As we hurtle towards the end of the year, it is a good time to take stock on what has been another whirlwind of a 12 months in the dairy sector.

This time last year, there were warnings suggesting milk prices were going to drop, and those warnings played out to be true. Unfortunately, this was not matched by a rapid drop in costs of production and it looks like these increased costs are here to stay.

Stability

There are now some signs that there might be greater stability to the milk price, which is indeed welcome news, but there is still some way to go it seems.

There has also been plenty going on in the political world with us having to learn more about yet another Defra Secretary.

Steve Barclay will be the eighth Secretary of State in just seven years, that perhaps tells us all we need to know about the state the Government is in at the moment.

Positivity

But on the flip side, as I have attended shows, events and conferences around the country over the last 12 months, there is also a great deal to be positive about, despite everything else which is going on.

There is still plenty of investment to be seen at dairy farms around the country, a flavour of this is given in the milking technology special in the January edition of Dairy Farmer and there are still plenty who remain passionate and positive about this industry.