MP Owen Paterson opens new £1m Shropshire dairy

The dairy at the Sansaw Estate in Hadnall, near Wem, was officially opened by the North Shropshire MP, who said it would make use of "world class technology".

Mr Paterson, who unveiled the Sansaw Dairy plaque in front of more than 100 guests, said he would do all he could to support the scheme.

The dairy includes a new milking parlour and feeding area on the estate, which will create six full-time jobs.

Run by managing director, James Thompson, it is expected to produce more than five million litres of milk each year from cows which will be reared outdoors all year round.

Mr Thompson is looking to replicate the New Zealand system of dairy farming.

He said it is a low-cost system based on grazed pasture with very limited use of supplementary feeds.

Mr Thompson said: "We have had huge amounts of support from all corners – from the farming community, from our neighbours, from the parish council, from the planners and from our staff on site.

"A lot of the ground works and development took place during one of the wettest years on record and yet we were still on time and on budget, which says a huge amount for all the people involved. We want to put money back into the local economy and we are investing for the right reasons.

"There is a huge appetite for dairy products all over the world and we have the perfect foundation and systems in place to deliver that."

Mr Paterson, speaking at an unveiling ceremony yesterday, said: "Sansaw Dairy is an absolutely brilliant example of our industry using world class technology and the very latest expertise. This is the future of the dairy industry."

"James and his wife Asa have taken this really brave and gutsy decision to invest heavily in the dairy industry and I will give them every bit of support I can."

Mr Thompson, 38, took over the reins at Sansaw from his father, Robin, in 2008, after serving in Afghanistan.