"Can you milk? Prove it": farmers talk about new requirements, authorities deny it

The dairy sector is talking about possible excessive requirements for farms. But it is not always clear whether these are real or the result of a misunderstanding between farmers and the authorities. One such case – dairy farm inspections may require documents proving the ability to milk cows...

(Un)clear requirements

This is the impression given by farmer Arūnas Kudrevičius. He said that the requirement was mentioned after the National Paying Agency (NPA) initiated an inspection of the farm, which is to be carried out by the State Food and Veterinary Service (SVVT).

„It's like a hoax. I have been farming since 1992. I have 220 cows. We have been through a lot of courses, training, and there are very high milk quality requirements. Whoever it is, farmers are definitely interested in producing high quality milk“, – says A. Kudrevičius.

He stresses that the farm's employees are constantly trained, hygiene and quality standards are strict, and any breaches can have direct financial consequences.

„Every time a new employee is hired, he or she receives rigorous training in milking regulations. And now I hear that maybe I don't know something and I should take a course, pay the fees and get a certificate. This is a mockery – after all, if you don't milk well, no buyer will take that milk, – says the farmer.

The issue, he said, was not so much about a specific certificate, but about a possible requirement to have a document proving compliance with milking requirements. However, he could not specify the exact name of the document.

„There was a reference to some kind of milking compliance or something like that. He said that you could go somewhere and pay and they would give you a certificate. Sounds interesting," says Kudrevičius.

According to the farmer, such statements raise concerns about the emergence of redundant requirements. "How can a farmer fail to train his workers to do the job properly? After all, it is my responsibility to put healthy, quality milk on the market," he stressed.

Ministry: no such requirements

The Ministry of Agriculture categorically denies that it has introduced such requirements.

„The Ministry of Agriculture has not adopted any requirements for farmers to have documentation proving their ability to perform livestock farming tasks (e.g. milking),“ the Ministry's reply said.

The MAFF also states that it has not approved the rules on checks carried out by the National Paying Agency, and suggests that the specific circumstances of the checks should be referred to the Agency itself.

UFA: it's not the certificate that counts, but the capacity

The MoHFW also stresses that there is no specific requirement in the legislation for "milking certificates".

„There is no requirement for a farmer or other farm workers to have documentation confirming the ability to perform livestock farming work“, – stated the MOH.

According to the authority, the inspections assess the general welfare of the animals and the farmer's ability to properly care for the animals.

„VMVT officials assess how farm animal keepers ensure animal welfare and health. Special certificates are not requested – it is ascertained by communicating with the farmer himself whether he knows how to care for and feed the animals and how to provide assistance“, – the reply said.

The Authority also explains that dairy farms are checked for other hygiene-related requirements: „In accordance with Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, it is checked that persons carrying out milking and milk processing have a valid medical booklet and have completed a compulsory hygiene training programme and have a document certifying this“.

It is also stressed that no additional documentation is required in relation to the milking process itself.

NMA: no such requirement

The NPA also states that it does not require proof of milking capacity during checks.

„The National Paying Agency does not ask questions or ask for proof of the ability to carry out livestock farming operations, to milk cows, when carrying out checks“, – the agency stated.

However, the authority notes that more data would be needed to clarify the specific situation in a particular case.

(Mis)communication?

Although all authorities are unanimous in stating that there is no requirement for "milking certificates", the farmer's experience shows that in practice this may not be the case. One possible reason for this is that the requirements for hygiene training or for the assessment of general competence are interpreted differently.

It remains unclear whether the specific case refers to compulsory hygiene training and certification or to a possibly inaccurately worded additional requirement. However, the fact that the farmer heard such a requirement shows that communication between the authorities and farmers is not always clear.

„I really don't understand what other demands they want to impose on us“, – summarised A. Kudrevičius.