Asher Valley dairy cooperative builds its own cheese plant

Dairy farmers in the Asher Valley have started work on a cooperative-owned cheese plant near Coldbeck, a project they hope will lift the price they receive for their milk and keep more family farms in business. The Asher Valley Dairy Cooperative, which represents 41 farms, broke ground on the site last week after three years of planning.

Until now the farms have sold almost all of their milk to two large processors, at prices that farmers say have often barely covered the cost of production. The new plant will take around a quarter of the cooperative's milk, roughly 14 million litres a year, and turn it into a hard, long-matured cheese, butter and a small range of soft cheeses for local shops.

The €9.5m cost is being met by member contributions, a loan from an agricultural lender and a regional grant for rural food processing. Cooperative chair Rhodri Penhale, who milks 180 cows on a farm outside Tarnmere, said every member had put in money according to the size of their herd.

For years we have handed over the milk and taken whatever price came back. This is the first time we get to decide what happens to it.

A slow return

The cooperative is careful not to promise quick results. The main cheese will be aged for at least 14 months, so the first wheels will not be sold until 2028. Head cheesemaker Ingeborg Fenn, recruited from a long-established dairy in the north, said the plant would also produce butter and fresh cheeses from the start to bring in income while the hard cheese matures.

The plant is expected to create 28 jobs. Neighbours in Coldbeck have broadly welcomed it, though some have asked about tanker traffic on the narrow lane from the main road. The cooperative says it will widen two passing places and restrict collections to daytime hours. A shop and visitor area are planned for the second phase.