'A fair price': Farmers urge supermarkets to expand milk levy

Australian dairy farmers are pushing the big supermarkets to put a 10 cent levy on all milk, while independent suppliers remain cynical about drought relief approaches from Coles and Woolworths.

A Change.org petition launched by Queensland Dairyfarmers organisation calling for all milk at Coles and Woolworths to be increased by 10c per litre was approaching the 110,000 signature mark on Monday.

Farmers from across the country are also calling for a guarantee from the supermarkets that a temporary fee on home brand milk will go directly back to milk suppliers.

The big supermarkets have unveiled plans over the past month to help farmers in drought-affected areas by applying extra fees to some home brand milk items. However, critics including Agriculture minister David Littleproud have questioned why the levies only applied to a few products across the supermarkets and whether all suppliers will get a cut of the funds raised.  

Dairy farmer Steve Ronalds said Mr Littleproud showed "a pretty gutsy effort" by standing up to the big supermarket players. Read more

Emma Koehn - Brisbane Times - 22 October 2018