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!”