Dairy farmers in the Wide Bay are being encouraged to contribute to the review into the Dairy Industry Code of Conduct.
The Dairy Code of Conduct was introduced on 1 January 2020 to even out market imbalances in the dairy industry and address the market power imbalance between dairy farmers and processors.
Federal Member for Wide Bay and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Llew O’Brien said the Australian Government will be seeking input from the dairy reference group, dairy farmers, processors, and industry groups.
“Our dairy farmers work incredibly hard and I am committed to ensuring they get a fair go, so I am pleased they will be able to provide input about how to level the playing field in Australia’s fresh food supply chain and I encourage producers to give their feedback on the effectiveness of the Dairy Code,” Mr O’Brien said.
“I’ve strongly supported the dairy industry and fought the supermarket giants to end the unfair $1 per litre milk price war, and will continue to support our producers to ensure they have bargaining power and receive a fair price when their product is sent to market.”
Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, David Littleproud, said the review into the Dairy Industry Code of Conduct was critical to assessing whether it is operating as intended and delivering the outcomes the dairy industry needs.
“I’m pleased to say that initial feedback on the Code has been quite positive but we are open to hearing how it could be improved,” Minister Littleproud said.
“We will listen closely to industry’s experiences and hear how the Code’s requirements are being met, the impact on business relationships, and outcomes.
“I am committed to ensuring a fairer go for dairy businesses and keeping families on the farm.
“Creating a stronger business environment, healthier market competition, and more competitive supply chains means fairer prices for farmers.”
Further information on the review will be available on the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment’s website in coming weeks.
