Minister for Agriculture and Food Alannah MacTiernan has announced the launch of the Western Australia Dairy Five-Year Industry Development Plan, a program aimed at supporting the future growth and sustainability of the state’s dairy industry.
Unveiled during the recent WAFarmers Dairy Conference in Busselton, the plan was a key priority from a Ministerial round table with industry representatives in 2021.
The program will prioritise boosting profitability throughout the supply chain by understanding emerging consumer trends and responding to local and international market opportunities.
It also seeks to promote the industry with one unified voice to attract new investment and talent into dairy farming, as well as optimising opportunities to de-carbonise the supply chain.
The working group for the plan is comprised of key dairy supply chain stakeholders to develop the strategy, including farmers, processors, industry groups, and the government.
Being one of WA’s longest-established agricultural industries, the dairy industry must continuously have room for more value-added products and new markets in order to remain viable, according to MacTiernan.
“Consumers must be at the heart of the plan – they are becoming more discerning and open to new, quality products, with concerns around nutrition, climate change and animal welfare an important part of the story industry tells,” the minister added.
“I look forward to following the progress of the WA Dairy Industry Working Group and will work enthusiastically with industry to ensure the long-term future of this important industry.”
