NFU president Minette Batters met with minister for exports, Mike Freer MP, on Thursday (January 27) to explain more about the NFU Dairy Export Strategy designed to help unlock new opportunities within international markets.
The visit took place at specialist Stilton makers, Long Clawson Dairy, Leicestershire.
Minette said: “Today’s meeting with the minister gave us the opportunity to showcase the fantastic work that farmers and producers are already doing to export high quality dairy products around the globe and demonstrate how they can work with the Department for International Trade to grow their businesses to meet growing demand for British dairy.
“Long Clawson Dairy is a prime example of how the British dairy industry is ambitious, innovative and forward-thinking; producing a range of top-quality nutritious and sustainable British dairy products to world-leading standards like its award-winning Stilton that’s sold across Europe, the US and Australia.
“Although the industry already exports over £1.6billion worth of dairy products to more than 135 countries, we would like to double that value within the next decade.
“With government investment to boost on-going market development work and to increase the number of agriculture counsellors around the world, we can massively boost our dairy exports and help set the global standard when it comes to sustainable climate-friendly food.”
Mike said: “It’s fantastic to be working with the NFU on accelerating dairy exports in the region.
“The work that farmers and producers do across the UK and here in the East Midlands is hugely important for the economy and a sector we should be proud to shout about overseas.
“Exports support over six million jobs across the UK, with almost 400,000 of these based in the East Midlands and I look forward to continuing to help the region’s farming sector continue to thrive.
