The organisation, which represents UK dairy processors, was responding to a report by The Wildlife Trusts report, Doing Dairy Differently, which warns the shift towards larger, more intensive dairy systems is placing increasing pressure on the land, water and wider environment on which farms, people and wildlife depend.
The report claims there are more than 40 mega-dairies across the UK, the largest housing 2,600 cows. It argues that unlike intensive pig and poultry units, large dairy and beef farms are not subject to the same government monitoring, meaning their size and environmental impacts are left unchecked.
Analysis by The Wildlife Trusts of Environment Agency figures calculated that dairy activity was responsible for 71% of serious agricultural pollution incidents in England alone, damaging rivers, contributing to algal blooms, reducing oxygen levels and harming wildlife.
The charity is calling for strengthened regulation of the highest-risk dairy systems, including the permitting of very large, housed units and farms with little or no grazing. It has also called for help for farmers to invest in slurry storage and other pollution-prevention measures.
“The current system is driving poor outcomes including increased pollution and exposure to the impacts of climate change. Yet, when properly embedded into farming practices, nature can be part of the solution. Farms that work with nature are already reducing their reliance on costly inputs while building resilience to the challenges ahead,” said Gemma Lane, Land Use Policy Manager at The Wildlife Trusts.
“The UK Government must extend environmental permitting for intensive dairy and beef farms so that their impacts can be properly measured and managed. At the same time, it must invest in a dairy sector that is resilient to climate pressures, while supporting farmers’ livelihoods. With the right funding, advice and supply-chain support to embed nature into farming practices, more farmers can reduce pollution risks, restore local wildlife and build profitable, sustainable businesses fit for the future.”
However, Dairy UK said that the sector has successful industry initiatives in place to reduce its environmental impact.
Through the Dairy Roadmap, the whole sector is working together with notable improvements to water use at processing level with >50% reduction to water intensity since 2008 and emissions intensity of milk at farm level (22% reduction since 1990, with >9% reduction over the past five years. .
Dairy UK also stressed that British dairy is predominantly grass based, even within housed systems. It said that more than 80% of dairy cows’ food cannot be consumed by humans with them eating forages, low-quality grains and byproducts such as soya hulls and distillers’ grains.
The organisation also highlighted that dairy processors, via Dairy UK recently announced an expectation for feed supplied into the UK dairy supply chain will meet recognised deforestation-free requirements for key forest-risk commodities from December 2026.
“As a sector, we recognise the need to improve our impact on water quality, but bigger herds is not the issue. As highlighted in this article, farmers need capital support, but they also require a supportive regulatory framework. In England, £108 million was recently made available through two rounds of the Slurry Infrastructure Grant,” said Dr Emma Gregson, Environment Manager at Dairy UK.
“Demand was high, with 2,087 initial applications submitted, but only 186 projects ultimately received funding, representing less than 9% of initial applications. Feedback from farmers and industry organisations highlights planning requirements, administrative complexity, contractor availability and project delivery timescales as significant barriers.”