Dairy leaders issue urgent call for industry unity after ADF resolution
South Australian Dairyfarmers Association president Robert Brokenshire said the resolution "risks deepening divides instead of building the cooperation the sector urgently needs".
A proposal by Australian Dairy Farmers (ADF) to sideline the processing sector is meeting with fierce resistance among dairy industry leaders who are pleading for unity and common purpose across the supply chain.
The contentious resolution - which aims to remove processors as Group B members of Dairy Australia - is being labelled as a divisive measure that threatens to weaken the entire industry just as global opportunities beckon.
The motion is slated for a vote at Dairy Australia's 2025 Annual General Meeting this month and specifically proposes removing the Australian Dairy Products Federation (ADPF) from its current Group B position.
The move has immediately drawn the ire of the ADPF and key state dairy farming organisations (SDFOs), who collectively argue the proposal fails to reflect the core views or strategic priorities of the broader Australian dairy community.
The potential for internal fragmentation has prompted stern warnings from state leaders.
South Australian Dairy Association (SADA) president Robert Brokenshire emphasised the damage, noting that the motion "risks deepening divides instead of building the cooperation the sector urgently needs".
"The message is clear: at a moment demanding strategic alignment and cooperation, this proposed restructuring risks plunging the sector into damaging internal conflict," Mr Brokenshire said.
"At a time when our industry is under immense pressure - productivity, import competition, soaring input costs, drought, floods and retail headwinds - we should be working together, not apart.
"This motion does not reflect the position of dairy farmers across the country, nor the collaborative spirit that defines who we are."
ADPF executive chair John Williams said there were far greater challenges to confront than internal politics.
"Government is listening. Policy is shifting. Food security and sovereign food production are back on the national agenda," Mr Williams said.
"We have a rare opportunity to put dairy front and centre - that's the needs and aspirations of our farmers and processors - but only if we stand together.
"Division helps no one, not farmers, not processors, not consumers, not government. "
Dairy leaders from across Australia - including Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia and New South Wales - say the proposal to exclude processors undermines years of progress toward a stronger, more united and more valuable industry.
"We need to end the 'us and them' approach," NSW Farmers Dairy Committee chair Malcolm Holm said.
"ADF should be a voice for farmers, a voice for unity, not the source of conflict.
"This motion drives wedges where we need bridges."