AN MP fighting for a sustainable British dairy industry has highlighted the example set by one North Yorkshire dairy farm.
Rishi Sunak, MP for Richmond, said Brymor Ice Cream – a combined dairy farm and ice cream maker – was a beacon for the beleagured dairy sector.
“Last year I drew up a ten-point plan setting out ways the industry could overcome the crisis caused by very low prices for liquid milk,” he said after a tour of the farm and dairy at High Jervaulx, near Leyburn.
“One of those points was that the industry should do more to add value to the milk it produces – by turning more of it in to butter, yoghurt, cheese - and ice cream. At present we import far too much dairy produce into the UK, produce that we have both the milk and the skills to make ourselves.
“That’s exactly what they are doing here at Brymor. I realise the majority of dairy farmers cannot do the same thing for a whole host of reasons but the more milk we can turn into products like ice cream, the more farmgate prices will improve.”
Brymor was founded in 1984 by Brian and Brenda Moore in the era of milk quotas to find a use for the surplus milk their Guernsey herd produced. They established an on-farm dairy and ice cream parlour selling the ice cream to visitors to the farm and to retailers.
The business was sold to new owner Paul Hodgson last year.
During Mr Sunak’s visit to the business, he enjoyed an ice cream in the parlour, toured the dairy production area and created his own variety of ice cream.
He then travelled to Tim Gibson’s Hunters Hill Farm at nearby Crakehall to see the Brymor Guernsey cows. The milk with its high butterfat content is transported to High Jervaulx daily.
At the end of his tour, Mr Sunak said: “I’ve been very impressed by what I have seen. It’s a great operation and it’s hugely encouraging to hear of their expansion plans for the future.”
“They have created a great brand and marketing message for the ice cream and have plans to double production this year. Not many dairy farmers are in that enviable position.”
During the visit he spoke to Nicola Moore, operations director and the grand-daughter of the Brymor founders, dairy manager John Adamson, and Brymor owner Paul Hodgson.
Mr Hodgson said: “We were pleased Rishi found the time to visit us and learn about what we do at Brymor. It is encouraging to know that Rishi is supporting dairy farmers in challenging times and I hope his visit illustrated our passion for the future of Brymor and for the dairy industry as a whole."