Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the growth in the dairy industry in the South West.

The dairy industry is a very important contributor to the economy of South West England, with the region home to over 38% of England’s breeding dairy cows (and 23.75% of the UK’s) and 37% of England’s dairy holdings and producers. Government has made no specific assessment of the growth in the dairy industry in the South West in recent years.

Nevertheless, a report published by the National Farmers Union in October 2016 https://www.nfuonline.com/assets/67942 gives an insight on growing trends of the dairy industry in the South West.