Fair price fight for dairy farmers does not end here

“It is incredibly disappointing that talks between dairy farmers and National Foods have stalled,” Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Tasmanian Liberal Senator Richard Colbeck said.

“The farmers are putting what I believe to be a very credible case to National Foods and it is disappointing that the company cannot be fair in its negotiations.

“The fight for fair prices does not end at this hurdle.

“At the Food Production Senate Inquiry in Melbourne today I have again raised the plight of Tasmanian dairy farmers.

“The inquiry heard from Fonterra and also former manager of Tasmania’s Classic Foods company, Bob Wilson.

“The serious and legitimate pricing concerns of farmers were also raised with the ACCC Chairman, Mr Graeme Samuel, at a Senate Estimates hearing on Thursday evening.

“National Foods is trying to take the corporate heavy hand to our dairy farmers, but the multi-national company must realise sooner or later that the dairy farmers are only asking for what is fair.

“Unlike National Foods, dairy farmers are not posting multi-million dollar profits, lining the pockets of shareholders and building plush new corporate offices.

“At the moment many farmers can barely put food on the table and keep a home for their families,” Senator Colbeck said.
Senator Richard Colbeck Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry