By RICK GLADIGAU, PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIAN DAIRY FARMERS
SINCE 1942, Australian Dairy Farmers (ADF) has been developing policy, and advocating on issues such as water, climate, biosecurity, energy and animal welfare, to support dairy farmers’ operations.
To mark ADF’s 80th anniversary it is timely to look back on significant advocacy outcomes.
One of the great success stories of the Australian industry is the Australian Dairy Herd Improvement Scheme (ADHIS), which was set up in 1979 to progress increased herd genetics. ADF was instrumental in the development of the ADHIS.
In 2011, ADHIS released Australia’s first Genomic Breeding Values. ADHIS became DataGene in 2016. By 2016, it is estimated that ADHIS had generated $200 million in net benefits to dairy farmers at a cost of about $10 million.
Another achievement is this publication, the Australian Dairyfarmer magazine. Initially set up in 1984 to communicate Australian Breeding Values (ABVs) for production traits to farmers, it quickly evolved into the go-to source of information, learning tools and community engagement, as it still is today.
In 2018, ADF adopted the NFF climate policy for an economy-wide target of net zero emissions by 2050 (with conditions). One of these conditions is that Australian and state governments must adequately fund emissions reduction programs and research to enable farmers to utilise new methodologies and technologies to lower greenhouse gas emissions across their business while also increasing farm productivity.
ADF successfully advocated for an independent analysis of socioeconomic impacts of the Murray Darling Basin Plan in the southern basin. ADF has adopted the National Farmers Federation’s position the plan, so long as the water acquired by the Australian Government achieves good environmental outcomes without harming dairy operations and rural communities. ADF believes a smart and efficient implementation of the plan can generate positive environmental and socio-economic outcomes without the need for the Government to acquire an extra 450 gigalitres (GL). ADF continues to advocate for outcomes-based policymaking for water management to sustain dairy production in the food bowl of Australia.
In 2020, ADF developed a policy framework that addressed issues for dairy farmers in bushfire management e.g. land clearing, consultation with fire affected farmers and on-the-ground responses to bushfires. The framework considers findings and the implementation of recommendations from bushfire inquiries, including the 2010 Victorian Royal Commission. The framework was shared with the Australian Government to support the nation’s bushfire recovery effort.
A new approach for managing animal health, welfare
A fresh approach to the management of Bovine Johne’s disease (BJD) in cattle emerged in 2016 with the release of a framework by Animal Health Australia.
ADF sought revisions to the framework (which were endorsed), including a focus on a program to assess individual BJD farm status and how to eradicate or manage the disease so as not to bring it on-farm. Further, ADF released a revised risk-profiling score to assess and manage the likelihood of BJD in dairy cattle.
In 2021, ADF formed a skills-based group tasked with recommending a policy for managing surplus calves in the Australian dairy industry. This work follows the ADF Dairy Beef Forum in July 2021. This forum explored current information, research and business opportunities for surplus calves in Australia. Establishing a policy on surplus calves is a priority in the ADF Strategic Plan.
An end to routine calving induction that generated high animal health and welfare outcomes was achieved in January 2022. Following a decision in April 2015 to phase-out routine induction by 2022, work by ADF, Dairy Australia, farmers, vets, and processors, together with improved herd improvement practices, tools and technologies, achieved this goal.