Dairy Australia chairman Paul Roderick calls for processor cash

Dairy Australia’s new chairman says processors have been given “a clear direction” to pay their way to DA.

Freshly-appointed Dairy Australia chairman Paul Roderick says the national processor lobby needs to pay its way with Dairy Australia, with moves to resolve the five-year financial impasse.

The Queensland primary producer took over the reins as chairman from Mount Gambier region farmer James Mann at last month’s DA annual general meeting.

In his final speech as chairman at the AGM, Mr Mann urged the Australian Dairy Products Federation to make a financial contribution to DA within a year otherwise the DA board would be forced to expel the group.

Mr Roderick echoed the sentiment, noting it had been five years since the release of the Australian Dairy Plan when the ADPF indicated they would financially contribute to DA.

“It’s a clear direction to ADPF. We haven’t cracked the nut of mutual benefit,” Mr Roderick said.

“We’re looking at it slightly differently then the way we’ve approached discussions before.

“We’ve been talking to processors – before and after the AGM.

“To be fair, discussions haven’t bared the fruit it should have. But we are working on ways we can get meaningful contributions.”

Back in 2022, The Weekly Times reported then United Dairyfarmers of Victoria president Paul Mumford calling for the ADPF and processors to contribute to DA.

Mr Mumford noted that despite ADPF’s lack of financial contribution, processors were granted a seat on the DA board and its selection committee, were listed as Group B shareholders and were even represented on the advisory committee that recommended lifting farmer DA levy contributions by 20 per cent.

Mr Mumford’s successor as UDV president, Bernie Free, raised the issue again ahead of the 2024 DA AGM, calling in a motion for the ADPF to be expelled.

When asked by The Weekly Times what steps the ADPF had taken to contribute to DA, ADPF executive chairman John Williams did not directly answer.

However, Mr Williams said in a statement: “ADPF and our members have consistently invested in the future of the dairy industry, contributing financially and through invaluable in-kind technical resources and data across a range of areas.

“We are committed to continue working to address the challenges ahead and build a strong, sustainable future for Australian dairy.

“ADPF has committed to review co-investment with industry on whole of supply chain, fiscally responsible initiatives, aligned with our strategic plan.”