The Milk Marketing Board was a producer-run product marketing board,[1] established by the Agricultural Marketing Act 1933,[2] to control milk production and distribution in the United Kingdom. It functioned as buyer of last resort in the milk market in Britain, thereby guaranteeing a minimum price for milk producers. It also participated in the development of milk products, introducing Lymeswold cheese. It was based at Thames Ditton in Surrey.
The campaigns were largely on ITV television, but were also printed on the returnable milk bottles delivered by milkmen. The Milk Marketing Board sponsored the Milk Race Tour of Britain cycle race from 1958 to 1993, at thirty five years, making it the longest cycle sponsorship ever in the United Kingdom. The Milk Marketing Board also sponsored the Football League Cup from 1981 to 1986, renaming it the Milk Cup.
Dissolution
The board's responsibilities effectively ended, save for residual functions, in April 1994, with deregulation of the milk market in Britain following the Agriculture Act 1993. Its former processing division, Dairy Crest, remains in existence as a subsidiary of the Canadian firm Saputo Inc.[4] The Milk Marketing Board was finally dissolved in January 2002. The Scottish Milk Marketing Board was similarly dissolved in December 2003. Dairy UK is a current trade association representing the dairy industry in the United Kingdom.[5]
Milk Marque, a farmers co-operative, also acted as a successor to the Milk Marketing Board.[6]
Arms
Coat of arms of Milk Marketing Board
Crest
Within a crown palisado Argent a mount Vert thereon a cow statant also Argent.
Escutcheon
Vert issuant from the sinister base three piles wavy bendwise conjoined at the dexter chief point Argent.
Supporters
On the dexter side a lion and on the sinister side a dragon Argent.
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