Partner Article

There’s stiltons of life in North East dairy farm

A DAIRY FARM is proving it is the big cheese after receiving funding to extend its facilities.

Village Farm Dairy, in Mordon, Sedgefield, currently produces 850,000 litres of milk each year all of which is ‘Farm Assured’ and plans are now afoot to create new cheese premises.

The farm was established in 1958 by Jim and Mary Peacock and is now run by their son Neil, principally as a dairy unit with the dairy herd consisting of 120 milkers plus followers and 80 beef cattle.

Over £26,000 has been awarded by the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) to extend the current grain shed, allowing milk from the farm’s herd to be pumped directly from the parlour into a purpose built cheese room.

It is anticipated that production will start at around 60 kilos of cheese per week, increasing up to 200 kilos per week with three new full time positions being created as a result.

Adrian Sherwood, RDPE Manager at One North East, said: “Village Farm Dairy has carried out research that has shown customers are now looking for cheese that has been produced using more traditional methods, with low food miles or clear evidence of provenance on the labelling.

“The dairy has recognised these requirements and anticipate a unique selling point by diversifying their farm in such a way.

“RDPE is pleased to support such a project that improves efficiency, opens up new market opportunities, improves the North East’s food and drink chain as well as the overall performance of the business while also creating jobs in the local area.”

The UK cheese market was valued at £2.1bn in 2008 rising to £2.2bn in 2009.

Value sales of cheese are forecast to increase by 3% in 2010 and by 16% over 2009 to 2014 to reach £2.5bn.

The volume of cheese sales is forecast to rise by 4.5% over 2009 to 2014 to reach 393,000 tonnes.

Work has now started updating Village Farm Dairy’s facilities with trading expected to start in the next few months.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .