29 October 2004
The Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative (OMSCo) has this week launched a new initiative aimed at developing collaboration and partnership across the organic dairy industry. ‘OMSCo Partners’ was officially launched at a reception at the Houses of Parliament that was attended by the Minister responsible for Organic Food and Farming, Ben Bradshaw MP, and timed to coincide with the cooperative’s 10th anniversary.
The ‘OMSCO Partners’ initiative, which is backed by Defra ( Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) funding, aims to engage with the supply chain and encourage new forms of partnering and cooperation between producers, processors and retailers. It will also encourage marketing activity to develop new supply chain channels, as well as researching and developing additional quality attributes and standards for organic milk production.
Defra Minister Ben Bradshaw said: "I want to see a profitable, sustainable dairy sector in the UK, organic or otherwise. In terms of size, efficiency and climate, our dairy farmers have the advantage over many foreign competitors, and by working together they have the potential to succeed.
"OMSCo's project could improve collaboration in the industry, and add value to milk production. Both play an important role in improving the fortunes of producers. This initiative is therefore exactly the kind of project Defra wants to encourage, and I wish it every success.”
At the reception MPs, peers and civil servants were briefed on the issues facing the organic dairy industry. These included the possible danger of under supply in 2-3 years, exacerbated by the effect of the ending of the organic feed derogation in August 05.
David Drew MP, Member of Parliament for Stroud, sponsored the reception and tabled an accompanying Early Day Motion (EDM), congratulating OMSCo for their work to date and the establishment of OMSCo Partners. In an impressive show of parliamentary support for OMSCo the EDM has already been signed by over 30 MPs from all the major political parties.
OMSCo’s Chief Executive, Sally Bagenal, said “The organic dairy industry has come a long way but we need encouragement and support to continue to grow. When we set up OMSCo 10 years ago we not only wanted to farm in a different way but also believed that we could trade in a different way, based on collaboration rather than confrontation. We have achieved a huge amount over the last 10 years and establishing OMSCo Partners is a natural progression. ‘OMSCo Partners’ will enable the industry to work together towards a sustainable future for organic dairy farming.”
Current partners include OMSCo and Yeo Valley Organic, and others following include the Organic Arable Marketing Group. OMSCo is working towards involving other organisations in the industry.
ENDS
For further information, please contact Claire Sneddon, Abby Edwards or Nicole Bowman on 0117 922 7799
Editor’s notes:
• Formed in 1994, the Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative (OMSCo) is a cooperative of around 300 British organic dairy farmers. For further information visit www.omsco.co.uk
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