Guernsey Island Dairy industry Attains RSPCA Assured Status - Cowsmo

Guernsey Island Dairy industry Attains RSPCA Assured Status

Islands of Guernsey’s dairy industry is now RSPCA Assured, making the island just one of two places in the British Isles to offer 100% RSPCA Assured milk.

Dairy farmer and Guernsey Farmers Association president Michael Bray said the industry had worked alongside Guernsey Dairy, whose quality and compliance manager Alex Tielles is also pictured, to achieve RSPCA Assured status for the island. ©George Robert

All 12 of the island’s dairy farms, as well as the Guernsey Dairy, have achieved the gold standard to ensure Guernsey cows have the best possible care and welfare.

‘It’s such a big achievement for everyone, and it took so much work,’ said Guernsey Dairy quality and compliance manager Alex Tielles.
‘It’s a great thing for the island to have as it shows the cows are under the best standard of care and consumers are receiving the best quality dairy products.’

The accreditation permits the Dairy to use the RSPCA Assured logo on all its milk packaging, reassuring customers that Guernsey milk is produced to the highest welfare standards.

The dairy industry began working towards the standards scheme about five years ago, and the final farm achieved the standard six months ago.

‘Working with the Dairy we began this journey some two years ago,’ said Michael Bray, president of the Guernsey Farmers Association and owner of Les Jaonnets Farm. ‘Meadow Court Farm and Varioufs Farm were the first to receive their accreditations.
‘It is the highest standard a dairy farm can attain so it is a massive achievement.’

More than 300 standards have to be met by a farm before the milk can be labelled as RSPCA Assured. These include having plenty of space and enough bedding so the cows can lie down and get up comfortably, access to pasture, access to cow brushes so they can groom themselves and reviews of any health problems must take place at least four times a year.

Farmers must keep written records and can receive spot checks and inspections by the RSPCA at any time.

‘We are extremely proud, not only of the great taste of Guernsey milk but other contributing factors, such as the environment, health and high animal welfare standards that are met,’ said Guernsey Dairy managing director Andrew Tabel.

‘Islanders have always appreciated the great taste of Guernsey milk, which is something we are very proud of.’

‘Our main aim is to ensure the dairy continues to act as an economic enabler to dairy farmers, preserve the Guernsey countryside, its traditional farming heritage and protect the iconic Guernsey cattle breed.’

The RSPCA Assured logo will appear on milk cartons in May, and on other products in the future. However all products from the Dairy are already 100% RSPCA Assured.

 

Source: Guernsey Press.com

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