V I S I O N A N D M I S S I O N
DAIRY AUSTRALIA AND DAIRY INDUSTRY: ALIGNED THE AUSTRALIAN DAIRY INDUSTRY’S VISION IS TO: GROW AN INTERNATIONALLY COMPETITIVE, INNOVATIVE AND SUSTAINABLE DAIRY INDUSTRY DAIRY AUSTRALIA’S VISION IS TO: DELIVER THE WORLD’S BEST SERVICES TOWARDS ACHIEVING THE INDUSTRY VISION DAIRY AUSTRALIA’S MISSION IS TO: DEVELOP AND DRIVE INDUSTRY SERVICES AND INNOVATION FOR THE ULTIMATE BENEFIT OF LEVY PAYERSO U R I N D U S T R Y
The dairy industry is Australia’s third largest rural industry with a farmgate value of $3.2 billion in 2006/07.
It is the largest value-added food industry, increasing value three-fold through processing and marketing to
contribute $9.2 billion to the nation’s economy.
Australian dairy producers export almost one million tonnes of product to ten countries, which generates an
estimated $2.5 billion in export income each year (12 per cent of the world dairy trade). The dairy industry
has almost $20 billion in capital assets on-farm and approximately $6 billion in manufacturing.
The Australian dairy industry supports a substantial employment base, including:
o Farming (farms supporting or employing 23,000 people);
o Services to farming (including veterinary, genetics, animal nutrition, milking machinery, seed and fertiliser,
and fodder contracting – an estimated 10,000 people);
o Manufacturing (including cheese, yogurt, ice-cream, butter, chocolate, powders, dairy ingredients and
pharmaceutical products – estimated at up to 16,000 people);
o Transport (from on-farm milk pick-up to container shipping); and
o Research (in areas such as agriculture, environment, human nutrition, manufacturing processes and food
technology).
AT A GLANCE
o There are 8,055 dairy farms, producing about 9.6 billion litres each year.
o The Australian dairy herd is 1.8 million milking cows.
o The dairy industry has more than $25 billion invested in capital assets.
o Dairy is Australia’s third largest rural industry, valued at $3.2 billion at the farmgate
(2006/07).
o Dairy is one of the largest value-added food industries, with ex-factory sales valued at almost
$9.2 billion each year. The bulk of the value-adding is carried out in regional areas.
o The major products are drinking milk, cheese, butter and milk powders.
o About half of Australia’s milk production is consumed on the Australian market and the
remainder is exported.
o Dairy products generate $4.2 billion annually in supermarket sales.
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