Improving the Welsh Dairy Supply Chain - Energy Project

Descriptions

Funding from the EU and Welsh Assembly Government through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-13 has been secured through a partnership agreement between two organisations who already play a vital role in the development of the Dairy Sector in Wales namely Coleg Sir Gâr (Dairy Development Centre) and DairyCo to deliver a project which will provide the dairy industry in Wales with the information and learning required in order to improve the dairy supply chain in terms of efficiency, sustainability and added value. This pan Wales project is referred to as ‘Improving the Welsh Dairy Supply Chain Project’. Coleg Sir Gâr (Dairy Development Centre) – Lead PartnerThe Dairy Development Centre (DDC) is based at the Resource Centre, Gelli Aur. The DDC delivers the Dairy Development Programme which is part of Farming Connect on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government. The purpose of the Centre is to support the Welsh Dairy Industry by providing dairy farmers with the information and tools required to develop and sustain a profitable dairy industry which include:-•Technology transfer•Disseminating market information•Demonstrating best practice methods of production •Research and DevelopmentKnowledge transfer activities include the establishment and delivery of development and demonstration farms together with support for discussion groups. The programme interacts closely with industry at public events such as shows and industry development days.Dairy Co – Project PartnerDairyCo is a GB milk sector company working on behalf of dairy farmers to provide services not supplied by the industry. Dairy Co (non commercial and not-for-profit) was set up in April 2008 following a fundamental review of agricultural levy boards by Defra. The five existing levy boards (including the Milk Development Council) were replaced by one statutory levy board, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). DairyCo is one division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).DairyCo’s current focus is on improving the profitability of dairy farming by focusing on four specific areas:•The provision of a world-class information service•Helping dairy farmer’s increase their profits while meeting regulatory and environmental requirements – through better business management.•Helping promote the positive perception of dairy products and dairy farming with the general public.•The development of DairyCo towards a self-sustaining model.The project will deliver a number of activities which, together, aims to improve the dairy supply chain in terms of efficiency, sustainability and added value. Work areas are identified as follows:1.Environmental Module2.Health Module3.Production Efficiency Module4.Supply Chain and Communication ModuleThis invitation to tender has been produced by the project partners to appoint a Contractor who will assist the Project Co-ordinator to deliver the Environmental Module. The Environmental Module aims to support 250 Welsh Dairy farms – around an eighth of all dairy farms in Wales by analysing either their electric, fuel or water usage with a view to improve efficiency as energy inputs represent a major and rapidly increasing cost to farmers and disseminate information about technologies and strategies which can be utilized to improve efficiency.