On-farm dairy processing

Livestock On-farm processing/dairy product valorization Autonomy Short circuits Diversification

On-farm dairy processing consists of making products such as yogurts, cheeses, butters or ice creams yourself from the milk produced on the farm. This allows better valorization of your milk, diversification of income, local sales, and gaining autonomy by reducing dependence on milk market fluctuations and controlling the entire chain from production to sale.

Making the choice to process

Beyond the technical aspect, processing your milk allows you to address several essential challenges:

Create added value by setting your own selling price.
Limit your dependence on price fluctuations of milk.
Sell locally, highlighting your production method.
Diversify your activity, even create employment on the farm.

This allows you to get closer to the consumer and strengthen your farm’s image in the territory, but these benefits also come with constraints that it is important to anticipate.

Building your project step by step

Before starting, it is important to structure the project so that it is technically feasible and economically viable. Here are the main steps:

Define the objectives: which products? what volume of milk to process? which sales channels (AMAP, markets, supermarkets, etc.)?
Observe your local environment: who already sells yogurt or cheese in your area? What prices? What formats?
Surround yourself with professionals: chambers of agriculture, CIVAM, ADEAR, Ateliers Paysans...
Make a forecast: costs, margins, working time, viability. (see Tab Economy and viability)
Seek funding: bank loans, regional aids, PCAE, FEADER.
Design the workshop: plans, declaration to the DDPP (Departmental Directorate for the Protection of Populations), choice of equipment.
Find the first customers: markets, shops, restaurants, on-farm sales, communication strategy.
Launch production: recipe testing, labeling, communication (see Tab Marketing of dairy products)

A well-prepared project helps avoid many pitfalls.

Adapting your workshop to your project

The type of workshop to set up depends on the volume of milk to be processed, available time, desired product range, and economic objectives. There is no single model, but it is useful to distinguish several levels of complexity to help position yourself. This is an indicative reading inspired by field practices and technical data from the guide:

Simple workshop (ultra-fresh)

Products: plain yogurts, faisselles, fresh cheeses, butter.
Example volume: 100 to 200 L/day.
Advantages: quick setup, moderate budget, accessible learning curve.
Limits: sometimes lower margins, limited differentiation, markets to build.

Mixed or intermediate workshop

Products: young tommes, ripened lactic cheeses, flavored yogurts, soft cheeses.
Example volume: 200 to 400 L/day.
Advantages: wider range, increased valorization, diversification of sales channels (organic shops, canteens, catering…).
Limits: need to develop specific skills (ripening, storage), stronger technical and regulatory constraints.

Advanced workshop

Products: ice creams, long-ripened cheeses, cooked pressed cheeses, products with quality labels (e.g., PDO).
Example volume: up to 600 L/day, with high work intensity.
Advantages: maximum valorization, premium image.
Limits: heavy investments, high working time, stricter regulations (traceability, hygiene, long-term storage, etc.). At this level, rigorous organization and advanced skills in manufacturing, hygiene, and marketing are essential.

Getting support

Processing milk on the farm is not improvised: it is highly recommended to train, exchange with other producers, and consult the right contacts.

Useful structures

Chambers of Agriculture: technical support, feasibility studies, file preparation.
CIVAM, ADEAR, ARDEAR: support, training, feedback.
ATELIER Paysan: workshop plans, self-construction training.
CFPPA, agricultural high schools: short and qualifying training in hygiene, cheese technology, management.

Specialized networks

Invitation à la Ferme: technical support, communication, pooling.
Fromagers de France, dairy goat and sheep networks: product expertise, peer network.

Available aids

PCAE, FEADER, regional and departmental aids.
MSA loans, agricultural credit, local project calls.
Some training can be financed via VIVEA or CPF.

Warning: some schemes require precise declarations (surface, volumes, forecast figures) and can take a long time to process.

On-farm dairy processing is a meaningful approach full of economic opportunities. It allows better valorization of produced milk, establishing a direct relationship with the consumer, and restoring decision-making power to the farmer. But it requires technical rigor, solid organization, and real commitment. Good support, adequate training, and a well-structured project are the keys to success.

Sources

Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty (n.d.). Guide to Good Hygiene Practices – Farm Dairy Products. Invitation à la Ferme Network Official site – resources, support, testimonials Networks CIVAM, ADEAR, ATELIER Paysan (n.d.). Support structures for short circuits projects: training, self-construction, technical support:

Marketing dairy products, Hygiene and sanitary obligations in on-farm dairy processing, Economy and viability of a dairy workshop