While the dairy industry has plenty of challenges from environmental to supply chain, it now looks more and more likely that dairy farmers are set for a sustained period of higher prices.

Whether these prices set a new benchmark or higher level for milk price is hard to be definitive on.

However, from listening to the various speakers in London, from across the world, there is definitely no extra milk coming out of the main milk exporting parts of the world.

The one region that could produce more milk in 2022 is probably the US and the tap producing more milk from feed could increase in the coming months.

More milk

It won't come from a state that is under pressure for natural resources such as California, but states such as Michigan and Wisconsin could produce more milk as price rises even further. What impact this will have on long term prices is hard to conclude just yet.

GIRA industry analysis managing director (MD) Christophe Lafougere spoke on Friday and he suggested that there was definitely going to be a period of lower milk collection.

Processors around the world are getting nervous where they secure supply

He said: "Processors around the world are getting nervous where they secure supply and there is definitely more a focus on nearby markets and countries cutting export contracts to focus on the home market."

The GIRA boss explained situations he was aware of in Germany and France, where French farmers are turning back to cereals because it is easier to farm 300 acres of cereals than produce one million litres of milk.

Turning fortunes around

First Milk MD Shelagh Hancock also spoke on Friday.

First Milk Co-operative is a real example of how a co-op can turn its fortunes around.

It's not that long ago that First Milk was paying sub 20-pence/litre, in dire management issues and now, for June, milk price announced is 42p/l, close to 49c/l over this part of the world.

We will discuss more messages from the conference in coming weeks.