Investing in the future of dairy

Dairy farmers will determine their investment in the industry’s future when they vote on the dairy service levy next March, 2022.

Today, the independent committee reviewing the levy, the Levy Poll Advisory Committee, determined an increase in the dairy service levy is in the best interests of the industry. Their recommendation is a 20% increase in the levy.

Dairy Australia Managing Director, David Nation said: “The dairy service levy is an investment made by farmers to deliver value back to their own businesses. We have a track record of delivering value through investments and partnerships that are not possible to make as individual farmers. Our focus is to set out a case for farmers to best understand what can be delivered at each rate of investment proposed in the levy poll.”

Dairy Australia has four priority areas for increased investment to tackle labour shortages, enhance the regional service offering to farmers, address high priority issues relating to climate, and bolster policy support.

Specifically, increasing the dairy levy could deliver the following outcomes, depending on how farmers ultimately vote:

1. Labour - Farmers will have access to more people on-farm to address labour needs both now and in the future.
2. Regional services - Farmers will benefit from more accessible regional extension and services tailored to their business needs.
3. Climate - Farmers will be supported to address the climate challenge and reap the benefit of returns from carbon market participation.
4. Policy development - Farmers will have a stronger voice through more informed policy positions that advance the dairy industry.

Beyond these areas of importance, the dairy service levy will continue to be invested by Dairy Australia in services to benefit dairy farmers and protect the right to farm. These investments include research and innovation, supporting farm business management, responding to events such as drought, bushfires or COVID-19, developing tools to adapt to the environment and address climate, supporting on-farm employment needs, marketing of dairy products and commitment to sustainability, policy research, industry insights, and delivering international market programs.

Over the coming months, farmers will hear more on how additional investment in dairy’s future will benefit every farm business, ahead of the poll in March 2022.
For more information: dairypoll.com.au

Media enquiries:
0481 448 526 media@dairyaustralia.com.au