Dairy farmers hold 'March for Milk'
Desperate dairy farmers have rallied on the streets of Murray Bridge in a last ditch bid to save their industry from collapse.
They say they are facing heavy financial losses as they try to juggle the supermarket milk wars with the high Australian dollar.
Dairy farmers rallied through Murray Bridge this morning calling for help in their ‘March for Milk’.
“We’ve got two young boys...that wish to continue in the industry and their future is very uncertain,” said dairy farmer Gino Pacitti.
They say they are only earning 35 cents per litre of milk at the farm gate, but it costs them 43 cents per litre to produce.
“This is the most difficult time for dairy farmers in modern history and in fact, I would say most dairy farmers could not survive next year if we don’t get a fair and reasonable price for our milk,” said Family First MP Robert Brokenshire.
Dairy farmers say if something is not done soon, they will have to walk away from the industry altogether.
Independent Senator Nick Zenophon is blaming the competition between the big supermarkets.
“This mad, unsustainable price war between Coles and Woolies is destroying milk as a product and these dairy farmers can’t supply,” he said.
But the SA Dairy Farmers Association says there are other factors too.
“The major issue is the export price, our prices are set by the word market in South Australia,” David Basham from the association said.
Event organiser Andrew Koch said: "The dairy industry is in crisis, and we have now reached the tipping point where many farmers can no longer sustain their businesses and have no choice but to close the door and walk away.
"Farmers are a resilient lot and have cut spending to the bare minimum to accommodate poor milk prices, but the fact remains that it is not unreasonable for them to expect to receive a fair price and some profit from their efforts.”
But in a glimmer of hope for dairy farmers, Woolworths is trialling a move to buy direct from producers, delivering a “Farmer’s Own” brand.
I will cost more than $1 a litre, but farmers will reap the benefits by cutting out the middle man.
