Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to issue guidance on the formation of producer organisations under the EU Dairy Package.

James Paice MP; Minister of State (Agriculture and Food): Public guidance is available to dairy farmers wishing to form producer organisations under current agricultural and competition rules here:
http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/ca-and-cartels/OFT740rev.pdf

The basic criteria for the formation of even larger producer organisations under the EU Dairy Package are laid out clearly in Council Regulation 261/2012 but the final Commission Regulations have not been published yet.

DEFRA officials have been and continue to liaise closely with representatives throughout the industry to ensure they are fully aware of the possibilities that producer organisations bring.

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the sustainability of the dairy industry.

Mr Paice: I firmly believe the British dairy industry can be amongst the best in the world the most competitive, the most productive, and the most sustainable.

The keys to achieving this are seizing market opportunities and increasing industry collaboration so that the whole supply chain is working together towards this goal.

At my dairy supply chain forum over the last two years I have heard and encouraged the achievement of these aims through the dairy roadmap, the dairy 2020 industry sustainability initiative and the ongoing negotiation of a voluntary code of practice to improve contractual relationships between farmers and processors.