Dairy workers with YoCream, a division of French food group Danone, voted overwhelmingly to join IUF-affiliated Teamsters Local 305 in Portland, Ore., seeking better conditions and a voice at work.

New full-year targets for 2012 confirmed are as follows:

* Solid growth in H1 2012 sales[1] of +7.7% as reported and +5.9% like-for-like[2]
* Second quarter in line with expectations, marked by a high basis for comparison in 2011 in the Waters division; reported sales[1] up +7.8% and like-for-like sales[2] up +5.0%
* Sales up in all divisions, with variations from one region to the next including a decline in Europe and double-digit growth[3 in the rest of the world
* Trading operating margin[3] in line with expectations at 13.85% (-61bps)[2]

Arla will reduce the standard litre price by 2ppl with effect from 1 August.

Arla Foods has implemented the largest cut yet of three other major UK milk processors in the last week to have reduced their farmgate milk prices.

In the latest round of price-cutting, Arla said in a letter to its members this week it will reduce the standard litre price by 2ppl with effect from 1 August, resulting in a 7.5% cut to 24.5 pence.

Arla Food’s proposed mergers with UK-based co-operative Milk Link and German dairy firm Milch-Union Hocheifel (MUH) have been approved by its board of representatives.