The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to working with Tasmanian dairy farmers and the industry to help withstand the challenges currently facing the sector.
This is a challenging time for dairy farmers and their families. This price reduction is effectively a double whammy, coming off the back of one of the most difficult seasons experienced for generations.
Dairy is a pillar of Tasmanian agriculture and I’m confident that will continue to be the case into the future.
Yesterday I met with farmers, the TFGA and Board of Dairy Tasmania, following up on initial meetings at AgFest last week.
I commend the industry for its proactive response in leading the development of a number of measures and activities to support dairy farmers.
These include additional social and financial supports such as the Farm Based Feed Budgeting Sessions and Taking Stock Farm Business Review, and regional meetings and discussion groups.
Importantly, social and business support programs run by Rural Alive and Well and Rural Business Tasmania, that already receive State Government funding, are standing by, and I urge anyone experiencing difficulties to make contact.
The Tasmanian Government is supporting the industry-led response; no one is better positioned to lead this than those working in the sector.
This includes an industry-led Dairy Taskforce, which includes Dairy Tasmania, the TFGA, processors, RAW, RBT, banks and service providers, the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture and the Tasmanian Government’s own AgriGowth Tasmania.
This coordinated response will ensure the industry and government can work together to understand the implications and respond immediately and in the months ahead.
The Department of State Growth’s Skills Response Unit has also been dispatched to provide advice to those in need including affected employees and farm workers.
This is in addition to the $10 million Drought Concessional Loan Scheme, administered by the Tasmanian Government, the TFGA Fodder Register, Rural Relief Fund and counselling programs rolled out with State Government support for the dry seasonal and drought conditions which are still available for farmers to access.
We greatly value our dairy farmers, and all they contribute to Tasmania. I want to assure the sector that through these challenging times we will continue to work with them to ensure they have a secure future.
Further information on all the support available to dairy farmers is also available on the DPIPWE website: http://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/agriculture
More Media Releases from Jeremy Rockliff
More Media Releases from the Minister for Primary Industries and Water