THE days of $1/litre milk are numbered but dairy farmers "need a lot more to survive", an industry man has said ahead of a dairy forum he's holding today.
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Milton Christian rears heifer calves for dairy farmers - and has had his own troubles, losing half his business in recent months - and says he just wants them to get "a fair go".
He's invited state election candidates, sitting politicians, processors, farmers and other stakeholders to the event, which will be at Oxley Bowling Club from 10am to about 12.30pm.
Among the expected attendees are Opposition agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon, independent Upper House candidate Jeremy Buckingham and Inverell-based Senator John Williams.
Dairy stakeholders are welcome to attend.
It comes after the news that Coles and Aldi supermarkets would raise their milk prices by 10c a litre, following the lead of Woolworths' decision about a month ago.
NSW Farmers called it a "huge win".
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"[Our] dairy committee and all dairy farmers have been fighting for this result since $1 litre milk was introduced in 2011," chairwoman Erika Chesworth said.
"Dairy farmers have said all along they just want a fair price for the fresh and nutritious product they produce.
"This will help in that endeavour and must spell the end of irrational pricing of fresh milk that had taken so much value from our industry."
'We're just surviving'
But Mr Christian, who is also a member of the advocacy body Dairy Connect, said the development was "a little bit of headway" at best.
"In the last six months, we've lost 60 dairies, and that's just in NSW," he said.
He said the drought was partly responsible for that - but, if farmers were making more money, they'd be better able to weather the costs, such as buying in grain.
"The problem is that dairies' costs are about a $1 a litre at the farm gate, and they're getting 38-40c a litre."
He wants that return to be closer to $1/litre and said that would likely have to be achieved through boosting the price of milk on the shelf.
Mr Christian said drought and prices had rocked his business, whose main clients are smaller, coastal farms.
"We rear for probably about half a dozen clients on and off all year ... we've lost three in the last six to eight months, who have closed down," he said.
"It's making it hard ... We're just surviving and that's all."
Carolyn Millet
Based at The Northern Daily Leader, Tamworth, and Namoi Valley Independent, Gunnedah. Covering general news and features on community, council, arts, business, health, education, entertainment and rural matters.
Based at The Northern Daily Leader, Tamworth, and Namoi Valley Independent, Gunnedah. Covering general news and features on community, council, arts, business, health, education, entertainment and rural matters.
