LIFTON, ENGLAND — Following a £4 million ($5 million) upgrade, Mole Valley Farmers has reopened its feed milling facility in Lifton, England.

“The investment boosts our manufacturing capabilities by improving the mill’s raw material storage capacity and enabling feed production to increase by around 20,000 tonnes a total of 135,000 tonnes per year,” the company said.

The project involved the construction of 12 new 70-tonne raw material bins and seven new 8-tonne mini bulk handling bins, resulting in a total on-site storage capacity of between 900 to 1,000 tonnes. The increased storage will ensure a resilient supply of animal feed with the upgrade also enhancing diet formulation accuracy, as well as improving efficiency and reducing manufacturing costs, the cooperative said.

In addition to the £4 million investment, Mole Valley officials said a further £250,000 has been invested in upgrading the process control system to the most modern currently available, delivering new levels of automation and efficiency within the manufacturing process. They said the upgrade also improves the environmental impact of the site, which is cleaner, with less noise, fewer lorry movements and reduced dust. 

Construction at Lifton Feed Mill began in May 2022 and took about a year to complete.

Kevin Singleton, director of agri operations at Mole Valley Farmers, oversaw the project. He said it involved 1,000 tonnes of concrete and more than 230 tonnes of steel. 

“This investment puts us on a really strong footing for continued feed production for many years to come,” Singleton said. “It enables us to maintain our position as a low-cost operator while at the same time ensuring we produce and provide our farmers with the highest quality animal feed backed up by excellent levels of customer service.”

National Farmers Union President Minette Batters, who was invited to take part in a reopening ceremony along with 150 farmer shareholders, members and customers, praised Mole Valley Farmers for making the investment during such challenging and uncertain times.

“It is great for me to see such huge levels of investment here in a farming cooperative,” she said. “It really does give a strong signal of strength with productivity, sustainability and profitability the keys to success. If you don’t get those three things right, you are not going to be able to deliver on the environment. To collaborate and use your collective power to buy together is the only model. Relish the moment because it really is your future.”

Mole Valley Farmers operates feed mills in Lifton, Huntworth, Dorchester and Coylton, which are strategically located to service the main livestock producing areas of the country. It also has two feed blending facilities at Risdon and Heals.