"In recent times the dairy industry has been beset by a number of major problems. These include BSE, TB, foot and mouth disease and more recently, delays in the single farm payment and increasing bureaucracy.

Of course, this means that when there are positive developments or opportunities for farmers they need to be grasped with both hands. At Milk Link we believe that this is best achieved by farmers co-operating together.

One such opportunity, is the government's relaxation on the ban of over 30-month beef going in to the food chain. We felt that because of our scale we would be able to secure an arrangement for our members which would offer highly competitive prices for their over 30-month animals.

As a result, in May we launched a new initiative for our members in the South West to create an efficient, cost-effective and traceable supply chain for farm-assured cull cows when they re-enter the food chain.

The new scheme, in collaboration with processor St Merryn Meat and retailer Tesco, is being piloted in Cornwall to 400 Milk Link members, and there are plans for it to be rolled out to the remaining membership later in the year.

This activity is in response to the findings of our recent membership survey in which members expressed an appreciation of working partnerships that support their businesses.

At Milk Link we believe that by working in partnership substantial benefits will result and will provide a model for the rest of the country to follow.

The initiative will provide members with a "one-stop shop" for their cull cows. The scheme will provide those participating with a simple route to market offering: known collection date; competitive haulage fee; forward pricing; membership of Tesco Producer Group; guaranteed seven-day payment; and management advice on selecting culls. It is anticipated that up to 10,000 cows will go through the pilot scheme alone.

No-one could argue with the rationale behind the initiative. For the meat processor, a consistent supply of farm assured cattle is essential for them to be able to open up new markets for a product that has not been marketed since 1996. The scheme is open for farm assured cows born after August 1, 1996.

From the retail perspective, Tesco wants to ensure that the meat is produced to the highest standards and that they work with their existing UK suppliers.

There can also be no doubt that the scheme will provide a simple route to market for members seeking to effectively and efficiently sell their farm assured animals. We believe it also demonstrates the power that can be harnessed when farmers work together collectively.