Dairy Food Safety Victoria and PrimeSafe to merge: but no date set

The Allan Government says the scope, staging and timing of the Dairy Food Safety Victoria and PrimeSafe merger is yet to be determined.

VFF Livestock Group president Scott Young says any merger of PrimeSafe with other regulators must protect the integrity of the red meat industry. PICTURE: ZOE PHILLIPS

Dairy farmers have rung the alarm on the Allan Government merging the state’s food safety regulators, putting their multi-billion dollar industry at risk.

The Australian Dairy Industry Council warned the proposed reforms – part of a broader strategy to halve the number of business regulators by 2030 – would consolidate Dairy Food Safety Victoria with PrimeSafe, Agriculture Victoria and some Department of Health functions.

Agriculture Ros Spence’s office confirmed a merger was on the table, but the government is yet to determine its scope, staging and timing.

“The government is engaging with stakeholders to gather the valuable perspectives of the dairy industry and ensure they are considered in implementing consolidation of Victoria’s food safety regulators,” Ms Spence’s office said.

The merger forms part of the government’s recent Economic Growth Statement, that aims to halve the number of business regulators by 2030, after being slammed by the Business Council of Australia as being the worst red-tape state.

ADIC Chair Ben Bennett said merging DSFV with other regulators could threaten decades of specialised, trusted food safety oversight in Victoria underpinning the state’s production, which is 63 per cent of the national milk pool.

“Unlike other food regulators, DFSV licenses thousands of dairy farmers across the state as well as dairy food processors,” Mr Bennett said.

Victorian Farmers Federation livestock group president Scott Young said he and other members were waiting on the government to provide some detail on what they proposed.

“We need to ensure any changes are to the benefit of our industry, both domestic and export,” Mr Young said.

Mr Bennett said ADIC would also seek clarification from the government on how it sees value in consolidating DFSV with other regulators.

Australian Dairy Industry Council chair Ben Bennett a DFSV merger could see on-farm audits conducted by inspectors unfamiliar with dairy operations, creating uncertainty.

He said the industry was also wanted to know what would happen to the $7 million DSFV had in reserves, as part of any merger.

“Importantly, we want to understand how the government intends to do this without putting industry quality control, compliance, and consumer food safety at risk,” Mr Bennett said.

“ADIC is also concerned that a prominent driver of innovation would be removed from the industry, with DFSV having developed respected initiatives like the Dairy RegTech project, which enhances efficiency and compliance across the sector.

“We’re also concerned DFSV’s respected approach of industry-specific consultation informing regulatory measures could be placed on the chopping block.

“We call on the government to recognise the irreplaceable value DFSV provides to the Victorian dairy industry, maintain its role as an independent regulator focused on dairy food safety, and ensure farmers and processors have meaningful opportunity to influence the proposed changes.”

ADIC deputy chair John Williams said DFSV’s success stemmed from its deep understanding of the multi-billion dollar industry.

Without this specialised focus, Mr Williams said the unique needs of dairy farmers and processors could be overlooked and ADIC feared this could lead to weakened confidence in the food safety system.

“Victoria’s dairy industry is built on a foundation of trust, safety and quality,” Mr Williams said. “We cannot afford to jeopardise the standards that ensure Victorian dairy products are among the safest and most sought after in the world.”

Mr Bennett pointed out the proposal could lead to on-farm audits being conducted by inspectors unfamiliar with the nuances of dairy operations, creating uncertainty and inefficiencies for farmers and processors.

“The Victorian dairy industry deserves a regulatory body that understands its challenges and opportunities,” Mr Bennett said.

“We call on the Victorian Government to remove DFSV from the proposal and safeguard the innovative and effective frameworks it has established.