Dairy farmers in health scheme given premium

Suppliers to major processor Müller are offered 0.5p per litre extra if they commit to herd health and welfare improvement schemes

Dairy farmers supplying Müller are being offered a 0.5p a litre premium if they commit to herd health and welfare improvement schemes.

The processor, which is the main milk buyer in the north and north-east, is launching its Müller Direct Premium on January 19.

Open to all of its non-aligned farmer suppliers, the premium offers an additional payment worth 0.5p a litre in return for farmer participation in three herd health initiatives.

The first is the Müller Direct Farm Insight Programme – an on-farm health and welfare assessment which aims to provide bespoke advice, benchmarking and highlight potential savings.

The second is the Müller Direct Antibiotic Programme, which is designed to manage and reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics, and the third is the National Johne’s Management Plan, which aims to control and eradicate Johne’s.

Müller said the premium, which could be worth £10,000 to a farmer producing two million litres per year for the company, will be paid in a lump sum in January 2020 to the farmers who qualify.

“The Müller Direct Premium 2019 initiative is another means to help our Müller Direct dairy farmers build better, more sustainable businesses, securing long term success and benefiting the dairy supply chain as a whole,” said Müller’s milk supply director, Rob Hutchison.

“We know that Müller Direct farmers are deeply committed to the health of their herds. Many have already taken important steps to address the unnecessary use of antibiotics, manage Johne’s and look for ways to improve overall health and welfare.

“We are confident that the benefits of participating, in terms of potential improvements in herd health and welfare coupled with the value of benchmarking and sharing best practice, will be significant.”

We know that Müller Direct farmers are deeply committed to the health of their herds

Picture: Getty. The premium could be worth £10,000 to a farmer producing two million litres per year.