Australian Dairy Plan: Ex-ADF presidents unite behind Brumby blueprint
Two former presidents of Australian Dairy Farmers group say the Australian Dairy Plan offers a way forward for the often-divided sector.
A NUMBER of dairy lobby leaders have thrown their support behind the John Brumby blueprint to overhaul the sector following last week’s release.
Two former presidents of Australian Dairy Farmers — Simone Jolliffe and Noel Campbell — say the sector has been crippled by division in recent years, with the Australian Dairy Plan offering a way forward for the sector.
Ms Jolliffe said: “The Dairy Plan is an enormous project — the processors and how much they contribute is only one piece of the puzzle.
“The plan is also about farm profitability, improving our connections with government, making sure we have a stronger voice as an industry.”
Another former ADF president, Noel Campbell, said the five-point plan was admirable.
“The profitability of the industry is highly dependent on every part of the supply chain — farmers and processors — working together,” he said.
“I know my time (as ADF president) was before the Murray Goulburn debacle, but in the three or four years, there was only one disagreement between farmers and processors. The vast majority of the time, we’re on the same page.”
Most of the opposition to the Brumby blueprint emanates in southwest Victoria, with a new group — Dairy Farmer Voice — releasing an alternative plan,
However, some of the region’s farmers have expressed support, including former Dairy Australia board member Lisa Dwyer.
She noted in an open letter that 1500 people from across the industry had provided input.
“It is deeply upsetting to see the actions of a few attempt to undermine the efforts of many, due to a misinformed belief of the precedence of dairy farmers over all other supply chain participants, rather than the symbiotic relationship that exists and remains essential to our future,” Ms Dwyer wrote.
Fellow southwest Victorian farmer Brian Schuler also outlined his support: “One thing is abundantly clear: all of industry needs to contribute to funding whatever new structure is formed.
“Not only do we all benefit from the work done by our service and representative bodies, but without shared funding we are constrained in what we are able to achieve and the funding is simply not there for advocacy activities.”
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