Dairy Plan Proposals - Ready for Your Feedback

Proposals on the table for Queensland’s Dairy Plan are now public and ready for feedback, and can be downloaded in full from the eastAUSmilk website.

The Advisory Group developing the Plan developed a list of four priority areas and proposals associated with them, from industry suggestions in June and July. All proposals came from within the industry.

Now, this final round of consultation will see changes to the current proposed priorities and proposals, and they will then become the core of the dairy plan. Feedback can be via the following district meetings or online, via a link on the eastAUSmilk website.

·       Malanda Hotel, Tuesday 8 October, 6.30 pm for 7 pm

·       Oakey RSL, Tuesday 8 October, 6.30 pm for 7 pm

·       Woodford Hotel, Wednesday 9 October, 11.00 for 11.30 am

·       Kandanga Hotel, Wednesday 9 October, 6.30 pm for 7 pm

·       Milla Milla Hotel, Wednesday 9 October, 6.30 pm for 7 pm

·       Beaudesert RSL, Monday 14 October, 6.30 pm for 7 pm

The Advisory Group proposes that the plan aim at a prosperous, vibrant, and resilient Queensland dairy industry, which has halted the decline in milk production, and is growing to produce at least 300 million litres or more of white milk per year, with flatter supply, by 2032.

Financing the Future

1.    Trialling options to maximise farmer benefits from QRIDA support programs, including consideration of whether QRIDA’s processes are fit for purpose

2.    Create and facilitate new funding models to fill the gap between current funding options

3.    Developing a dairy industry prospectus and other supporting information to raise awareness of the sector as an investment target

Pathways into the Industry

4.    Extension program focus, including legal options: targeted at existing farms/farming families, and addressing succession planning, legal options, and more

5.    Making dairying appealing through a marketing and communications campaign

6.    Upskilling job-seekers and others in dairying

7.    Promoting share farming and leasing

8.    Facilitate connections between farmers and prospective investors

Risk mitigation for stable production

9.    Extension and information

10. Upskilling, and financial support, to facilitate farm business planning, including risk & disaster mitigation/management, and use of QDAS/benchmarking

11. Identification and advocacy of industry relocation options, for new as well as existing farms

12. Climate and natural disaster program for dairying: e.g. infrastructure to mitigate heat stress, mitigate feed issues in the wet, on farm sustainability, renewables

13. Facilitating on-farm production and systems which are climate resilient

14. Identification of barriers and solutions to expand feedstock options, including GMO and imported strains, for pest and disease management

15. Facilitate inclusion of Biosecurity in farm business planning

16. Identification of animal welfare risk, and solutions

17. Support on-farm uptake of changed practice, including new technology and production systems

Productivity Improvement

18. Establish profitable pathways to surplus stock management

19. Facilitating sexed semen uptake, to both improve herd genetics and avoid surplus calves

20. Facilitating herd improvement, including facilitating genomic mapping of herds

21. Pasture management extension

22. Active importation and testing of successful international pasture and fodder varieties

Mike Smith, eastAUSmilk Government Relations Manager