Arla celebrates record-breaking Open Farm Sunday
Arla farmer owners are celebrating their role in a record breaking Open Farm Sunday on June 5. Of the 400 farms participating across the UK, 60 were Arla farmer owners who welcomed nearly 45,000 visitors. This total beat the record from last year, in which 44 Arla farms took part in the day with 37,000 visitors.
Arla farms hosted events including welly throwing, hay bale hurdles and tractor driving, to farmers’ markets and craft demonstrations. In addition, Arla colleagues were on hand with products for visitors to sample and take away with them, including Arla Cravendale and Arla 'Best of Both' milk, Arla Lactofree cheese and Arla skyr.
The event gave people from around the country the chance to see first-hand what happens on a farm, and where the milk and dairy products they enjoy come from.
Arla farmerowners were also on hand to explain how, as a cooperative, they own the business, meaning that all profits from the dairy products people buy go back to them.
The farmer-owned dairy company is a principal sponsor of the annual event, now in its 11th year, is organised by LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming), which helps to deliver sustainable agriculture and better public understanding of farming life.
In total, since 2006, the event has seen over 1.6 million people visit a farm. LEAF estimates that over a quarter of a million more were added to that total during this year’s event.
The day is part of Arla’s ongoing work to support the food and farming sector which is especially important as the dairy industry faces tough times globally and in the UK.
Commenting, Arla farmer owner Roger Hildreth at Curlew Fields Farm in Hessay, North Yorkshire, said:
“This year’s Open Farm Sunday was a really great opportunity for me to show people from around the local community how a dairy farm operates. It was superb to see all the happy faces as visitors young and old made their way around the site and visited various events including sheep shearing, beehives and milk tasting.”
“While having a good time is an important part of the day, for us it’s also about showing the local community the skill and effort it takes to produce a wide range of delicious dairy products. We look forward to welcoming back an even bigger group next year!”
Arla Foods is a global dairy company and co-operative owned by 12,700 dairy farmers with circa 2,700 of whom are British.
Dating back to 1881, Arla’s purpose is to secure the highest value for its farmers’ milk, while creating opportunities for their growth. With production facilities in 11 countries and sales offices in a further 30, Arla is the world’s fifth largest dairy company and largest supplier of organic dairy products. Arla has a total of more than 18,000 colleagues and its products are sold under the well-known brands Arla®, Lurpak® and Castello® in more than 100 countries.
Arla Foods UK is the largest dairy company in the country and is home to leading dairy brands Anchor®, Cravendale, and Lactofree® with a turnover of €2.9 billion. As well as being a leading supplier of fresh milk, number one in butter, spreads and cream, Arla is the UK’s largest cheese manufacturer. It has also built the world’s largest fresh milk facility located at Aylesbury and has plans for it to be the first zero carbon site of its kind. The UK business has a team of approximately 3,500 colleagues located at its dairies, distribution centres and head office.