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 Anger at TFGA over call to accept milk price 

Anger at TFGA over call to accept milk price

04 Nov, 2009 06:31 AM
KIMBERLEY dairy farmer David Bloomfield is wondering how he is supposed to earn a living.

After earning an average of 49 cents a litre for his milk last year, he is being asked to sign a contract that will drop the average to 29.68 cents a litre.

That is for contracted milk and even though it is 10 cents a litre below the cost of production, it is the good news.

Mr Bloomfield and other National Foods suppliers are being offered an average two cents a litre less than that for milk over and above their contracted amount.

Contract negotiations with National Foods have stalled and Mr Bloomfield is angry that the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association is urging dairy farmers to accept the offer.

Dairy Farmers Collective Bargaining Group spokesman Phil Beattie said that it felt betrayed by TFGA chief executive Chris Oldfield's action.

Mr Oldfield said that although the offer was "not a good price, we consider it a fair price in the current market" and urged dairy farmers to accept it.

"It's a reasonable outcome," he said, in a move that infuriated bargaining group members.

Mr Beattie said that he did not know why Mr Oldfield went to Melbourne to negotiate with National Foods without telling group dairy farmers who were also TFGA members.

"Mr Oldfield said in the press that communication is a two-way thing, but he never communicated any of that to us," Mr Beattie said.

"We will be meeting the TFGA board (tomorrow) to discuss the matter."

Mr Beattie said that National Foods sister company Lion Nathan spent more on the launch of its new beer at the Melbourne Cup yesterday than National Foods was giving dairy farmers in its aid package.

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There's competition between industries for the scarce resources of land and water. The dairy industry is having problems but other industries, with taxpayer support, are ready and willing to take up that land. Who is pulling the strings? Just look at the backgrounds of the key spokespeople.
Posted by Mike, 4/11/2009 9:30:38 AM, on The Examiner
Mike... you don't think agriculture already isn't already heavily subsidised by the government.... it is probably the most subsidised industry by a fair ways in entire country... I'm complaining about the help our farmers get.. but Mike, get your facts right.
Posted by Jason, 4/11/2009 10:59:39 AM, on The Examiner
Correction on above post..TYPO... I'm NOT complaining about the help our farmers get. Apologies.
Posted by jason, 4/11/2009 11:59:12 AM, on The Examiner

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Kimberley dairy farmer David Bloomfield is angry at the TFGA's urging to accept National Foods milk price offer. Picture: PETER LORD
Kimberley dairy farmer David Bloomfield is angry at the TFGA's urging to accept National Foods milk price offer. Picture: PETER LORD

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