This initial draft of the action plan has been industry-led with input from dairy farmers and supply chain businesses over the past six months.
NSW Fresh Milk and Dairy Advocate Ian Zandstra has released a draft Action Plan for the state’s dairy industry and invited industry stakeholders and the community to comment.
“The Dairy Industry Action Plan will set the foundations of a successful and profitable future for the NSW dairy industry,” Mr Zandstra said.
“By mapping this path to a profitable future we will encourage investment by farmers, who are the basis of a strong and successful dairy supply chain in NSW.”
The Action Plan identifies 29 recommended actions across four themes:
- Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) – boosting productivity and profitability by investing in RD&E tailored to NSW
- Confidence – renewing producer confidence while maintaining community trust and support
- Skills & Business Resilience – building farmer, employee and service provider skills, focusing on business planning and operation, and risk management
- Stronger Futures – supporting tomorrow’s farmers by taking a targeted approach to critical infrastructure and addressing regulatory constraints or uncertainties
“The dairy industry is important to NSW not just in terms of its economic contribution but in its contribution to fresh food supply and its role in supporting rural and regional communities across the state,” Mr Zandstra said.
“Dairy farmers are job creators that keep rural and regional economies ticking and the 550 registered dairy farms employ 3,500 people with another 3,000 people employed in the processing and manufacturing sector.
“We all know dairy has faced challenges over the past two decades from droughts and bushfires to changes in industry structure and processor relationships, but the outlook in NSW is good and the industry is well-placed to prosper.
“This initial draft of the action plan has been industry-led with input from dairy farmers and supply chain businesses over the past six months, as well as the Dairy Industry Advisory Panel, and will complement other initiatives currently underway.
“Now we want more input and feedback from all interested dairy industry stakeholders to ensure it reflects the breadth of the dairy sector in NSW.”
Interested stakeholders have until 29 November, 2020 to visit www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/diapfor a copy of the draft plan and to provide feedback.