A NEW brand of milk to be launched next month will give a boost to both dairy farmers and wildlife.

White & Wild will sell at a 6p a litre premium over the average market price, with 2.7ppl going to the producer and 2.3ppl to the Wildlife Trusts. The other 1p will be spent on administering the scheme, which has been developed by Agri-Care Dairy Products of High Etherley, Bishop Auckland.

Mr Ken Whitley, managing director, said three years of development work had gone into the brand.

Agri-Care is an offshoot of the 200-member Agri-Trade farmers' buying consortium which offers members discount prices through bulk buying.

"Not long after we started, some of our members asked us to help with their milk prices which were, and still are, diabolical," said Mr Whitley.

Looking at the sector he realised the supermarkets, dairies and farmers all looked on milk as a commodity.

"The only way to make a difference was to create a brand," he said.

Three years ago he forecast that the consumer would be willing to pay more for food if it was produced in an environmentally friendly way.

He contacted the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group at the outset which was keen to support the scheme. The Wildlife Trust, which has branches in every county in the UK as well as 2,400 nature reserves, also gave its wholehearted support.

Now Mr Whitley aims to recruit 3,000 farmers to supply milk, on a first-come, first-served basis. "We believe 20pc of the general public is very concerned about wildlife and will support the brand, so initially we need 3,000 farmers to meet that demand," he said - and he does not expect a recruitment problem.

"I believe a lot of farmers realise they need to change farming practices and the government is now encouraging that," he said. It was a welcome first step but farmers rightly wanted a fair day's pay for a fair day's work.

"A lot of farmers are tired of the treadmill, pedalling faster and getting nowhere. There is no fun in farming if it is a rat race and you are getting poorer for doing more."

He believes one of the biggest threats to the British countryside is the exodus of farmers' sons and daughters who leave for better paid jobs elsewhere.

"If we are not careful we could have a dairy sector which resembles that of America with fewer farms and huge dairy herds," he warned.

Agri-Trade has lost 20 of its farmer members in the last three years, with the land bought by neighbours on expansion programmes. In each case the farms were sold because the father was retiring and the heirs had left for better-paid work.

Mr Whitely believes White & Wild could help stem the exodus by raising farm incomes to allow them to stay. "With added value milk premium of 2.7ppl above the market price it will give the average dairy farmer with 100 cows an annual financial increase of £16,200," he said.

"We believe the White & Wild milk brand can begin to persuade farmers' sons and daughters that there is a future on the farm and that we value them as food producers and stewards of our wildlife and countryside."

Farmers are now invited to buy shares in Agri-Care. The plan is for 70pc of shares to be owned by farmers and 30pc by the management.

Once accepted as a supplier, the producer will be visited by FWAG which will assess the wildlife on the farm and surrounding area and draw up an agreed improvement plan.

The farmer benefits through better prices and the chance of input savings offered by Agri-Trade.

Agri-Trade will also monitor all the farm inputs that go into the brands on participating farms and can therefore provide 100pc total traceability for buyers.

The independent Sorn Milk dairy group will have the contract to collect and pay the farmer, although Agri-Care will calculate the premium payments.

Supermarket buyers are said to have shown tremendous interest in the brand and the Wildlife Trust will also help promote the brand to the general public and its own 355,000 members.

Mr Whitley believes the brand will give those interested in wildlife the opportunity to take the conscious decision to buy White & Wild knowing that 2.3ppl will go direct to the Wildlife Trusts.

Any producers interested should contact 01388 835566