Communicating with customers and consumers about the work being done on farms to deliver a sustainable product is “the next big challenge” for the NI Dairy Council, its leadership team has said.

Briefing agricultural journalists on Tuesday, Dairy Council chair Dermot Farrell said the sustainability agenda had replaced Brexit as the main issue facing the sector at present.

The Dairy Council has been one of main forces behind an industry led NI carbon steering group, which has been working with DAERA to roll-out carbon benchmarking on farms.

As part of that process, DAERA has tendered for a supplier of a farm carbon calculator. According to Dairy Council chief executive, Ian Stevenson, preparations for roll-out are nearly complete.

“The rubber is going to hit the road fairly soon,” he said.

However, he outlined how carbon benchmarking is just one of a number of major policy issues facing farmers, with pressure to reduce ammonia emissions and overall nutrient loads. As well as representing the views of both dairy farmers and milk processors, Stevenson highlighted the work being done to promote NI dairy in international markets and to engage with wider society on the nutritional benefits of dairy products.

That engagement ranges from primary schools, through to health professionals.