South-west Victorian dairy farmer Chris Gleeson concerned about future of the industry

Chris Gleeson, who owns three dairy farms near Koroit, Vic, said the number of people pursuing a career in agriculture had declined rapidly in recent years.

He said he believed there were a number of factors behind the concerning trend.

"People aren't willing to put their hand up to work," Mr Gleeson said.

He said some farmers were sponsoring overseas workers to take up roles.

Mr Gleeson said while an outdoor job in the elements wasn't for everyone, it was very rewarding and no two days working on a farm were the same.

Some farmers were forced to cut back on staff costs when supermarkets were selling $1-a-litre milk, Mr Gleeson said.

This resulted in a period of time when young people weren't entering the industry and many changed careers.

READ MORE: Labour shortage sees milk pool shrink

Mr Gleeson said the tough times had resulted in some farmers exiting the industry.

Some felt they had no choice because they were unable to continue to run their operations on their own.

"I know people who have left the industry because they can't get people to help them," Mr Gleeson said.

"Getting trained staff is a real challenge."

Mr Gleeson said the rising cost of land meant the dream of owning a farm was out of reach for a growing number of people.

"Farmers are getting older and the next generation is not coming through," he said.

This is a trend Naringal, Vic, based dairy supply business owner Charles Dillon has witnessed.

Mr Dillon said high input costs and a lack of workers were also making it harder for humble family farms to survive.

A lack of affordable housing was also an issue when trying to attract workers, Mr Gleeson said.

"If you want good staff you have to provide housing and that's another challenge," he said.

Mr Gleeson said attracting workers was one issue for dairy farmers, but there were others that needed addressing.

Labelling of milk alternatives was another threat to the dairy industry, according to Mr Gleeson.

He said products derived from soy or almonds should not be allowed to be labelled as milk.

READ MORE: Investing in labour key priority for Dairy Australia

Last week, former Warrnambool Cheese & Butter managing director and chief executive officer John McLean said he feared Australia would soon become a major importer of dairy foods.

He said less than 10 years ago it was predicted Australian milk production would reach 12 billion litres a year.

Mr McLean said the current annual supply was about eight billion litres - or less.

Their comments come as Dairy Australia launched a campaign, spearheaded by former Warrnambool man and AFL great Jonathan Brown, to address job shortages.

A survey conducted by Dairy Australia found one in four dairy farmers were unable to find labour or access the skills they needed on-farm.

Dairy Australia's regional services general manager Verity Ingham said it was a worrying trend.

"Some 22 per cent of dairy farmers were also unable to fill vacant positions within three months, with 40 per cent losing at least one or more workers," Ms Ingham said.

The campaign showcases why working in dairy matters, highlighting factors that have shown to motivate people to consider a job in dairy.

These factors include working with animals, working outdoors, career progression, job variety and training.

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