Dairy Farming Bill

A Bill to make provision for the minimum prices payable to dairy farmers for the production of milk; to establish minimum distances between intensive dairy farming operations and the nearest settlements; and for connected purposes.

The Bill contains three main provisions.

• It would establish an advisory minimum price to be paid to dairy farmers for milk production, unless this minimum price was made mandatory by an order of the Secretary of State. The terms of such an order would require the price to be reviewed at least every six months, and would ensure that the price paid exceeded the cost of milk production by a typical dairy farmer by at least 30%.
• It would introduce a 'Fair Milk Mark' system, to indicate which milk or milk products had been produced from milk for which the minimum price had been paid. Packaging for products not bearing this designation and not originating from the EU would be required to specify their country of origin.
• It would provide for a compulsory minimum separation zone of five miles between intensive dairy farming operations and the closest residential settlement (defined as five or more dwellings within one mile of each other). This provision would not be retrospective in its effect.