What the hell is the government doing about securing the future of our food in Australia? What about what we are doing? The consumers. Come on people. Let's think about the long-term, big picture. Milk for a dollar a litre? How much does the farmer get per litre I wonder. Let's think about the outlaying expense of land, cows, equipment, veterinary expense not to mention the hard labour and relentless tiring hours of every day dawn and dark herding the cattle to milk, with no holidays or breaks day in and day out. What about transport costs? Seriously, if they (and by "they" I mean the devil himself in the form of supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths) can sell milk to us for a dollar a litre, how much does the farmer receive?
I have spoken to some friends who are proud dairy farmers and while they are contracted at the moment, the price they receive per litre cannot change. However, the contract is due to run out in a year and they feel sure it will drop. How can it not? Older dairy farmers in their district who would have continued in the industry, whose contracts are due to end soon, are selling out. It's simply not worth it. False economy. I wonder who will buy their dairy farms?
Not I that's for sure. I couldn't afford the land for a start. And while it's a romantic thought to live in the country with rolling green hills and black and white cows decorating the background as pretty as a picture; it's, as I said before, hard work. Relentless. In many areas it's constant drought. Which means feeding. Which means more work and more money to outlay. And often these dairy farms are isolated. No friends around the corner to socialise with. No take-away food at the end of an exhausting days work. No "real" coffee, bars, restaurants, fashion shops etc. No day care for children, or often many extra curricular activities for kids either such as dancing or drama. Here, I don't "live more than 3 minutes from real coffee" and I'm spoiled for choice of take-away food. I work Mon- Fri no weekend work and if I want to go on holidays, I apply for leave and off I go with not a care or worry in the world about what's at home. So I wonder who would buy a dairy farm?
Coles and Woolworths perhaps? Then they would be able to control the market from the ground up and charge what they like to the consumer. So while we are receiving milk for a dollar a litre now, I ask you this. What will we be paying in 10 years when the rapists of the earth Coles and Woolworths control the market?
Think about the farmer who's working so hard to bring us beautiful fresh milk next time you pop down to the shop, and opt for the non generic brand.
Secure the future of our food and support our farmers.
