Don’t milk it A new code of practice to regulate milk measurements is under way, following an investigation by trading standards officers and the National Measurement and Regulation Office. Christine Munteanu outlines the issuesThe National Measurement and Regulation Office (NMRO) and trading standards departments have been working with farmers and industry to improve confidence in the milk measurement process. Dairy is an important agricultural sector for UK plc, as well as for many rural communities. It is the single largest farming sector in the UK, accounting for around 17 per cent of agricultural production by value. For dairy farmers, the measurement of the milk they sell has become increasingly important, because the margins on milk production have narrowed with falling prices and oversupply in global markets. Milk from farmers’ cows is mainly sold to dairies on the basis of volume measurement, but the measuring instruments used for this purpose are not regulated in the UK. Instead, they fall under the Measurement Instruments Directive, which allows countries not to prescribe if they deem there is no need for prescription in their country. Trading standards feedback Historically, the milk industry has regulated itself effectively in this area, with no demonstrable need for government intervention. However, NMRO has received feedback from an expert panel of trading standards officers and CTSI lead officers for metrology, who say complaints have been received from farmers across the UK – and particularly in Scotland – about the accuracy of milk measurement from farms to dairies. The farmers’ concerns are about a lack of clarity over both measurements and the measuring process; with no effective means of checking what had been measured, they couldn’t tell whether the milk measurement was accurate or not. In light of this feedback from farmers, and in view of the economic significance of the sector and its importance to rural communities, NMRO – in conjunction with trading standards – initiated a fact- finding project. Nine tanker meter-measuring systems were examined for evidence of measurement traceability Milk from farmers’ cows is mainly sold to dairies on the basis of volume measurement, but the measuring instruments used are not regulated in the UK 17 local weights and measures authorities from across the UK took part – 77 farms, 12 dairies and six tanker depots were visited, and nine tanker meter- measuring systems were examined Credits Christine Munteanu is assistant director of the regulation team at the National Measurement and Regulation Office. Images: DilKar / Shutterstock Published Tuesday 24 November, 2015 To share this page, click on  in the toolbar You might also like Fact-finding project To find out whether the government needed to intervene to ensure a competitive, but fair, trading environment in this sector – and to establish whether further testing was necessary – the project set out to gather evidence, and establish contacts, with the parties concerned. In all, 17 weights and measures authorities from across the UK took part in the project, for which 77 farms, 12 dairies and six tanker depots were visited. Nine tanker meter-measuring systems were also examined for evidence of measurement traceability. Measurement methods, practices and records were examined, and some calibrations were witnessed. Feedback from all involved and affected by the measurement process was then gathered, so that all perspectives could be taken into account. Examinations of the measurement methods, practices and records failed to find any objective evidence that milk measurement is inaccurate, and the fact-finding project uncovered no evidence that warranted further detailed testing work to be carried out. Processes not transparent However, it found that the process was not transparent, which was causing doubt and uncertainty for farmers who were unable to check measurements themselves. The different methods that a variety of dairies used to reassure farmers have contributed to a perceived lack of confidence in the measurement process on the part of some farmers. This indicates that the industry would benefit from objectivity in the measurement of milk collected from farms. This aim could be significantly advanced by an industry code of practice for milk measurement, to standardise the process and provide the transparency farmers need to have confidence that the measurement process is accurate and fair. To this end, NMRO has met with Dairy UK and agreed to support it in producing an industry code of practice. Dairy UK is now taking this forward and has agreed that a CTSI lead officer for metrology should sit on the panel producing the code. NMRO and the Trading Standards Metrology Expert Panel will also support the industry in agreeing a code of practice that can then be endorsed, to give farmers greater assurance that the milk measurement process is fair and accurate. The full project report is available from the NMRO website.