Following this week's protest against farmgate milk prices, Tasmanian dairy farmers have been invited to attend a meeting with representatives from the Federal Department of Agriculture to discuss the hardships they are facing.
Farmers protested in Devonport against National Foods pricing structure to coincide with a Senate Inquiry into the issue.
National Foods representatives controversially chose to face the inquiry in Canberra, rather than in Tasmania, and were accused by Senators in the hearings of lying.
Today Minister for Agriculture Tony Burke said he had asked the representatives to travel to the north west of Tasmania to discuss existing assistance measures and how they can help farmers.
The team will meet with farmers and dairy industry representatives to talk about the range of hardships facing farmers in the region.
Mr Burke said those hardships included recent climatic conditions, the global fall in dairy prices and the new farmgate milk prices proposed by National Foods.
"While the dairy industry around the world is facing particular challenges, it’s difficult to find any company planning to treat dairy farmers in the same way as National Foods," Mr Burke said.
"I would urge everyone involved to continue working together to reach a fair outcome.
"There is no doubt many Tasmanian dairy farmers are facing a very difficult time and I want to make sure the Government continues to hear directly from them.
"I also hope dairy farmers make their views known to the Senate Economics References Committee, which has announced an inquiry into competition pricing in the Australian dairy industry."
Existing Federal Government support for dairy farmers includes:
- Exceptiona l Circumstances support available for eligible farmers in the Flinders Island and Central Midlands regions; and
- Free financial support through the Rural Financial Counselling Service on 1300 883 276;
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