Dairy - ‘resilience is the future’
It is a marvel to have witnessed the strong and ongoing resilience of the dairy industry, and particularly dairy farmers, over the past months.
This is despite recent natural disasters such as floods and the reducing number of dairy farms with the continued decline of milk production, as evidenced by Dairy Australia statistics.
Dairy resilience is a strong positive sign and illustrates the desire to ensure the long-term viability of the Australian dairy industry.
It is therefore essential that industry players in the dairy value-chain, from dairy farmers to retailers, continue to engage in a positive and collaborative manner. This also extends to other pivotal stakeholders such as the federal and state governments.
This will assist the long-term sustainability of the northern dairy industry specifically and the Australian dairy industry generally.
This engagement via for instance the establishment of a northern dairy industry plan steering committee illustrates the importance of ongoing dialogue and collaborative effort.
That is not to say that this will be an easy path to travel. Indeed, it will not.
The northern dairy industry, being northern NSW up to the tip of Queensland, faces many challenges.
The plan will review and examine issues associated with market failure, industry fatigue, accessing labour, ongoing cost pressures from increased farm inputs and the lack of productivity gains in recent years.
The success of the plan will depend upon those people, organisations and companies who contribute to it and particularly those dairy farmers who wish to engage with their industry bodies and processors in the coming months and years.
Our dairy leaders have a long path to tread.
Nevertheless 'resilience' is vital for the future of the Australian dairy industry and for the growth of milk production in the domestic and export markets.
On a personal note, I have had the privilege of being Co-CEO of the amalgamated body of Dairy Connect farmers group and Queensland Dairyfarmers Organisation since December 2021 and I have decided that the time is right to move on from this role.
It has been an honour and a pleasure to have been involved with the dairy industry over the past 8 years, and I look forward to watching the dairy industry go from strength to strength in the years ahead.
Shaughn Morgan, Co-CEO eastAUSmilk