Funding crises, staff shortages and closures mean the UK's once highly respected dairy research base now barely exists, Donald Muir, an ex-research head told DairyReporter.com.
His words are the starkest warning yet that the UK dairy industry faces a research and development black hole which could threaten its ability to compete in the future.

Muir's old research centre, the Hannah Institute in Scotland, closed down in spring this year to the concern of both unions and scientists.

Hannah's reputation in dairy R&D had been world-class, helping the industry in a range of areas from extending the shelf life of milk to cutting edge work on microbacteria and caseins. It also helped devise the means to make cream liqueurs, like Baileys.

Closing Hannah has heightened fears that the UK dairy industry will become increasingly reliant on foreign sources to keep up with changing market demand.

Source: dairyreporter.com