It’s enough to put the nation off breakfast. Civil servants have suggested that Britons put long-life milk in tea and pour it on their cornflakes to save the planet from global warming.

Officials at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have made a serious proposal that consumers switch to UHT (Ultra-High Temperature or Ultra-Heat Treated) milk to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

It is part of a government strategy to ensure that some 90 per cent of milk on sale will not require refrigeration by 2020. That most shoppers would not even know where to find UHT milk in shops (the cartons are discreetly placed near baking ingredients) does not seem to have deterred government strategists. The move would mean a big shift from fresh-milk consumption to long life. In Britain 93 per cent of milk sold is fresh. UHT, powdered milk and baby milk make up the rest of the market.

The plan is set out in a government paper, seen by The Times, that was sent out last month to farmers’ leaders and the dairy industry. The “milk road map” is intended to help a dairy industry committee set up to work out the carbon footprint for milk and dairy products and to identify ways of reducing that footprint.

Officials have calculated that by reducing chiller capacity in supermarkets, convenience stores and corner shops, carbon emissions would be significantly reduced. The move is not against the domestic use of fridges; UHT milk, once opened, must be refrigerated.

The proposal has sent shockwaves through the livestock industry, already fighting foot and mouth and bluetongue, and it has left dairy company chiefs incandescent and incredulous. They are to seek urgent clarification about the status of this road map with Lord Rooker, Minister for Sustainable Food and Farming.

The dairy sector, worth £6 billion a year in Britain, is anxious to play its part in reducing carbon emissions and since 2000 has invested heavily in energy-efficient processing equipment. Companies accept that there is more to achieve. But consensus among the main retailers and the dairy sector is that consumers would drink less milk rather than choose to drink long-life milk, even if civil servants decree this would be greener behaviour.

The paper states: “Retail and domestic refrigeration is an area with the potential for significant impact reduction. The milk chain should enhance the development, marketing and placement of UHT milk products.” It also states that existing choices for consumers (mainly fresh milk products) “mean that they may not demand milk that does not have to be refrigerated”.

Another target that has incensed farmers is that methane emissions from dairy cattle should be reduced by 60 per cent within 15 to 20 years.

Tom Hind, dairy adviser at the National Farmers’ Union, insists that this target is outrageous and could be achieved only by destroying half the national dairy herd and reducing it from two million to one million cattle.

Many farmers and dairy industry figures are now convinced there is “a hidden agenda” inside the Government to destroy their sector.

Gwyn Jones, Chairman of the NFU’s dairy board, who keeps 750 dairy cattle in West Sussex, is furious. He said: “I am lost for words. It makes no sense whatsoever. We have a long tradition of drinking fresh milk in this country and to suggest that consumers should be forced to change their drinking habits to UHT is preposterous and arrogant. I believe there are people inside the Government who are trying to destroy our industry. Here we are in the middle of fighting two diseases and this pops up from Defra. You have to wonder what is going on if our own people are plotting against us.”

Jim Begg, Director General of Dairy UK, which represents processors, is bewildered. He said: “Consumers already have a choice of fresh or long-life milk and the market thrives on the sale of fresh milk. It is not clear to us how these proposals will deliver environmental benefit and an attempt to artificially impose change against the clear wishes of the British consumer must be substantiated with evidence.”

Ionwen Lewis, President of the Women’s Food and Farming Union, said she was “absolutely horrified”. She added: “We are very privileged in this country to be drinking fresh pasteurised milk. I don’t know which officials have come up with this plan but it is just not on.”

David Fursdon, President of the Country Land & Business Association, said: “This is a typical idea from a civil servant that has not been road-tested. No one is against trying to reduce CO2 emissions, but what if consumers say they don’t want UHT milk? Also if there is any reduction in milk sales the industry will be up in arms and we must be very careful not to destroy our dairy industry. Fresh milk, after all, is associated with a lot of healthy eating habits such as eating a good breakfast with cereals, oats and muesli with fresh milk.”

Peter Ainsworth, Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, called on ministers to disown the policy. He said: “People in this country don’t like UHT milk, and so however good it may be for the environment people just won’t buy it.”

Defra did not comment last night.

Abroad, they love it

UHT milk as a percentage of total consumption:
Austria 20.3
Belgium 96.7
Czech Rep 71.4
Denmark 0.0
Finland 2.4
France 95.5
Germany 66.1
Greece 0.9
Hungary 35.1
Ireland 10.9
Italy 49.8
Netherlands 20.2
Norway 5.3
Poland 48.6
Portugal 92.9
Slovakia 35.5
Spain 95.7
Sweden 5.5
Switzerland 62.8
Britain 8.4

Source: Euromonitor International

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