Dairy Farm Monitor Project

The Dairy Farm Monitor Project (DFMP) provides a comprehensive physical and financial analysis of 250 dairy farms across Australia. It informs decision making and prioritisation by key stakeholders across the industry including Dairy Australia itself, government bodies and other stakeholders in the industry.

The data collected through the DFMP provides high quality comparative data in DairyBase. All dairy farmers can access this data through DairyBase to measure and compare their own farm business performance and identify areas for improvement.

DFMP participants are selected to represent a distribution of farm size, herd size and geographical location within each region. The results and trends reported need to be interpreted carefully as participant farms may not be fully representative of the industry.

Why the Dairy Farm Monitor Project was created

Farmers are making multiple operational and tactical decisions on a daily, weekly and seasonal basis. Some of these decisions can have lasting impact on the profitability and sustainability of their farm.

Dairy Australia provides independent data around a wide range of on-farm practices for farmers to consider when making decisions. This information ensures that the dairy service industry (a broad range of on-farm consultants) can use reliable, independent and useful information and resources to provide the right advice to farmers.

Victorian Dairy Farm Monitor Project

In 2020–21, data collected and analysed from 80 farms across Victoria revealed that while average dairy farm profits were up across most of the state, dairy farmers in Victoria’s north posted the best results, taking advantage of favourable seasonal conditions to record the highest profits this region has seen for 15 years.

Since the last report, farm cashflows have increased from the previous year, with 94 per cent of farms recording a positive return. This financial rebound has enabled farmers to invest back into their businesses by repairing and upgrading infrastructure and machinery and improving pastures.

NSW Dairy Farm Monitor Project

In 2019/20 data collected and analysed from 35 farms across New South Wales revealed that farm business profit increased from $0.38/kgMS to $1.05/kgMS, equal to the third highest level in the nine years of the project.

SA Dairy Farm Monitor Project

In 2018–19, the data collected from 20 participating dairy farms in South Australia demonstrated that despite tough seasonal conditions and significantly increased feed costs, positive returns were still achieved.

Queensland Dairy Accounting Scheme

In 2018–19, the data from 60 participating dairy farms from south Queensland, central Queensland and the north Queensland dairy regions reveal another challenging year.

Tasmanian Dairy Farm Monitor Project

WA Dairy Farm Monitor Project