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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she plans to take to implement the Voluntary Code of Practice on Contractual Relations in the dairy industry for milk buyers.

The dairy industry code of best practice on contractual arrangements was created in Great Britain in 2012. About 85% of British milk is bound by the principles of the code. The code's introduction has led to some important improvements for milk producers. The last annual review of the code’s operation conducted by Alex Fergusson, MSP was broadly positive about its impact and recommended that it should retain its voluntary nature.

Following the Environment Secretary’s meeting with the farming unions last month to discuss the current dairy troubles, an industry working group was asked to look urgently at best practice models on labelling, merchandising and sourcing for dairy. This group, independently facilitated by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board will submit proposals in the coming weeks based on industry views on changes that could be made at retail and in the supply chain.