This week marks the end of my time with eastAUSmilk and I wanted to take this opportunity to reflect upon the past eight years of my involvement with the dairy industry - initially as CEO of Dairy Connect and since December 2021, as co-CEO of the merged organisation of eastAUSmilk with my colleague and Co-CEO, Eric Danzi.
The formation of eastAUSmilk established a dairy advocacy organisation representing fresh milk producers in NSW and Queensland.
This remains a pivotal step towards sustainability for dairy farmers in these two states, including the development of dairy policy, its implementation and united advocacy before government.
The past eight years have witnessed many challenges.
Mother nature brought bushfires, droughts and floods. Yet, after every natural disaster, dairy farmers remained resilient and positive. Farms were rebuilt and cows replaced.
During these times, farmers and colleagues provided emotional and mental health support to their fellow farmers and their families, which remains an ongoing challenge.
I participated in many positive dairy outcomes, including the demise of $1/L milk, the introduction of the dairy mandatory code, recognition of 'truth in labelling' and involvement in parliamentary inquiries.
I am proud of these and other dairy initiatives.
Yet, the challenges and opportunities remain, especially with dairy farmers leaving the industry, milk production declining and rising input costs. All of which I have touched upon in past columns.
The steps undertaken in the coming months and indeed years will be pivotal to arrest the decline of dairy farms and milk production.
The opportunity in Queensland will be the development and implementation of the Northern Dairy Industry Plan with stakeholders and government.
The plan's recommendations and outcomes must provide leadership to revitalise dairy within the subtropical region.
In NSW, the Labor government has committed to appointing an independent and statutory Commissioner for Dairy & Fresh Food. This is a positive and proactive step.
The commissioner will be at the vanguard for constructive and collaborative change and will set a standard for other states to emulate.
As I leave eastAUSmilk, I remain eternally optimistic for the viability of the dairy industry and its long-term sustainability. There is too much to lose for it not to be.
Finally, to those people who have provided me guidance and support over the past eight years, I end by saying thank you.
