Small steps, big improvements

The Uelzena Group has established a process for dialogue and improvement, which is based on the data collected for the QM Dairy Sustainability Tool. In this way, the company intends to work together with dairy farmers to continuously optimise performance in sustainable milk production.

The Thünen Institute has compiled a report that details the results of the “QM Dairy Sustainability Tool” for all participating dairies. These reports give information to the dairies about the performance of their dairy farmers’ scores for all of the 84 criteria on sustainable milk production. The goal: The new findings shall enable dairies to enter into a dialogue with their milk producers in order to jointly develop improvement measures. Uelzena has also received d the results from its milk producers.

In order to improve its own performance in sustainable milk production, the Uelzena Group is now using a basic quality management method and has established a Continuous Improvement Process (CIP). This CIP follows an evolutionary way of thinking: It does not envisage one major innovation or measure, but rather ongoing development with many small steps.

The continuous improvement process is based on the proven PDCA cycle developed in the USA. PDCA stands for the different steps of the improvement process: Plan, Do, Check, Adjust.

Based on these steps, the Uelzena Group has developed its own approach:

1. Survey: Data collection within the scope of the QM Dairy Sustainability Tool.
2. Analysis and identification: Analysis of the data together with the member dairies and the Advisory Board and identification of possible improvements.
3. Prioritisation: The aspects identified that are to be improved are sorted according to urgency.
4. Action plan: Development of targets and improvement measures, which are coordinated with the member cooperatives.
5. Implementation: The measures shall be implemented at the farms, for example through the transfer of knowledge in the form of training or through information desks at agricultural events and network meetings.
6. Control: Finally the improvements are reviewed. Targets and measures can be adjusted, if needed.

Progress in the set-up of the CIP

The milk producers also received an evaluation of their data, which they can use to compare their performance to other farms and to independently identify and implement optimisation possibilities. A second series of surveys and evaluations is scheduled to begin in mid-2020. The PDCA process will be reviewed, according to plan in 2021, and adapted if necessary. The aim is to establish a stable, efficient and continuous improvement process for sustainable milk production by that time. In this way, Uelzena and the farmers can increase their sustainability performance in the long term - and maintain the high acceptance of milk production amongst customers, consumers and politics in the future.