Camperdown Dairy launches new ‘free-range’ label

FREE-RANGE eggs, chooks ... and now dairy?

FREE-RANGE eggs, chooks ... and now dairy?

Camperdown Dairy has launched a range of two-litre milk brandishing a “free-range” label.

The company advertised the new labelling on social media last week as available at “selected Woolworths stores across Victoria”.

A spokesman from Woolworths confirmed the new range was available at 20 stores, and included full-cream and low-fat two-litre options at $4 each, and two two-litre Jersey milk, also at $4.

“The four new products complement the existing Camperdown Dairy range we have in a selection of Victorian stores and emphasises our continuing support for locally produced milk,” he said.

But the labels raised a few eyebrows on Camperdown Dairy’s Facebook page, with some comments questioning their necessity. The company did not respond to calls from The Weekly Times.

Dairy Australia figures show just 1 per cent of dairy farms in Australia use total mixed ration systems, where cows are housed inside and feed brought to them, creating about 5 per cent of milk output.

About 12 per cent use partial mixed ration systems, where cows are on pasture for most of the year, accounting for 16 per cent of milk production.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand advised The Weekly Times there were no standards around the term “free-range” for dairy.