AN official launch event will be held next month for the start of Digital Dairy Chain.

The supply chain efficiency project will be based in south west Scotland and Cumbria, with National Milk Records (NMR) and First Milk merging.

The programme is set to run from September of this year, 2022, until five years later in 2026.

READ MORE: NMR and First Milk join forces as part of a £21m dairy project

A spokesperson has said: "Led by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), the £21.3 million Digital Dairy Chain is a collaboration of multiple partners across the South of Scotland and Cumbria focusing on developing a fully integrated and traceable dairy supply chain.

"The event will include a number of short speeches from invited guests, including Jo Lappin, Chief Executive of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership.

"There will also be the opportunity to meet all of the partners involved in the project, grouped into themes of Digital Innovation, Skills, and Food and Drink. Drinks and light refreshments will be provided."

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The launch event will be taking place on Wednesday, June 8 2022 between 4:15pm and 6:30pm.

The venue for the launch will be Scotland’s Rural College, Barony Campus, Parkgate, in Dumfries.

The focus of this project is to develop a very efficient supply of milk and other dairy products from farms to consumers.

First Milk control a milk firm in Aspatria, Cumbria, the Lake District Creamery. Mark Brooking of First Milk has welcomed the new initiative, he said: "This project will support the full digitalisation of the dairy supply chain in South-west Scotland and Cumbria from grass to glass.

"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.

"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."

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