We need to tell the world, especially the top of the dairy world, what the International Dairy Federation is doing and what it has already done, and we need to focus on those few, pre-competitive issues that are preoccupying dairy people. These are our key challenges. So says IDF Director General, Edward Hopkin. The IDF may never have grabbed the media headlines in the past despite its vital and painstaking work in the field of international best practice, research and marketing strategy dissemination. But its new President, Jim Begg (Dairy UK's Director General), and outgoing DG, Hopkin, share a common belief. You are certainly going to hear a lot more about this organisation in the future. "Whole-industry engagement and involvement through improved communications will be crucial to the success of our programme of work on subjects which are going to be pivotal for dairying," says Hopkin, who is set to retire soon after 25 years in post. That view is endorsed by Begg, who has pledged a new approach as President, focusing hard on major issues that can unite the dairy sector behind IDF initiatives, and with a widened membership base and member involvement. "The IDF is perfectly placed to do this because it has, within its organisation, a forum of the world's generic dairy marketers who would link with the branded marketing programmes, undertaken by commercial organisations, to deliver this message," he says. "It's at the very early stage of development but you can see the benefit of having an organisation which has contacts and links and is able to penetrate 80% of international consumer markets."
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