Black Top Milk scheme launched by the Free Range Milk Marketing Board

[Farmer1001]

Brilliant idea but what happens when say muller or who ever copy it? People would rather buy a muller free range milk than yours?@runny egg

Why would they rather buy a muller? And muller cant bring it out if the dairy farmers dont agree to supply as FR - its in the hands of the famers, not ours.

 

[Kingofgrass]

"You will be dead in the water if a retailer or buyer bring out their own brand of FRM" is quite a common point made to me, so let me explain why its not that clear cut and in any case - the dairy farmers can not lose! No buyer or retailer can sell your milk under any claims about its grazing etc without YOUR agreement, they cant claim its FR if you dont tell them so dont give away the value this holds without a thought, so at the very least if they ask for you to supply your milk as FR then tell them you would rather sell to the FRMMB - use this stick to beat them! However, think of the value of the brand the FRMMB would hold if you refused to sell the milk to any other buyer unless they made it wear our "black top" kite mark! The "black top" kite mark represents free range and fair dealing contracts - not the bullpoo contracts where they can promise the earth today and slash the price tomorrow whilst you still have up to 2 years before you can leave!! If the most popular and biggest brand of British FR milk belongs to you then the tables have turned. But (as I keep saying) every dairy farmer in the UK can benefit from this, doesnt matter who you sell to, or if you wish to stay where you are, doenst matter if you are on aligned contracts or direct groups - you all gain if we increase the basic principle of demand! Look how buyers are struggling for supplies and upping the price even though they are trying harder not to! So if milk is in demand and the FRMMB is driving this then your existing buyers will fight tooth and nail to retain you with better prices and better contracts - and none of us would turn that down! Unless yo have already done so please go to http://www.freerangemilk.net/support-us/ - doesnt matter if you are housed or grazing systems as this is simply to get you on the email list of supporters. This is not a commitment to sell us your milk or an offer to buy your milk!

Good reply but some farmers are on market related prices ie powder...so not every farmer will benefit like you say,good luck all the best

 

[William Mellor]

Your buyer is a clever cookie - doesnt believe in branding milk but does believe in a failing brand (Red Tractor). Consumers see Red Tractor as meaning little more than British which is why Sainsburys ditched it.

Can't like that reply enough

 

[Kingofgrass]

Why would they rather buy a muller? And muller cant bring it out if the dairy farmers dont agree to supply as FR - its in the hands of the famers, not ours.

If muller went to its farmers and said right if your cows graze I'll pay you an extra 3/4p or what ever the figure,they'd be signing there and then look at the supermarket contracts.joe blogs walking round the supermarket see's muller FR or enjoy milk FR,they would go for the brand they've heard of the most!anyway I hope it goes well and works out

 

[Farmer1001]

Good reply but some farmers are on market related prices ie powder...so not every farmer will benefit like you say,good luck all the best

Sorry but you are missing the point - every farmer does benefit from an increase in demand for "milk". Doesnt matter where the demand is coming from its still demand. Put 5 cows in the market and 5 buyers and the supply and demand is matched, then one day you get a 6th buyer - all cows get dearer regardless of who buys them.

 

[Farmer1001]

If muller went to its farmers and said right if your cows graze I'll pay you an extra 3/4p or what ever the figure,they'd be signing there and then look at the supermarket contracts.joe blogs walking round the supermarket see's muller FR or enjoy milk FR,they would go for the brand they've heard of the most!anyway I hope it goes well and works out

The key point you make is the critical one - "Muller want the milk so pay the farmer more"! Bingo we have achieved our goal and created demand and the producers are getting a better offer. Where I will disagree is that you assume Muller will get consumers just because the brand is recognised, if that were the case we would only have stout in the pub, Keloggs cornflakes for breakfast, Ford cars and Massey tractors.

 

[Farmer1001]

Brief update; since the public launch of www.enjoymilk.co.uk & www.facebook.com/EnjoyMilkGB/ campaign last Friday, we have gained 2300 consumer followers, its the fastest growing grocery campaign in the UK. Regardless of what you think of how milk is produced, there is one clear message for all dairy farmers - British consumers support you, you may not think it but they do. The gulf between consumers and farmers costs farmers in lost revenue and demand and costs consumers in their desire to help. If we can create demand for "milk" then everyone wins, if processors start offering fairer contracts because of the noise we are making then everyone wins. We all see the nervousness around prices this week and wonder how long before the price comes down the other side. Now is the time to act so at the very least ring your buyer and ask for his thoughts on the FRMMB - rattle their cage, shake the stick!

 

[kp_n_plghng]

Does the creating demand argument work? Would that really change the market long term? I mean if demand increases we fill the deficit. Surely farmers 'winning' has more to do with the way the market works rather than how big it is.

 

[Farmer1001]

Does the creating demand argument work? Would that really change the market long term? I mean if demand increases we fill the deficit. Surely farmers 'winning' has more to do with the way the market works rather than how big it is.

Demand is key, the population is growing and with it demand. Ignore it and someone else will such as alternative dairy or Irish milk... If you want to change the way the market works then you must be the one owning the consumer and that means responding to demand AND creating more. As an industry we do neither. But we do.

 

[Sid]

Demand is key, the population is growing and with it demand. Ignore it and someone else will such as alternative dairy or Irish milk... If you want to change the way the market works then you must be the one owning the consumer and that means responding to demand AND creating more. As an industry we do neither. But we do.

https://dairy.ahdb.org.uk/market-in...-consumption/liquid-milk-market/#.WIIW32anzMI

Demand is not growing according to the data from AHDB! Are you going to grow the milk market or just take market share from somewhere else? The latter is simple the former need big bucks!

At the end of the day getting the consumer to spend more for the same product with a twist is the key, they did it in Australia with specific pain killers for headache,backache,period pains but it was the same product just labeled differently!

 

[kp_n_plghng]

Demand is key, the population is growing and with it demand. Ignore it and someone else will such as alternative dairy or Irish milk... If you want to change the way the market works then you must be the one owning the consumer and that means responding to demand AND creating more. As an industry we do neither. But we do.

I don't know think anyone will ignore it, we're pretty good at increasing production I think we've all born to witness to that in recent times. Own the customer and keep creating more and more demand never heard that argument before. Surely if demand is steadily increasing with population that's good enough isn't it? So long as production is in line.

 

[RastaBoy]

https://dairy.ahdb.org.uk/market-in...-consumption/liquid-milk-market/#.WIIW32anzMI

Demand is not growing according to the data from AHDB! Are you going to grow the milk market or just take market share from somewhere else? The latter is simple the former need big bucks!

At the end of the day getting the consumer to spend more for the same product with a twist is the key, they did it in Australia with specific pain killers for headache,backache,period pains but it was the same product just labeled differently!

Surely if @runny egg can take market share and be able and willing to pay a sustainable price which is driven by the consumer backing us he's done his job ??
If he can also drive or rather take advantage of a grow in demand we're in for far better times ahead. I'd rather produce 1 million litres at a profit than 1.2 million for bereak even. We must all do our bit.

 

[Sid]

I'd rather produce 1 million litres at a profit than 1.2 million for bereak even.

You and i must be the ONLY dairy farmers in the country that think that!

 

[___\0/___]

Is this the same thing? Notice the bottles have black kids.

 

[In the pit]

View attachment 458386 Is this the same thing? Notice the bottles have black kids.

For this milk cows have to graze for 100 days

 

[Sid]

Notice the bottles have black kids.

Like the "black farmer " sausages?

 

[Sid]

For this milk cows have to graze for 100 days

A whole 100 days? or nights as well. When you say graze do you mean have access to a field or actually have to eat grass and it makes up the main part of their DMI or smoke and mirrors ?

 

[___\0/___]

Like the "black farmer " sausages?

Thanks for pointing out the typo.

Could you explain what you mean by "Like the "black farmer " sausages" thanks.

 

[llamedos]

View attachment 458386 Is this the same thing? Notice the bottles have black kids.

Our Cow Molly http://www.ourcowmolly.co.uk/distributors/ is part of http://www.freerangedairy.org/2017/01/not-all-milk-is-the-same/ network 180 days grazing.
Don't use black tops as far as I am aware.
They won future food category at last years food and farming awards

 

[___\0/___]

Thanks just was just going by the pictures on the twitter feed