Ben Bennett: A Pioneering Force in the Australian Dairy Industry

Originally from New Zealand, Ben Bennett has been a significant contributor to the Australian dairy sector since the 1990s. Over the past 25 years, he has been recognized for his dedication to sustainability and innovation within the industry.

Current Role

Bennett serves as the President of Australian Dairy Farmers, where he plays a crucial role in advocating for policies that enhance sustainability and profitability. He collaborates with government entities and industry stakeholders to implement strategic initiatives that promote best practices and expand market access.

Significant Achievements and Events

Bennett was unanimously re-elected for another two-year term, demonstrating the trust and confidence the dairy community places in him. Under his leadership, he has spearheaded initiatives aimed at modernizing farming practices and fostering innovation to ensure the industry's resilience amid economic and environmental challenges.

As Chair of the Australian Dairy Industry Council, Bennett has been a strong advocate for crisis relief and investments in water infrastructure. He has addressed pricing structure issues, pushing for reforms to secure fair pricing for farmers and highlighting the risks posed by industry mergers to farmgate prices.

Bennett emphasizes the importance of fair regulation to protect the industry and has praised federal MPs for their engagement with farmers' concerns. He advocates for a more responsive government support system and has highlighted the necessity for supermarkets to pass on milk price increases to address financial imbalances caused by discounting practices.

He has commended Norco's proactive approach, describing it as a "fantastic" result that underscores the benefits of farmer cooperatives. Bennett has highlighted the power of unified industry action and noted that governmental responsiveness provides essential certainty for family-owned farms, allowing them to plan for the future with confidence.

Bennett has been vocal about the quality of imported butter, criticizing it as inferior and accusing Woolworths of undermining the Australian dairy industry. He specifically warned that the proposed Free Trade Agreement poses a significant risk to the domestic dairy industry, citing the large volume of subsidized EU dairy imports compared to Australia's exports to the EU. He expressed concerns that the negotiations are complete but critical dairy outcomes remain unclear and are heavily weighted in favor of the European Union.

Additionally, Bennett has raised concerns about the Australian Government's approach to plant-based labeling and criticized the government's decision to endorse a voluntary code of practice for plant-based products. He argues for clear, mandatory rules to protect dairy terms, referring to the agreement as the Un-Fair Trade Agreement (UFTA) due to the imbalance in the trading relationship.

Modified: 2026/04/22