ABC Mid North Coast NSW Radio
Lactalis milk price offer
Listen to Peter Graham and Eric Danzi talk about the initial price offered by Lactalis - click on the link below:
ABC Radio – the segment starts at 12:24:45pm to 12:34:45pm
Source: Elly Bradfield, 30 May 2023
USDA reports case of mad cow disease in United States but negative trade implications ‘unlikely’
The United States has reported an atypical case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the disease has been detected in a five-year-old cow in South Carolina.
It said the animal had never entered slaughter channels and at no time presented a risk to the food supply or to human health.
"Given the United States' negligible risk status for BSE, we do not expect any trade impacts as a result of this finding," a USDA spokesperson said.
"Atypical BSE generally occurs in older cattle and seems to arise rarely and spontaneously in all cattle populations."
Mad cow disease is a transmissible, slowly progressive, degenerative and fatal disease that affects the central nervous system of adult cattle.
The USDA said it was the nation's seventh detection of BSE.
"Of the six previous US cases, the first in 2003 was a case of classical BSE in a cow imported from Canada. The rest have been atypical (H or L-type) BSE," the spokesperson said.
Trade impacts unlikely
Global Agritrends analyst Simon Quilty said that unlike recent BSE outbreaks in Brazil, the US was unlikely to face any trade implications.
"So far, there have been no trade implications, but all eyes are on China because of the precedent that's been set earlier this year and [in 2021] with Brazil and the BSE case(s) they've had," he said.
"Under the trade agreement between the US and China, they said no ban could be put in place on any atypical BSE case should it occur, which is almost the complete opposite of what the situation was between Brazil and China."
Mr Quilty said the last atypical BSE case in the US was in 2018, which led to no trade implications.
"So you can only assume the same will happen this time around," he said
"But we do know the situation between the US and China has been somewhat strained politically, and so you can never rule out some sort of implication, but at this stage, it looks unlikely."
Applications open for Dairy Australia board positions
The Dairy Australia board is seeking directors to fill upcoming vacancies and to be appointed at the November 2023 annual general meeting.
Two of the four vacant positions are for farmers with milk producer skills, one is for a director with agribusiness, innovation and adoption skills, and another for a director with dairy supply chain and product promotion skills.
Farmers and those with the relevant skills and experience are encouraged to stand for one of the board director positions and to play a role in the governance and strategic direction of Dairy Australia.
Dairy Australia aims to provide services that benefit and advance dairy farm businesses and the industry.
These services deliver value by enhancing farm business management, supporting employment and people development, driving herd and feed innovation, managing climate and environment, promoting Australian dairy and the commitment to sustainability, supporting international dairy markets, contributing to policy development, and responding to critical issues and events.
Dairy Australia’s board comprises eight non-executive directors and the managing director.
At least four directors must be farmers or those with milk producer skills.
A board skills matrix specifies the mix of skills required by directors and is aligned with Dairy Australia’s funding agreement with the Commonwealth Government.
Farmer candidates interested in applying should refer to the director elections section of the Dairy Australia website and submit their applications by 5pm on June 16, 2023.
Those interested in the agribusiness, innovation and adoption and dairy supply chain and product promotion director roles should contact Rimfire Resources, a specialist recruiter, on Rimfireresources
Source: McPherson Media Group, Country News, 18 May 2023
New trial of floating solar panels for farms underway at Lardner Park
A trial to install solar panels on lake's lagoons and farm dams will give landholders who wish to switch to renewables an option without losing land.
Visitors to Farm World at Lardner Park, were given demonstrations on a 50-kilowatt floating solar installation project at the park's reservoir, which is progressively being installed next year.
General manager of Victorian solar installation company Greenwood Tom Johnson said there were many opportunities in Gippsland to use agricultural dams for floating solar panels.
To read the article in full you will need a subscription to the newspaper, if you already have a subscription or wish to subscribe go to: Farmonline National
Source: Farmonline National, Philippe Perez, 10 May 2023
Milk drought in Far North Queensland dairy towns blamed on ‘perfect storm’
A region once home to hundreds of dairy farms has been running low on milk, with supermarket shelves stripped bare of the essential item.
The Atherton Tablelands, west of Cairns, was built on the back of the dairy industry.
In 2000, about 185 local milk producers supplied the local factory. Today, that number has dropped to about 45, with many squarely pointing the finger at the impacts from the deregulation of the dairy industry 23 years ago.
Local dairy farmer and former Dairy Farmers Australia director James Geraghty said milk was being trucked in from Brisbane, but demand had outstripped supply in several Far North Queensland towns, including Atherton, Malanda and Mareeba.
To read the article in full go to: ABC News
Source: ABC Far North, Kristy Sexton-McGrath, Adam Stephen and Charlie McKillop, 4 May 2023
How Oxley Island dairy farmers Pat and Em Neal operate a successful pasture-based system
High-quality soil, reliable annual rainfall and good management make for a successful pasture-based dairy on the NSW Mid North Coast.
Pat and Em Neal own and operate Willaree Dairy, more than 200 hectares, at Oxley Island in the Manning Valley.
Pat is a fifth-generation dairy farmer, and Em hails from a strong dairy farming family.
To read the article in full you will need a subscription to the newspaper, if you already have a subscription or wish to subscribe go to: Farmonline National
Source: Hayley Warden, 2 May 2023
ACCC announces alterations to dairy code of conduct guidance
Australia’s dairy code of conduct guidance has been finetuned by the competition watchdog for its third test at the farmgate.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission today announced an updated guidance to the mandatory dairy code, which came into effect in July 2020.
Further detail has been provided by the ACCC on how processors need to publish their milk supply agreements and when they can terminate an agreement with a farmer.
To read the article in full you will need a subscription to the newspaper, if you already have a subscription or wish to subscribe go to: The Weekly Times
Source: Alex Sinnott, 28 April 2023
Australian retail: Generic milk and Coca Cola prices compared
Coca-Cola is more expensive than many Australian milk brands. So why are fizzy drinks dearer than homegrown lactose?
South Australian Dairyfarmers Association president Robert Brokenshire said rampant inflation meant $2 for a one-litre bottle and $4 for a two-litre generic milk bottle were fair in modern pricing circumstances.
He said the input costs involved in producing soft drink were significantly lower than milk.
To read the article in full you will need a subscription to the newspaper, if you already have a subscription or wish to subscribe go to: The Weekly Times
Source: Alex Sinnott, 25 April 2023
Australian dairy 2023-24 opening prices: Nine buck minimum needed
Processors need to pay at least $9 per kilo milk solids to farmers in June, the United Dairyfarmers of Victoria president says.
With five weeks to go until processors are required to publicly declare opening prices on their websites, Mark Billing said farmers were keen for price certainty from processors.
EastAUSMilk chairman Matt Trace said domestically-focused processors would have to keep their opening prices reasonably high given Australia’s shrinking milk pool.
To read the article in full you will need a subscription to the newspaper, if you already have a subscription or wish to subscribe go to: The Weekly Times
Source: Alex Sinnott, 26 April 2023
Opening dairy prices 2023-24: Farmers call for fair pricing
Farmers are concerned processors will use lowered international pricing as an excuse to cut opening prices below production costs.
Dairy processors are keeping their cards close to their chest as farmers anxiously await indications of the new season’s opening price.
To read the article in full you will need a subscription to the newspaper, if you already have a subscription or wish to subscribe go to: The Weekly Times
Source: Alex Sinnott, 12 April 2023
ACCC - Dairy Farmers Milk Co-Operative Limited – Final Determination
The ACCC has decided to grant re-authorisation to enable Dairy Farmers Milk Co-operative Limited (the Co-operative) and its dairy farmer members to make and give effect to back-to-back milk purchasing policies and milk pricing arrangements with Bega. This conduct has been authorised in some form since 22 October 2008.
Broadly, the back-to-back arrangements mean that the pricing and purchasing arrangements between the Co-operative and its members are the same as those that apply to the purchase of milk between Bega and the Co-operative.
To read the documents in full click on links below:
ACCC to Interested Parties re Final Determination
Final Determination to DFMC
Final broadside as dairy lobbyist retires
Outgoing co-CEO of eastAUS Milk Shaughn Morgan launched one last broadside in protection of the dairy industry as he warned the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to remain wary of Coles' incursion into milk processing.
The regulator has yet to approve the purchase by Coles Group Limited of the former Murray Goulburn plants at Erskine Park and Laverton North, Vic, lately subsumed by Saputo Dairy Australia.
To read the article in full you will need a subscription to the newspaper, if you already have a subscription or wish to subscribe go to: The Weekly Times
Source: Jamie Brown, 13 April 2023
Coles seeks security ands certainty, in buying two milk processing factories
"Coles' purchase of two milk processing factories has been described as a "strategic acquisition", by one leading food industry analyst.
Melbourne-based Fresh Agenda director Steve Spencer said the purchase of the Victorian and NSW factories, from Canadian dairy giant Saputo Dairy Australia for $105 million, was no surprise.
"Milk production has been dropping for a long time, the owner of the asset probably flagged their interest in moving them on, so it's logical," Mr Spencer said.
"It's a very strategic acquisition for the security of that business - they [Coles] used to have milk plants a long time ago.
"They do it for a reason and the reason is security and certainty - in this industry, at the moment, there isn't a lot of that."
To read the article in full, go to: The Standard
Source: Andrew Miller, 5 April 2023
Plant-based milk: American senators join forces for Dairy Pride
US lawmakers from both sides of the political divide have joined forces to protect milk naming rights from plant-based rivals.
Extract:
"The Idaho senator told The Weekly Times that plant-based produce should not be able to use phrases like milk or cheese, which have a specific connection to the dairy sector. “Dairy is an essential and foundational part of Idaho’s culture and economy,” he said. “Products masquerading as genuine dairy are unjustly hurting these hardworking dairy farmers and confusing or misleading to consumers...eastAusMilk co-chief executive Shaughn Morgan said similar concerns over the rise in plant-based products using dairy phrases was of concern to Australian dairy farmers. “Dairy terms such as ‘milk’ should be safeguarded from misuse."
To read the article in full you will need a subscription to the newspaper, if you already have a subscription or wish to subscribe go to: The Weekly Times
Source: Alex Sinnott, 21 March 2023
Saputo sells facilities to Coles
"Saputo has announced it plans to sell two of its fresh milk processing facilities in Laverton North, Victoria, and Erskine Park, NSW, to supermarket Coles, a situation the dairy industry says needs to be watched closely...
Dairy advocacy group eastAUSmilk said the farm gate price paid to dairy farmers must remain fair and transparent, with Coles now owning the equivalent of the dairy “paddock to plate“.
eastAUSmilk co-chief executive officer Shaughn Morgan said the ACCC must ensure there were no negative impacts upon the Australian dairy industry, especially given the declining milk production and farmers exiting the industry over the past years.
"We will closely monitor the ACCC review and the impact that the Coles purchase may have on the dairy industry," he said.
The sale follows Saputo’s announcement late last year that it was selling its Maffra plant."
To read the article in full, go to: The Cowra Free Press
Source: Fiona Lloyd, 4 April 2023
Farm World Lardner discusses dairy-to-beef profitability potential
"Redirecting bobby calves into maturity for the meat supply chain is becoming more popular in both the dairy and beef sectors...
Greenham dairy beef and animal welfare manager Sarah Bolton said the panel discussed the need to balance economic and social factors when dealing with dairy to beef.
“What we need to see consistently, going forward as an industry, in order to sure up the dairy industry’s social licence to operate, is an ability to direct surplus calves into meat production,” Dr Bolton said.
“(That has to) be done consistently, year-on-year, but do that in way that isn’t harming the business from an economic perspective.
“The challenge is how to we balance economic viability and social acceptability of the way we manage surplus calves."
To read the article in full you will need a subscription to the newspaper, if you already have a subscription or wish to subscribe go to: The Weekly Times
Source: Alex Sinnott, 30 March 2023
ABC NSW Rural Report
EastAUSmilk President Matt Trace discusses the purchase of two milk processing plants in Melbourne and Sydney by Coles – they will need to be monitored…
To listen to the Mid and North Coast Rural Report click on ABC Rural Report the interview with the eastAUSmilk President starts at 5.45 mins into the broadcast.
Source: Kim Honan, Presenter, 6 April 2023
Northern NSW dairy industry faces low milk supply one year on from flood
One year after a "horrendous" flood swept through his northern New South Wales property, dairy farmer Peter Graham and his cows are still struggling with the stress of what happened. Read More…
Source: Kim Honan and David Claughton, ABC Rural 19 March 2023 - Listen to ABC Country Breakfast
How feed additives could cut methane emissions from livestock by 90 per cent
Scientists appear to have solved one of the biggest environmental challenges facing the global meat industry — how to dramatically reduce methane emissions from cow burps.
Now the race is on as several companies try to commercialise their feed-additive tonics as pills, pellets and powders. Read More…
Source: Eliza Borrello, ABC News, 26 February 2023
Can we increase on farm production and achieve environmental outcomes?
In a webinar this week, QFF CEO Jo Sheppard facilitated a conversation with RCS Australia Founding Director Dr Terry McCosker OAM to explore the topic of how farming businesses can increase production and business performance in step with ecological and social outcomes.
The full recording of the webinar can be viewed here QFF.