❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding the state of the dairy industry in WA, covering topics from funding and farm numbers to pricing and environmental concerns. The Minister's response provides some data and outlines existing support mechanisms, but deflects responsibility on pricing and farm numbers.
AnsweredQoN 1852Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Western Australian Dairy Industry and I ask: (a) Will the Minister table the full Western Australian Dairy Industry Five-Year Development Plan referenced in her Government’s media statement; (b) What specific funding has been allocated by the State Government to implement the plan since 20 July 2023; (c) How much of that funding has actually been spent to date, and on what programs; (d) How many full-time equivalent public servants within the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development are assigned specifically to dairy industry development; (e) How many dairy farms were operating in Western Australia in July 2023, and how many are operating today; (f) Given the Government stated the industry contributes more than $187 million to the State economy, what is the current economic value of the sector; (g) What measurable increase in milk production has occurred since the Government reiterated its support for the dairy plan; (h) Has the Government set a production growth target for WA milk supply: (i) If yes, what is the target and by what year; (i) The plan identifies profitability as a core goal, what specific actions has the Minister taken to improve farm-gate milk prices; (j) Has the Minister met with WA dairy processors regarding pricing transparency and contracts with farmers: (i) If yes, provide dates and attendees; (k) How many times has the Minister personally met with representatives of Western Dairy since July 2023; (l) The Government stated it is collaborating with Dairy Australia and industry bodies, what formal agreements or memoranda of understanding exist and will they be tabled; (m) The plan includes supply chains and new markets, what new export markets for WA dairy products have been opened since the announcement; (n) What funding has been provided for on-farm infrastructure upgrades such as water, energy or feed systems to support dairy expansion; (o) What action has the Government taken to address labour shortages and skills shortages in the dairy sector; (p) The Government identified succession planning as a major issue, how many new or young dairy farmers have entered the industry since the plan commenced; (q) What assistance has been provided to dairy farmers dealing with rising input costs including feed, fertiliser, power and water; (r) The Minister referenced decarbonisation challenges, what financial assistance has been offered to dairy farmers to meet emissions or environmental compliance requirements; (s) What modelling has the Government undertaken on the impact of supermarket pricing pressure on the long-term viability of WA dairy farms; and (t) Does the Minister concede that, despite the Government’s commitment to industry growth and sustainability, the number of dairy farms in WA has declined over the years?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 April 2026
Responded by
Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture and Food
Response time
7 days
(a) The plan is publicly available on the Western Dairy website. I table a copy.
(b-c) On page 12, it identifies that it is “a long-term strategic plan that was developed by industry, for the industry, and owned by industry, and a plan that industry could deliver on”, however, the State Government supports the Western Australian Dairy Industry to implement its plan through a wide range of financial and non-financial support mechanisms.
(d) Dairy industry development is supported within the Department of Primary Industry and Regional Development from areas such as Livestock Industry, Agribusiness Development, Trade, Food Industry Development, Biosecurity, and Investment Services.
(e) Dairy Australia’s Dairy Farm Monitor Project reports 112 farms in 2023 and 99 farms in 2026.
(f-g) The 2024-25 Western Dairy Annual Report reported farm gate value of WA produced milk at $238 million, a significant increase on the $187 million quoted previously.
(h) No.
(i-j) The State Government does not set farmgate milk prices. Milk price is determined through negotiations between dairy farmers and dairy processors.
(k) I meet regularly with dairy farmers and processors.
(l) A memorandum of understanding to establish the WA Dairy Industry Working Group was signed by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, with founding members, on 8 June 2021.
(m) WA dairy products are exported to: Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, Korea, China, Malaysia, Japan.
(n) The State Government has various programs of direct financial support for expansion of the dairy industry, including New Industry Development Grants, Regional Economic Development Grants, and the Healthy Estuaries WA.
(o) The State Government low fee and fee-free TAFE is helping grow the state’s workforce, reaching a record high 165,000 publicly funded enrolments in 2024 and supported by the network of Agriculture Colleges. This work continues to support skill development for the agricultural sector. The State Government continues to work closely with the Australian Government on how the Western Australian Designated Area Migration Agreement and Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme can help address specific labour and skills shortages.
(p) The State Government does not collate this information.
(q) The Government took decisive action activating emergency powers to compel the fuel industry to provide information on supply and distribution – to make sure fuel is sent where it is needed most. This avoids the situation we saw in March, where local fuel supplies were constrained across dairy producing regions. On April 9 we announced that, following my consultation with dairy processors that trucks carrying milk and other perishable goods could transport an additional 10 tonnes per load to reduce costs and use less fuel. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development have several resources to assist producers, including practical advice on managing nutrients on-farm to optimise use efficiency and reduce loss.
(r) The Cook Government announced in January this year that more than $2 million will be invested over four years in the Healthy Estuaries WA program, supporting improved dairy effluent management and broader sustainable farming practices. The project is being delivered by Western Dairy in partnership with the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, regional catchment groups, and dairy farmers. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development now has the cutting-edge GreenFeed machine which measures emissions from individual cows and sheep, allowing us to determine Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions more accurately in the paddock.
(s) I am not aware of the supermarket pricing pressure referred to in this situation.
(t) A decline in the number of dairy farms reflects commercial decisions of individual farmers.
(b-c) On page 12, it identifies that it is “a long-term strategic plan that was developed by industry, for the industry, and owned by industry, and a plan that industry could deliver on”, however, the State Government supports the Western Australian Dairy Industry to implement its plan through a wide range of financial and non-financial support mechanisms.
(d) Dairy industry development is supported within the Department of Primary Industry and Regional Development from areas such as Livestock Industry, Agribusiness Development, Trade, Food Industry Development, Biosecurity, and Investment Services.
(e) Dairy Australia’s Dairy Farm Monitor Project reports 112 farms in 2023 and 99 farms in 2026.
(f-g) The 2024-25 Western Dairy Annual Report reported farm gate value of WA produced milk at $238 million, a significant increase on the $187 million quoted previously.
(h) No.
(i-j) The State Government does not set farmgate milk prices. Milk price is determined through negotiations between dairy farmers and dairy processors.
(k) I meet regularly with dairy farmers and processors.
(l) A memorandum of understanding to establish the WA Dairy Industry Working Group was signed by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, with founding members, on 8 June 2021.
(m) WA dairy products are exported to: Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, Korea, China, Malaysia, Japan.
(n) The State Government has various programs of direct financial support for expansion of the dairy industry, including New Industry Development Grants, Regional Economic Development Grants, and the Healthy Estuaries WA.
(o) The State Government low fee and fee-free TAFE is helping grow the state’s workforce, reaching a record high 165,000 publicly funded enrolments in 2024 and supported by the network of Agriculture Colleges. This work continues to support skill development for the agricultural sector. The State Government continues to work closely with the Australian Government on how the Western Australian Designated Area Migration Agreement and Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme can help address specific labour and skills shortages.
(p) The State Government does not collate this information.
(q) The Government took decisive action activating emergency powers to compel the fuel industry to provide information on supply and distribution – to make sure fuel is sent where it is needed most. This avoids the situation we saw in March, where local fuel supplies were constrained across dairy producing regions. On April 9 we announced that, following my consultation with dairy processors that trucks carrying milk and other perishable goods could transport an additional 10 tonnes per load to reduce costs and use less fuel. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development have several resources to assist producers, including practical advice on managing nutrients on-farm to optimise use efficiency and reduce loss.
(r) The Cook Government announced in January this year that more than $2 million will be invested over four years in the Healthy Estuaries WA program, supporting improved dairy effluent management and broader sustainable farming practices. The project is being delivered by Western Dairy in partnership with the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, regional catchment groups, and dairy farmers. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development now has the cutting-edge GreenFeed machine which measures emissions from individual cows and sheep, allowing us to determine Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions more accurately in the paddock.
(s) I am not aware of the supermarket pricing pressure referred to in this situation.
(t) A decline in the number of dairy farms reflects commercial decisions of individual farmers.
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