THE Queensland Dairyfarmers Organisation (QDO) has backed frustrated dairy farmers who protested against Coles' over its industry destroying $1/litre milk pricing strategy.
QDO president Brian Tessmann said 18 months after Coles slashed its store-brand milk to $1/litre, farmers have come together at the Royal Queensland Show (Ekka) in Brisbane to give the people of Brisbane the facts about the disastrous impacts of the so-called milk war.
Mr Tessmann said the simple fact was that $1/litre milk was not sustainable, it has caused farmers’ incomes to be slashed, and it placed the Queensland industry under serious threat.
"Therefore it was vital that this story was told to the people of Brisbane and all Australian milk consumers," said Mr Tessmann.
“Coles has continually tried to state that its actions would not impact farmers.
"Just in the last week in a room full of farmers at the Ekka, Coles made such suggestions again, which we see as absolutely ridiculous corporate spin.
"Even Coles’ major competitor, Woolworths, states that is not sustainable.
"Milk processor margins have been severely cut and the farm-gate milk price paid to dairy farmers has been drastically reduced since the milk war began.
"And even worse is the fact that we have lost more than 40 farmers from the Queensland industry since the milk war started.
"The last time milk was $1/litre in the supermarket was 1992.”
Mr Tessmann said the Ekka message was about people power, as recent social media commentary had reinforced that the general public was very sympathetic to the pressure being placed on farmers once they understood the issues.
“Consumers love fresh milk, and we know they want and expect farmers to be paid a fair price and the hard work they do seven days a week rain, hail or shine," Mr Tessmann.
"What farmers are explaining to people at the Ekka is that current prices are not fair and not sustainable, and represent a serious threat to dairy farming families and the fresh milk supply in Queensland.
“It is time Coles stopped using fresh milk as a discount marketing gimmick and stopped putting dairy farmers out of business.
“All Aussie milk consumers can support dairy farming families by not buying cheap supermarket milk and buying and supporting your favourite local milk brands.”
