The dairy industry has slammed the credibility of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) Guide and wants it to be withdrawn and replaced with factual and better-balanced proposals.

Australian Dairy Industry Council (ADIC) Chair Wes Judd said the Guide had created confusion and increased the uncertainty surrounding water security and availability for the Basin’s dairy farmers and their communities.

“We call on the Australian Government to direct the Authority to do the necessary work required to provide fair outcomes for farmers, communities and the environment. We also expect the Parliamentary Inquiry to support this,” Mr Judd said.

“Job losses have been grossly underestimated and the Authority has already conceded at their community meetings they cannot support the data in the Guide.

“I would also suggest the scientific analysis and theoretical computer modelling is inadequate. Why weren’t more scenarios examined to get some real scientific rigour into this debate?”

Mr Judd condemned the Guide for its comments about the dairy industry in the Basin.

“The fact it says the 3,000 to 4,000 GL a year reductions may result in dairy actually expanding from current levels of production compared with the recent drought is ridiculous,” he said.

“We have experienced the proposed cuts during the recent drought and the region lost well in excess of a billion litres of milk during that period. Not to mention the big increase in debt that farmers have taken on to actually survive those drought years.”

Mr Judd warned the proposed cuts had widespread implications that could be catastrophic for families, towns, communities and all industries.

“The dairy industry is here for the long term, however dramatic cuts to water entitlements will inevitably reduce the size of the industry, which means fewer farming families and smaller Basin communities,” he said.

“A population decrease within Basin communities will snowball to a loss of local services such as education and health. And we’re already seeing the impact on investment confidence with the Australian Bankers Association saying it would be difficult for communities dependent on irrigation to plan for their future with uncertainty hanging over them.

“It is a no win situation because those dairy farmers who do remain in the Basin will have to cope with reduced reliability and higher water charges.”

The MDBA Guide states a reduction in current diversion limits is likely to affect food industries.

“Food processing is an important activity in many Basin communities. The dramatic water cuts will limit the production of one of Australia’s largest food sources and reduce Australia’s export income.”

Mr Judd is urging all dairy farmers in the Basin and everyone within the Basin communities to voice their concerns to the MDBA through the Basin Plan online forum at www.thebasinplan.mdba.gov.au

Media Contact:

Wes Judd, ADIC Chair

M: 0407 132 854

Adrian Drury, ADIC Basin Taskforce Chair

M: 0428 569 245

The Australian Dairy Industry Council (ADIC) has today voiced its concern about the impact on farming families, regional communities and the Australian economy of savage cuts to water entitlements foreshadowed in the Murray Darling Basin (MDB) Guide.

The cuts outlined in the Guide would inevitably lead to a smaller dairy industry, the loss of regional jobs, and millions in export income to the economy. Dairy farmers in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia will be impacted and are now facing an uncertain future.

“The Basin Guide recommendations put at risk the livelihood of many dairy families who are responsible and efficient users of water and ignores the need for a collaborative, efficient and comprehensive water management approach to the Murray Darling Basin. The priority of all who live within, and use the resources of, the Basin must be to secure its social, environmental and economic value into the future,” ADIC Chairman Wes Judd said today.

Of the areas impacted by the Guide, the lower regions of the Basin, is Australia’s largest dairying area with more than 2,600 dairy farms, representing 32 per cent of all dairy farmers in Australia. These dairy farms irrigate approximately 85,000 hectares, equivalent to 15 per cent of irrigated land in the region and produce around 2.1 billion litres of milk, worth $800 million at the farmgate.

There are approximately 6,000 people employed directly on dairy farms with a further 2,600 employed in manufacturing and processing in the region. The Australian dairy industry generates export revenues in the order of $3 billion.

Dairy farmers understand the importance of being good stewards of the natural resources they manage and take this responsibility seriously. Mr Judd said the ADIC calls on Government to work closely with industry to restore balance to the MDB Plan. Without a balance between environmental, economic and social water uses and farms, many irrigation systems and rural communities will be rendered unviable.

“The focus must be placed on increasing efficiency for the delivery of water for the environment, irrigation infrastructure upgrades to obtain water savings and on-farm irrigation modernisation to ensure that every drop of water is used efficiently and effectively.”

ADIC will examine the 21 volumes in the Guide closely to analyse the impact on our dairy farmers in each region of the Basin. Mr Judd made a commitment to all dairy farmers that ADIC will work tirelessly on their behalf to restore the balance in the Plan. While some impacts of the proposed cuts will be felt immediately, the major impacts will occur in the future, ADIC will use this time to demand of Government a fairer outcome for dairy farmers and regional communities.

Media Contact:

Wes Judd, ADIC Chair

M: 0407 132 854

Adrian Drury, ADIC Basin Taskforce Chair

M: 0428 569 245