Farmer Power

Farmer Power
45 mins ·
MEDIA RELEASE
SO NOW AUSTRALIA MUST IMPORT CHEESE AND BUTTER

Once again, Farmer Power’s out-on-a –limb predictions are being proved right, but once again this gives us no joy. Australia’s dairy industry is already failing to meet domestic demand, so we are becoming more dependent on imports.

Industry “experts” who toe the Dairy Australia line are attempting to explain away the current butter shortage – it’s all the result of consumers switching to whole milk rather than skim apparently. They are largely silent about what blind Freddy or shortsighted Freda could see – that Australia’s falling milk production is to blame, especially as dairy consumption is rising.
As we know, production will continue to fall as long as the farmgate price of milk is less than the cost of production. The situation in relation to butter makes this very clear. The value of butterfat on the global market has escalated, yet no adjustment has been made to what Australian farmers are paid for the fat content of their milk. What incentive does this provide for them to increase supply?

Would the experts please stop the misleading commentary and say it how it is. Dairy farmers need to be paid more for their milk if Australia is to keep its dairy industry going.

Meanwhile Australian consumers may have to demand industry reform if they want croissants for breakfast.

http://www.farmerpower.org.au