Müller Direct farmers who commit to herd health and welfare standard initiatives are to be offered an additional payment worth 0.5p/litre.

The Müller Direct premium 2019 programme will be introduced on 1 January 2019, with payment based on involvement by farmers in three herd health initiatives:

  • The Müller Direct farm insight programme, an on-farm health and welfare assessment managed by AB Sustain.
  • The Müller Direct antibiotic programme, which is designed to manage and reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics.
  • The national Johne’s management plan.

    • The Müller Direct premium 2019 programme would be worth £10,000 (€11,300) to a producer supplying two million litres a year. The payment will be in a lump sum in January 2020.

    “For Müller, the aggregated anonymised data from the herd health initiatives will provide evidence of improved herd health and welfare in our direct farm pool, which we will be able to share with our customers who have no direct relationship with farmers,” milk supply director at Müller Rob Hutchison said.

    Müller has a milk pool of over 1,700 British farmers.