A new brand of milk is being launched on Monday (21st October) in a bid to stop the dwindling number of dairy farmers on the Isle of Wight and give them a fair price for their produce.
Isle of Wight Milk is initially being sold in 3 Co-operative Food stores but it is hoped that local support will enable it to be sold in even more locations across the Island.
The idea was initially pursued by Paul Griffin, of Briddlesford Lodge Farm, as a way to protect the Island’s heritage, to ensure farmers get a fair price for their milk and to reduce the impact on the environment by reducing travel distances. He was aware of a number of farmers who were close to bankruptcy as the price of milk had dropped to about half of what it costs to produce the milk.
Paul, the fourth generation of the Griffin family to run his farm, said:
“As a dairy farmer, we were looking at decimation on the Isle of Wight. There wasn’t going to be a dairy industry.”
Of the millions of litres of milk being produced each year, Paul estimates that about 80% needed to go off the Island for processing. But Briddlesford has recently installed its own processing plant to produce its premium milk from Guernsey cows with a much larger capacity than needed. The plant will cut the costs of production while ensuring the highest standard of processing with a 12 day shelf life.
To start the milk flowing, Paul has initially linked up with Read’s Farm in Carisbrooke which is run by Reads Farm Partnership Kaysie and Mark Reed and assisted by Mark’s wife Jodie.
Mark, who has around 280 Friesian cows, said:
“2016 was one of our worst years as we were basically getting out of bed everyday just to lose money. It was playing on our minds a lot especially as we have three other people we employ here. We had to make some very difficult decisions.
“This new brand is about working together and ensuring a future for our family and our farm. It gives us hope. Our main goal is to look after our cows. If you look after them then they look after you.”
Isle of Wight Milk will initially be sold at The Co-operative Food in Cowes (Mill Hill Road), Freshwater (Afton Road) and Shanklin (Regent Street). They will be available for £1.50 for a 2-litre bottle of either whole milk, semi-skimmed or skimmed.
Matt Elliott, who looks after the Local Flavours range at Southern Co-op, said:
“We started our Local Flavours range on the Isle of Wight over a decade ago and we are always impressed at how supportive the community is of each other.
“We are all really excited about it and very proud to have been asked to be the first to sell it in our stores. There have been a number of smaller businesses we have supported in their journey of growth and we hope this is going to be another success story.
“We have been assured of the quality and it is hoped that Paul will be able to get more dairy farmers involved in the future if demand starts to outstrip supply.”
We are losing so many ‘home’ products, whether it’s consumables, clothing or general goods for sale. A great good feel story to read, I wish the farmers all the very best.
Local produce cuts global emissions. Hopefully cost for the future of this and all locally produced ‘goods’ can be kept at a realistic and affordable price which will ensure local people are kept in jobs.
Great to read. Good luck all who are involved.
SHAME THE COUNCIL ALLOWED THE LAND ON WESTRIDGEFARM TOBE SOLD AND THE MILK THAT PRODUCED THAT COULD HAVE HELPED THE SUPPLY
Local produce cuts global emissions..i think you need to get ure facts right…dairy farming and methane release from the total amount of farm animals in the world contributes to more global warming than car exhausts..the urine from the animals gets into our water supplys..and milk from cows alone in the scientific world is know as puss…would u drink that…so no local produce doesnt slow down global warming …maybe you should watch a small film called earthlingsto realise that when a cow becomes pregnant it can produce milk like a human…so when they give birth the baby is taken away from the mother and artificially inseminated straight away so they can produce milk..do u condone that too!!!!!!…idiot!!!!
There are cows all over the world, transporting milk on ships and motorways contributes to those emissions so again, as I stated, local produce helps to cut emissions. I never stated eradicate it so please feel free to read my post fully and correctly otherwise don’t bother posting. Get your facts right. And no need to be so rude !!!! Disgusting attitude.
be nice if our local mp never seen got involved in local issues
Hmmm milky milky.
I hope the milk isn’t going to be homogenised. It’s the only reason I go out of my way to buy Briddlesford milk. Since the supermarkets insisted on farmers homogenising their milk it’s been tasteless and bland. I like to see cream in my milk and be able to pour it off when needed.
BEST WISHES TO THE BRIDDLESFIELD FARMERS GREAT MILK KEEP IT UP GUYS [ WILST POSTING THIS IM DRINKING TEA MADE WITH YOUR FANTASTIC MILK THANK YOU PADDY Mc HUGH FOR TELLING ME ABOUT THIS FANTASTIC MILK , MAKES A LOVELY BREW
We are proud to announce that this product will be on sale at Co-op Welcome. Lane End Court. Lane End. Bembridge. From October 31st on wards.
Now in stock at Co-op Welcome , Lane End. Bembridge. PO355UE. £1.50