Drought Crisis Looms: Australian Dairy Needs Help

A prolonged and severe drought continues to impact the Australian dairy industry significantly. The Australian Dairy Farmers (ADF), a key voice in agribusiness, is urgently appealing to the government for immediate assistance. According to ADF president Ben Bennett, despite ongoing engagement over the past year, there's a disconnect between policymakers and farmers suffering on the ground. The current drought strategies have been criticized as inefficient, with support often dependent on arbitrary state lines. Victoria's response has particularly come under fire for its inadequacy, forcing farmers to sell valuable herds, which harms long-term production.

To address the crisis, the ADF is advocating for three key areas of support: financial liquidity through interest-free loans, logistics support with freight subsidies for feed, and secured water access for the most affected regions. These requests aim to address the immediate challenges and ensure the protection of food security, shifting focus temporarily from long-term resilience to imminent crisis management.