten their mental well-being. We speak to dairy farmer Peter Hynes, who talks openly about his own struggles with mental health as well as Stephanie Berkeley, of the Farm Safety Foundation who highlights the triggers, symptoms, and how farmers can get help.

For some time, it seems dairy farmers have been under the firm grasp of milk processors with price cuts leaving many unable to plan their future. In this week’s podcast our guests Peter Alvis, Robert Craig and Neil Rowe discuss what needs to be done to take back control including discussing ideas such as bringing back the Milk Marketing Board (MMB); more dairy co-ops; diversifying as well as having better communication in the supply chain. Tune in to hear some controversial debate.