Ministers welcome progress on innovative Borderlands dairy project

_{The Dairy Nexus, which is under construction at SRUC’s Barony Campus near Dumfries, is set to be completed in November 2024.}

A multi-million pound new facility to drive innovation and sustainability in the dairy sector is set to open its doors next month.

SRUC is leading the Dairy Nexus project which has been awarded up to £8 million from the UK and Scottish Governments and £738,000 from South of Scotland Enterprise.

One of the first Scottish projects to be delivered through the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, the Dairy Nexus has been built by Portakabin Ltd on SRUC’s Barony campus at the heart of a major dairy producing region in Dumfries and Galloway. 

SRUC already provides an internationally recognised focus for research and innovation in the sector and is central to a vibrant network of researchers, dairy businesses, technology and training providers.

With four major processors and around 50 artisan producers employing 1,350 people and adding value to milk collected from some 980 farms across the region, dairying is an important part of the Borderlands’ economy. 

The Dairy Nexus will facilitate collaboration between researchers, advisors, farmers and businesses in the dairy sector to identify and solve real-world problems and take opportunities to improve productivity and sustainability. 

The investment in the Dairy Nexus - which includes equipment to measure multiple aspects of dairy farm technical performance, supported by laboratories and meeting spaces - will provide a significant boost to the region’s capabilities for dairy innovation. 

From fine-tuning dairy nutrition to improve the nutritional value of milk and the yield of cheese, to measuring the effect of genetic selection on cows’ methane emissions and understanding how different forage crops affect soil health and biodiversity, the Dairy Nexus is aiming to decarbonise the dairy sector.

Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said: “My priorities are focussed on working with partners to deliver sustainable growth in the Scottish economy and promoting Brand Scotland's world-famous food and drink larder. This exciting Dairy Nexus project - backed by £4 million UK Government funding - is a great example of collaboration to find innovative solutions for boosting productivity, creating jobs and decarbonising the sector in the south of Scotland and beyond. I look forward to seeing this project help transform the dairy sector.”

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “The Scottish Government is investing £4 million in this project, supporting research and innovation to deliver a sustainable future for Scottish dairy farming.

“Our Green Industrial Strategy has set out measures to work with business to grasp the opportunities of the transition to net zero.

“The Dairy Nexus is a great example of driving rural innovation to make the sector more productive as part of efforts to cut carbon emissions.”

Cllr Gail McGregor, Leader of Dumfries and Galloway Council and Borderlands Partnership Board Member, said: “Dairy Nexus is an exciting project that will both create new jobs and develop an industry that is so key to our region.

“Supporting business, innovation & skills is key to driving growth and prosperity and this development really builds on the expertise and infrastructure in Dumfries and Galloway.

“We’ve seen how other Borderlands projects we’ve helped to deliver have made a positive difference to our communities and I’m confident Dairy Nexus will do the same.”

Professor Wayne Powell, Principal and Chief Executive of SRUC, said:  “We are delighted to see the Dairy Nexus moving a step closer to opening on our Barony campus. 

“It encapsulates our mission to drive imaginative new ways of working between business, government, communities, and universities to support a green recovery in remote and rural parts of Scotland.

“It will also support the work of the Digital Dairy Chain at Barony, which is focused on developing digital connectivity, stimulating research and new product development, supporting business growth and attracting talent and skills, across the region.”

Russel Griggs OBE, Chair of South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE), said: “The dairy sector is one of South-West Scotland’s cornerstone industries, and we want to ensure that it remains in that position for many years to come.

“That is why we see the Dairy Nexus project as a crucial and game-changing investment by SOSE and our partners. It will drive innovation to allow the dairy sector to decarbonise, as well as accelerate its productivity, enhance animal welfare and develop new products from dairy resources.

“Dairy Nexus also has the ability to bring further investment and employment to the region, and demonstrates the South of Scotland’s commitment to becoming the UK’s first Net Zero region.”

Posted by SRUC on 28/10/2024