The Formation of the Association of Dairy Producer Organisations: A New Voice for British Farmers

The ADPO (Association of Dairy Producer Organisations) has been founded to unify the voice of farmers who are members of registered DPOs across Great Britain. Launched at UK Dairy Day, it is the first of its kind in Great Britain, designed to support dairy farmers in formalising and professionalising their relationships with milk buyers. The association seeks to facilitate structured and effective dialogue between farmers and the dairy processing sector to address shared challenges, including the UK dairy roadmap and greenhouse gas emissions reduction. This initiative provides an additional platform for farmer representation, especially for those supplying privately owned or FTSE-listed milk buyers, historically underrepresented groups.

The NFU has long lobbied for fair contracts, and with new legislation—Fair Dealings Obligations (Milk) Regulations 2024—a spotlight is placed on transparency and accountability within the dairy supply chain. NFU Dairy Board Chair Paul Tompkins sees the ADPO as a "new start for a significant proportion of the UK milk pool," emphasizing the long desire for such mechanisms akin to those admired across the Channel.

Rory Christie, ADPO Chair, stated, "Professionalising dairy farmer representation for those supplying private companies has been a long journey, but launching the ADPO is a significant and positive moment for our industry. We now have a robust governance framework capable of addressing real-world challenges." Founding members of the ADPO include DCD (Davidstow Creamery Direct), MMG Dairy Farmers, MSA (Milk Suppliers Association), and Selkley Vale Milk Group, supplying major customers such as Saputo Dairy UK, Müller Milk & Ingredients, Lactalis, Mondelez, and Wyke Farms.