Dear Coles, your $1 milk is killing our dairy industry

Fifth-generation dairy farmer Jane Burney is facing oblivion because supermarkets like Coles are selling milk below cost in a price war.

Video at The Australian: The Accidental Activist.


Jane Burney, Dear Coles

Your $1 per litre of milk deal is killing the lifeblood of our dairy industry. The ramifications of it are finally rearing their ugly head. Dairy Farmers has announced it's price for Tier 2 milk at 13 cents per litre. This is not sustainable in an industry where costs of production can be as high as 30 cents per litre. The consumer is paying $1 a litre and the only winner here is the supermarket. It is time for us to go back to the old fashioned way; in which we bought real milk that tastes like milk; no permeate and where our fruit and vegetables were grown in our beautiful country. Stocking garlic from China, Argentina. What is going on? Obviously it is cheaper to buy it from overseas then from our country; grown in God knows what. And for our farmers and the towns they support and encourage capital growth; it is heartbreaking. Your latest ad campaign sprouting that you support Aussie growers in insulting. You are misleading the public in how you support Aussie growers. Not only have you ruined the fresh milk market but you have also lowered the price on your cheese and butter. The only winner here is you. Eventually all the Aussie growers you so called support will be out of business. Dairy farmers who work 7 days a week, 14 hours a day, who have been dairy farming their whole life, whose cows are their whole life will have to stop farming as it is no longer economically viable to continue. Our "fresh"produce will be flown in. The consumer will be stuck buying expensive, overseas produce. What will happen to our economy and our country towns? I urge people to think about what they buy. The more Australian made produce we buy, the more our money stays here and benefits us. Your $1 milk is a nail in an already suffering coffin. I am ashamed to watch you ads and us farmers burn in resentment when we do so.

Will Sarah Hanson-Young cry over dairy farmers like she does for refugees? Not likely.

How will prime minister Julia Gillard respond? With a speech about education policy, probably.

Does treasurer Wayne Swan care? Nope, the economy is going "gang busters" apparently.

Does Tony Abbott care, or has he surrendered his brain to his advisers?

Politicians love free markets because they can look smart while doing nothing. It's the ultimate policy for lazy, stupid politicians.

File under: milk floor price, it's not a difficult concept.