Federal Election – Impact on Dairy Farmers

The Federal election is underway, and dairy farmers are rightly considering if the outcome has any impact of their livelihoods.  This is a good question.

Historically, agriculture does not feature in the daily campaign highlights or nightly news, but Trump has changed that this year – with tariffs, beef exports and quarantine standards carrying the news. 

The impact on the industry remains unclear, but the residual resentment to the US behaviour has shifted the political landscape, with both leaders positioning to defend Australian industry and not taking retaliation.

Money has been put into ‘buy Australian made’ and a focus on alternative markets like Europe. The stock exchange took a hit but seems to be re-grouping and talk has shifted to prospects of global recessions and mortgage rate cuts.

In short, the economic waters have muddied, and the silt will need to settle over the next few months to see how clear the waters are for dairy and other industries.

The impact of other waters is the more present concern for dairy farmers in regions affected by ex-cyclone Alfred and other sustained rain events and for the beef and lamb industry in Western Queensland. 

Farmers are living with the catastrophic hit on businesses and livelihoods and the spotlight is on how well Governments respond and support farmers - after the photo ops are done.

It also turns farmer’s minds to climate and economic resilience.  How can farmers be better supported to invest in the infrastructure, technologies and pastures that will withstand recurring weather events and improve profitability?

The political climate also seems ripe for an announcement on the Food Security Plan.  Farmers will recall the Parliamentary Committees recommendation for a Minister for Food and a specific strategy for reinvigorating the dairy industry – to lift profitability and production while addressing the industry’s economic and environmental sustainability.

With only a couple of weeks left in the campaign farmers should be asking these questions of any politician you meet. 

The endless coffees pollies are drinking to keep them tirelessly campaigning and the Easter eggs lining the supermarket shelves contain a good dash of Aussie farmer produced milk – farmers hope they remember this and think about how they can support the industry that keeps it flowing.  We are not seeing much of that yet. 

Joe Bradley, eastAUSmilk President