Sub topics

• Farm Sector
• Milk Companies
  • Fonterra
  • Cadbury Schweppes
  • National Foods
  • Classic Foods
  • Betta Milk
  • Farm Cheese Operations

Tasmania Dairy Industry

The Tasmanian dairy industry is a pasture-based industry that supplies high quality manufactured dairy products and liquid milk to customers in Australia and overseas.

Tasmania has an inherent advantage in dairying because of its low-cost milk production based on highly reliable rain fed pasture. Tasmania is less prone to drought than dairy areas in mainland Australia.

Total milk production is around 600 million litres from 500 dairy farms - mainly across the north of the state. While Tasmania produces only six per cent of Australia's milk, output has grown strongly over a long period of time, and further growth is expected in future years. Dairy manufacturing companies, in particular Fonterra, have expressed a desire for additional milk supplies to meet market demand.

A recent survey of dairy farmers throughout Australia showed that Tasmania has the most optimistic outlook across the industry (Dairy 2006: Situation and Outlook).

Tasmanian Dairy Industry Strategic Plan 2006-10

The 2006-2010 Strategic Plan provides the industry with a focus for directing its resources across priority areas and to access support for the development and growth of Tasmania's dairy industry. The adoption of a clear strategic approach supporting the ongoing development of the industry has positioned Tasmanian dairy farmers to take advantage of projected growth in both farm income and production in the short to medium term.

Growth as the Strategic Focus for 2006 - 2010. The Industry has identified growth as the focus of its activities over the next five years. Implementing this growth strategy requires continual improvement of the industry's competitiveness through a focus on the following strategic action areas:

• Human Resource Skill Development
• Natural Resource Management
• Business and Finance
• Animal Health and Welfare
• Animal and Feedbase Performance

Tasmanian Dairy Industry Strategic Plan 2006-10 (3,360kb pdf)
For more information on the national and Tasmanian dairy industry visit the following sites:

• Dairy Australia
• Department of Primary Industries and Water

Northeast Dairy Farming