The Coalition Government is delivering on another election commitment to the nation’s dairy farmers by inviting key stakeholders from farmer organisations, processors and retailers to a symposium to facilitate industry-led options to address the challenges facing the Australian dairy industry.Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Barnaby Joyce, chaired the symposium in Melbourne.
“I thank the farmers and key supply chain stakeholders who came together in one room to discuss better and fairer bargaining and contracting between farmers and processors and propose ways to improve the industry’s prospects going forward,” Minister Joyce said.
“Recent events have shown there is a need for the industry to better balance risk along the dairy supply chain, especially when it comes to managing the effects of lower world prices.
“Ultimately, I want to see improved farmgate returns for dairy farmers, an openness in milk price arrangements and fair and transparent milk supply contracts.
“This can only happen if there is buy-in from industry and a willingness from key stakeholders to hear each other out and develop solutions together.
“The Coalition government will continue to work with our dairy farmers and processors to strengthen the dairy industry, including our election commitment of up to $2 million to establish a commodity milk price index.
“The symposium provided an opportunity for stakeholders to put forward early views on this.
“The Coalition Government is delivering assistance to dairy farmers with a $579 million support package to help them manage through the current low price environment.
“This is providing farmers with access to Dairy Recovery Concessional Loans, Farm Household Allowance (FHA), the Rural Financial Counselling Service and an additional $900,000 for Dairy Australia to roll out ‘Tactics for Tight Times’ one-to-one farm business advice.”