Photo credit: ABC Rural
Every time you reach into the supermarket fridge and choose branded over unbranded, I say a little thank you.
Those pictures of empty supermarket shelves buoy my spirits – and those of so many farmers I know – during what is otherwise a crushing experience.
It’s impossible not to be moved by the support of friends and strangers alike. To know that people are doing what they can to help makes us feel less helpless, too.
You are the people who made dealing with our plight a political priority. You are the ones sending the message to supermarkets that milk has a value and that farmers do, too.
Thank you from all of us here on the farm.
– Wayne, Marian, Zoe and Alex
The Milk Maid Marian 
Hi Marian. We are suppliers to MG in NSW. I have followed your blog for quite a while and love the way you inform us all about what is happening in the dairy industry. We feel rather removed from what our Victorian neighbours have been going through and whilst we face our own hardships in the time ahead I feel that our southern neighbours are worse off. NSW suppliers to MG supply the liquid milk market to Sydney and NSW. We are part of the 10 year contract to supply Coles with their liquid milk – both the $1 a litre milk and other Devondale fresh milk. I also applaud our friends and others who have turned their back on $1 a litre milk though In NSW I feel that we are shooting ourselves in the foot in the short term – BUT this is not about the short term. It is about a viable and sustainable dairy industry for us all. I wish you and all other fellow dairy farmers well for the future ahead and thank you personally for your wonderful blog.
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Being able to speak to each other directly, as in, the farming community with those who purchase their products, we have the opportunity to learn from you regarding the best way we can support you in running a sustainable and satisfying business. I certainly prefer to purchase products that result in as much of the money exchanged ending up going to the people who grow it.
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I must be missing a step, how is this a supermarket issue. Who is selling them milk that allows $1 milk and why. If processors set the benchmark at the bottom the have themselves to blame surely.
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You’ve identified a great issue here, Andrew. It all comes down to the imbalance of power all the way through the supply chain. Small farmers dealing with large processors who in turn deal with very large supermarkets.
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Only buying Sungold Brand, courtesy of Warrnambool Cheese and Butter. Worst part of the $1 milk saga is that Coles, owned by Wesfarmers (formerly a west Australian farmers co-operative) is the price setter and screwing over the farmers. Corporates have no conscience. I prefer to shop at IGA, which are all independently owned,
and steer clear of black and gold etc.
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Totally agree with you. My husband Paul and I are on a dairy farm in Northern Tasmania. This week, with all the flooding, has felt like just another kick in the guts. This milking season Northern Tasmanian dairy farmers have had the worst snow, the worst drought, the worst bush fires, the worst floods as well as the worst milk price. I love seeing the community support with buying branded milk. Especially I’m humbled when I hear of families on tight budgets forgoing the cheap milk to buy the more expensive branded options to show dairy farmers support.
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Interesting article in financial review about dodgy Dairy Australia analysis of dairy situation. When our peak body misrepresents figures to lie to farmers about the impact of $1 milk, what hope do we have.
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This has been great to read but there is another issue which, is out of the farmers control and that is the major milk brands not the smaller ones Australia wide. I am talking about islamic halal certification on all dairy products. I personally will never buy Devondale, Dairy Farmers, Murray Goulburn brands to name a few. I support my local Norco brand. More and more Australians are supporting their local brands and of course the most important issue is supporting our farmers in not just the dairy industry but every other farmer out there. Buy local not global especially do not buy imported food when we have such better quality here.
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Lynne,
Murray Goulburn is Australian and so are the farming families that grow the milk.
David
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