Profitability of farm businesses is core to the success of the Australian dairy industry, enabling it to contribute strongly to rural and regional economies, for both employment and as an earner of export income.

Our goals

To ensure we give our industry and its workers the best possible future, we are committed through the Australian Dairy Industry Sustainability Framework to achieving the following goals by 2030:

• Increase the competitiveness and profitability of the Australian dairy industry (Framework Goal 1). Targets include: revenue goals for farms, increasing Australian dairy’s share of global trade, increasing R&D expenditure and providing consumers with a greater choice of dairy products to meet their specific nutritional needs.
• Increase the resilience and prosperity of dairy communities (Framework Goal 2). Targets include: supporting the economy of dairy regions and increasing the contribution people in dairy make to their community
• Provide a safe work environment for all dairy workers (Framework Goal 3). Targets include: zero workplace fatalities on farm and in manufacturing, good safety practices, minimising over for dairy workers and the reducing the Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) for both farm and manufacturing. 
• Provide a productive and rewarding work environment for all dairy workers (Framework Goal 4). Targets include: dairy worker life satisfaction, remuneration rates, retaining staff in the sector, recruitment and farm succession plans.

Key achievements in 2021

Dairy is the fourth largest Australian rural industry by value of production.

• Australian dairy companies generate A$15.7 billion in sales and support more than 70,000 FTE jobs across the nation.
• A target for the profitability of farm businesses set by the Australian Dairy Plan was adopted by the Australian Dairy Sustainability Framework.
• Almost 90 per cent of respondents to the National Dairy Farmer Survey reported an operating profit in 2020/21.
• Dairy accounts for about seven per cent of all agricultural exports from Australia.

Check out our progress on our goals against baseline and 2030 targets in the 2021 Australian Dairy Sustainability Progress Report.