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unpredictable milk prices; Bovine TB, increasing input prices and labour shortages.” Labour issues are a key concern for the RADBF. “Where there have been labour shortages because of Covid-19,” Peter explains, “even though a high percentage of the population has been furloughed/out of work there still has not been the willingness to work on farms. Dairy farms require highly skilled workers to uphold the high animal welfare and health standards we adhere to in the UK.” The introduction of the points-based immigration system fromnext year will give priority to those with the ‘highest skills and greatest talents’, with dairy workers not falling into these categories. “This failure to recognize dairy workers will leave the UK dairy industry with a severe labour shortage with some of the largest dairy producers in the UK relying on skilled foreign labour,” responds Peter. What’s next? “There will also be a move towards more resilience in the sector and @specialityfood F or an industry already negatively impacted by a number of factors ranging fromBrexit to the rise of plant-based products, spring/summer 2020 will no doubt go down in history as one of the most challenging periods faced by dairy professionals around the world, but silver linings are emerging. Catherine Mead, chair of the Specialist Cheesemakers Association, sees a bright future for some of the opportunities forged in the fires of Covid-19. Online sales and box schemes have reached their potential during these troubled times, while connection of consumers through online tastings and talks have been smartly optimised bymakers and mongers. Independent retailers – farm shops, delis, food halls and specialists – have pushed their way to the foreground of the retail landscape as experts and the likes of Jamie Oliver reinforce the ‘buy local, buy speciality’ message. Purchasing products from local suppliers is more popular than ever before, and the message that British food – as well as being produced to great standards – offers both diversity and choice is being shouted louder than ever. Catherine raises a glass to the artisan cheese sector, who through the Specialist Cheesemakers Association demonstrated their “collegiate and cohesive nature and worked superbly well together”. A turbulent ride While the Covid-19 pandemic has cut deeply into the dairy industry, it’s not the only power at play affecting farmers in 2020. The year has been a “turbulent ride for dairy farmers,” says Peter Alvis, chairman of the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RDBF). “The pandemic has massively affected their livelihoods, cashflow and incomes, and added to that have been the weather woes from a dry spring and labour shortage issues which continue to be a concern with the introduction of a point-based immigration system fromnext year, as well as the impact a no-deal Brexit will have on export trade. There also continues to be a gradual decline in milk producer numbers in the UK due to a myriad of factors, including 24 THE FUTUREOF CHEESE Speciality Food spoke exclusivelywith cheesemakers andmongers, distributors and industry bodies to find out the impact of 2020 thus far – andwhat the future holds THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED DAIRY PRODUCERS IN THE UK FELL FROM 35,741 IN 1995 TO 12,209 IN 2019, A 66% REDUCTION. A SURVEY BY AHDB IN APRIL THIS YEAR SUGGESTS THERE ARE ABOUT 8,380 DAIRY PRODUCERS IN GREAT BRITAIN Wewould like to see a balanced [Brexit] deal thatmaintains access bothways formarkets to ensure continued trade and does not impose tariffs at a level that requires either party to seek eithermarkets or supply away fromthe current supply chain PETER ALVIS, CHAIRMAN OF THE RADBF PETER ALVIS ROYAL ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH DAIRY FARMERS (RDBF) DR. JUDITH BRYANS DAIRY UK COMMENTATORS