DAIRY giant First Milk will hold its milk price for September at the current level.

It means its member milk price on a manufacturing standard litre will remain at 31.0ppl, including the member premium.

This move follows four consecutive months of milk price increases.

Robert Craig, vice-chairman and farmer director, said: “First Milk is performing in line with expectations and we are pleased to be able to offer stability in price at this time. We remain focused on delivering dairy prosperity for our members.”

Meanwhile, NMR and First Milk, owners of the Lake District Creamery at Aspatria, will work closely together in the provision and use of relevant data to improve dairy chain efficiency, as part of the recently-announced funding for the Digital Dairy Chain project.

The project will operate specifically in South-west Scotland and Cumbria and is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under its ‘Strength in Places’ fund.

Set to run for five years, until 2026, the Digital Dairy Chain project focuses on developing a highly efficient and sustainable supply chain from farm to plate.

It will encourage innovation-led growth using the latest technology to support advanced manufacturing processes and create fully integrated and traceable supply chains.

“We will be looking at the most efficient means of enabling First Milk to get data rapidly on a range of metrics to optimise milk transport, processing and traceability,” says NMR’s Ben Bartlett. “And within our testing services there is also scope to investigate new tests, which may offer improved nutritional and processing information for milk collected off farms so maximum value can be made by directing it to the best end use.”

“As well as driving efficiency throughout the dairy supply chain, through the adoption of new technology, this project offers the potential to deliver improved economic, social and environmental gains. This will help to secure the future of dairy in the area. It also fits with our whole sustainability agenda, which aims to demonstrate how dairy farmers can be part of the climate-change solution.”

Mark Brooking from First Milk said. “This project will support the full digitalisation of the dairy supply chain in South-west Scotland and Cumbria from grass to glass,” he says. “This has the potential to deliver many benefits – from optimised and low-carbon logistics, which can reduce cost and environmental impact, to improved efficiency on-farm and in milk processing sites.”

The project will start in September 2021.