UK Parliamentarians Explore Future of Dairy at Largest Milk Plant

Members of the UK Parliament recently toured Arla Foods' Aylesbury Dairy, the largest fresh milk processing plant in the country, as part of the National Farmers' Union's (NFU) Food and Farming Fellowship scheme. The facility processes over 1.75 billion pints of milk annually using advanced robotics and automation.

The visit also included a stop at the Arla Innovation Farm near Princes Risborough, giving parliamentarians a comprehensive 'field-to-fork' insight into the dairy supply chain. This initiative by the NFU, launched in 2024, is designed to enhance MPs' understanding of the farming sector's contribution to food production, security, and rural economies.

Paul Tompkins, NFU deputy president, emphasized the importance of such visits in helping policymakers comprehend the sector's challenges and opportunities. He stated, "It’s great to get MPs out on farm and around a major processing facility so they have a better understanding of the importance of the dairy sector and the wider supply chain."

Arla Foods UK, the largest dairy company in Britain, processes approximately 3.5 billion litres of milk each year and is owned by around 7,800 dairy farmers across Europe, including many in the UK. Paul Dover, UK agriculture director at Arla Foods, expressed the company's commitment to supporting the NFU programme, stating, "This is the second year that we have supported the NFU Parliamentary Fellowship programme by hosting a visit on farm and to Arla Aylesbury."

Attendees of the visit included MPs Ben Goldsborough, Maya Ellis, Josh Fenton-Glynn, John Milne, and Amanda Hack, who were provided with valuable knowledge to aid in creating a more resilient, sustainable, and profitable industry.