Mauchline dairy farm supplies England during milk shortage

Mossgiel Organic Dairy's Bryce Cunningham says his farm sent 26,000 litres of milk south of the border in recent weeks to mitigate droughts caused by high temperatures.

The history of Mossgiel dates back to the time of Scotland's bard, when national poet Robert Burns lived and ploughed the fields between 1784 and 1786.

Supply and production in the south of England have been hampered due to the blazing heat, with animals struggling with heat stress.

Bryce Cunningham. (Image: Colin Mearns)

And Bryce says the farm has been asked to send down a further 40,000 litres of milk, which it does not have.

Speaking to the Scotsman, he said: “We very rarely get asked to send milk down south.

“All of a sudden we’re having to turn the tap on to send produce from Scotland down to the south of England while these farms are having serious problems.

“We’ve sent about 26,000 litres so far. In this industry, that is small, but in the organic world it’s something of value."

Mossgiel's sustainable farming dream began in early 2015, when Bryce - the third generation of the Cunningham family to work the farm - grew frustrated with an unforgiving dairy industry dominated by mega-dairies.

Since then, he has taken part in all sorts of movements, including supplying every school in East Ayrshire with organic milk, launching perhaps the most expensive coffee in the world, and joining forces with three farms across northern Scotland in a landmark expansion in a bid to meet growing demand for organic natural milk. 

Bryce said the shortage in England and the demand for his produce point towards the UK being poor at managing food supply.

“This drought has been forecast by every climate scientist under the sun and now it’s here and we’re not prepared for it,” he added.

“If we’re being asked as a very small player in this industry, it shows there’s an enormous industry-wide problem going on here.”