There’s no doubt that one of the industries hit the hardest during the coronavirus pandemic is the farming industry. The closure of restaurants, hotels, cafeterias, schools, resorts, and more has meant that thousands of dollars worth of food has had to go to waste. Even grocery stores, despite being essential businesses, are finding keeping up with demand and also implementing new rules for workers and shoppers to be a struggle.
One of the most tragic examples of food gone to waste during the COVID-19 outbreak has been in the dairy industry. Dairy farmers across North America have been forced to dump gallon after gallon of raw milk down the drain due to the lack of demand.
The situation isn’t any better in the UK, which has pushed one Banbury dairy farmer to get creative.
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A Life-Changing Idea
Ben Coles of A.S. Coles and Son Park Farm in Banbury, Oxfordshire in the UK has been hit hard by the global pandemic that has turned our regular lives inside-out.
“At the moment I am pouring 3,000 liters of milk away because of the closure of cafes, restaurants, and hotels who are our usual customers. It is heartbreaking,” he told the Banbury Guardian. “With dairy farming, you can’t turn a cow on and off. The coronavirus pandemic has affected us massively. Our milk cheque will be about 45 percent down for April’s milk. It makes me wonder how we’ll pay the bills,” (1)
Being the only dairy farm left in the area, he knows that he can’t give in without a fight, so he got to thinking. What could they do to create a market for their milk to limit food waste and keep the farm’s lights on? (1)
The answer is a move away from commercial sales and into a project that would better support the community. The plan is to set up a bottling plant with milk vending machines and to sell their domestic supplies. The idea, however, hinges largely on public support. (1)
The Details
The idea is that some of the milk would be in the vending machine and the rest in glass one-liter bottles. The bottles are dish-washer friendly and can be reused. In light of the current pandemic, all payment would be via contactless card to minimize physical interactions. Coles also plans to sell some of the milk at a nearby farm shop that has been extremely supportive of them in this endeavor. (1)
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An Overwhelming Response
Coles posted his idea for the farm on the company’s Facebook page, which has already garnered a tremendous amount of support for the public. The 500 responses from all around the UK have encouraged him to move forward with the project. (1)
“I’m overwhelmed by the public response and that they want to buy direct and support a local business…As well as individuals, (a) lot of small companies have come to us from our post saying they want to buy from us.” (1)
To get a project like this off the ground, however, will take more than a show of potential buyers. There will be quite a large upfront investment and they need to get the plant licensed for pasteurization and bottling. For that, they need the council to help them set up environmental health permissions. (1) This is just another example of how buying directly from your local farmers as best you can is crucial to local businesses and the economy. Consider reaching out to farms in your area to find out how you can support them during these difficult times. If we all do our best to help one another, we will come out on the other side of the coronavirus pandemic stronger and healthier.
Keep Reading: Why Independent Farming in America Is Close to Extinction
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