Growing interest by supermarkets and consumers in the area of animal welfare is being addressed by dairy giant MD Foods plc with a Farm Assurance Code of Practice governing all farmers who supply milk directly to the company's dairies in the UK.

The code of practice is the result of consultations with farmers, vets and customers and covers all aspects of good husbandry connected with the welfare of the cow and the quality of milk produced on the farm.

MD Foods Milk Procurement Director Philip Wilkinson said: "It is vitally important that our customers and consumers have total confidence in our products and the code is another demonstration of our total commitment to quality."

He added: "It has been produced in conjunction with our supplier groups and with the involvement of vets and customers to ensure it meets or exceeds all requirements and expectations. It is part of our determination to ensure the highest quality and best practice in the whole chain from the cow to the consumer."

Maurice Waring, secretary of Premier Milk Producers, whose members supply milk to MD Foods, said: "Our members are aware of the need to assure consumers that milk is being produced with due regard to hygiene and the welfare of stock. We believe that this initiative should give everyone the confidence that milk is being produced to the highest possible standards." Compliance with the code will be actively monitored with regular audits carried out by MD milk procurement staff.

MD Foods plc is the third largest supplier of milk in the UK and is the biggest supplier of milk to supermarkets with more than 20 per cent of the market. MD Foods is the company that supplies Lurpak and Lurpak Spreadable and a host of other dairy products. It has dairies in Leeds, Settle, Preston, North London, Essex and Newcastle upon Tyne.

MD Foods processes about 700 million litres of milk a year, of which 45 per cent is sourced directly from farmers.

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