Herefordshire farm fighting to create new long-term future after having milk contract terminated
Wicton Farm has launched a fundraising campaign aiming to transform the Wild Cow Dairy, following its milk buyer for over 25 years ending their contract with them
A Herefordshire farm has said it is having to focus on making sure it can still be here for years to come with how it operates after it's organic milk contract with a buyer it has worked with for around 25 years ended.
Bromyard's Wicton Farm, which has been running since 1974 and is certified organic and antibiotic-free, was told earlier this year the contract was being terminated.
Its Wild Cow Dairy has a herd of 50 cows that are milked once a day but it said its been considered as "too small" and its farming methods "no longer fit the industrial dairy model".
Since then, it's launched a fundraising campaign to help support it in making a transformation to ensure its long-term future and build a "thriving regenerative farm that supports wildlife, promotes high cow welfare, and creates a secure, healthy local food system".
One of the farm managers Claire Howlett said the decision left them with a choice to either stop dairy farming or create an alternative, which is what they're aiming to do.
"We decided we might as well try," she said.
"A lot of people really are passionate about where food comes from and we want the future generations to be able to have the option of where their food comes from.
"If all the small farms stop, suddenly in 10, 15 years time you'll only be able to buy food from supermarkets and large industrial farms, which is fine, but we feel that people need to have an option so they can buy from both and they can choose where their food is produced.
"That's why we feel there is a future for small dairy farms and we want to be able to try and build a sustainable and independent future for this farm that everybody can be involved in."
Through the campaign, it's looking to raise £47,000 to create a dedicated milk processing space so it can continue to bottle and sell its pasteurised milk as well as making cheese and developing new products.
They say the funds would also support with making a community collection hub for customers to pick up what they want and create a better space for the cows by replacing existing metal cubicle beds with a deep-bedded straw resting area for the winter months.
It says that all of them together will "protect a way of farming that puts nature, animal welfare, and high-quality food first".
Howlett said the farm means a lot to everyone involved and it's important to keep it running.
"I get up every morning at 4:30am to milk those cows and you have to have a passion to be able to do that every day," she said.
"I know each cow individually, I know exactly what happens with her day in, day out, how she's feeling and I make the yogurt, so its all that cycle of how food is produced and it's a real passion project for us.
"There's younger generations coming in, we've got young children here on the farm that we would love to be able to see that carry on into the future."
It's set itself the target of getting the project all finished by this Christmas, with it putting the 1 August down as its deadline to raise the funds it needs for it.