Australia's oldest dairy, Brownes Dairy, has announced it will be holding its base milk price for the 2024-25 season, offering much-needed security to its Western Australian dairy partners. The move follows a forecasted drop in national farmgate pricing, economic uncertainty and a challenging dry summer in WA's South West. "WA farmers need to be incentivised to keep producing the high quality, fresh milk that Western Australian families have come to expect from Brownes Dairy," said Brownes chief executive officer Natalie Sarich-Dayton.
In addition to keeping prices stable, Brownes said it was continuing to invest in sustainability initiatives on farms. This includes additional financial incentives to map and understand carbon emissions and launching a program to encourage farmers to explore renewable energy options. The program will include financial support to cover the cost of energy audits, empowering farmers to make informed decisions about their energy usage and renewable energy options.
"Brownes was the first processor in Australia to offer financial incentives to farmers to understand and share their carbon emissions," Ms Sarich-Dayton said. "We are proud to have already mapped over 80 per cent of our onfarm carbon emissions and aim for 100pc in the near future. "By providing stable pricing and robust sustainability initiatives, Brownes Dairy strives to ensure a thriving dairy industry in WA.
"We need to work together to ensure WA's dairy farmers can continue to produc.
