It has been revealed that multi-national dairy processor, National Foods has been importing milk from New Zealand into Tasmania and around Australia while claiming it has a major oversupply of milk in Tasmania.
Senator for Tasmania and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry Richard Colbeck said this latest revelation once again demonstrated the company’s complete lack of commitment to local dairy farmers and their families.
Yesterday, at a Senate inquiry into milk prices in Canberra, National Foods executives said the company was buying 30 million litres of milk from Tasmanian dairy farmers it did not need.
“Yet, at the supermarket, you can buy Pura UHT milk, which is manufactured by National Foods – but which is a Product of New Zealand,” Senator Colbeck said.
(photo of Pura UHT milk carton & product detail attached)
“If, as National Foods claims, it buys more milk from Tasmanian dairy farmers than it needs, then why on earth is it putting New Zealand milk on Tasmanian supermarket shelves?
Senator Colbeck said on its website, National Foods claims to be “Australia’s No.1 milk brand” and states that its milk “is proudly made in each state to ensure it is pura and fresh”
“But it doesn’t say anything about bringing in milk from New Zealand.
“Importing milk into Tasmania it is akin to importing ice into Antarctica! It is just madness and irresponsible.”
Senator Colbeck said National Foods, only a few years ago, trumpeted the acquisition of a large UHT manufacturing facility in south-western Victoria.
“There is a National Foods UHT milk factory just over the Bass Strait in Victoria where excess Tasmanian milk could be sent, not to mention the separately owned Classic Foods UHT factory in Circular Head, which National Foods could contract to make its UHT products.
“But National Foods obviously prefers to dud Tasmanian dairy farmers by bringing in milk from New Zealand.
“It seems National Foods’ statements are continually peppered with mis-truths.
“Just yesterday, they were caught out jacking up the price of milk products in NSW, while at the same time, screwing down the price of milk for Tasmanian dairy farmers.
“National Foods needs to come clean with our State’s dairy farmers and start to understand it is ripping the heart out of many Tasmanian communities.”
Download:
Pura_
Milk_Made_in_NZ.pdf
PURA081009_Multi-national_
dairy_processor_caught_out_importing_NZ_milk_into_Tasmania.pdf
SENATOR THE HON RICHARD COLBECK Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
