Reflecting on the year that was and looking ahead to 2021

It’s been an incredibly challenging year for Australian dairy processors, but the resilience displayed has been impressive. As the peak body for the sector, we’re proud of what we’ve been able to achieve in 2020.

ADPF is making progress toward becoming the most trusted, authoritative ‘pre-competitive’ voice for Australian dairy processors, advocating on key issues in trade, sustainability, nutrition and people. Our tactics, based on our strategy, has enabled us to promote what we do better as well as create new partnerships.

From launching the Milk Value Portal, to advocating for fairer Health Star Ratings for dairy products, to providing support to our members through COVID-19 – there’s been plenty of highlights. Summary of highlights as follows:

COVID-19 challenges

• Provided timely and consistent communications
• Weekly member briefings with regulatory updates
• Developed guidance materials
• Collaborated with other industry member organisations

Dairy Code of Conduct

• Supported members through the rollout of the Code
• Developed a template of Code compliant terms
• Regular meetings with DAWE and ACCC
• Hosted member forums
• Participated in the ACCC Dairy Consultative Committee

Health Star Ratings

• Secured better Health Star Rating for five-food group yoghurts
• Campaigned to reform Health Star Rating for five-food group cheeses

Trade

• Aus-EU and Aus-UK FTA submissions
• Participated in the ratification of the Indonesia/Hong Kong/Peru trade agreements
• Trade tension monitoring and support
• Submissions to the China and Japan trade reviews

Australian Dairy Plan and Organisational Reform

• Invested significant resources in progressing the Australian Dairy Plan
• Worked with Dairy Australia and Australian Dairy Farmers on organisational reform, and continued to ensure that processor’s views are represented and any new industry structure best represents their needs

Communications

• Launch of the new ADPF website creating one true source of information for the dairy processing sector to help tell the ‘good’ that dairy processors do
• Member newsletter and regular updates
• Appointment of Baldwin Boyle Group (BBG) as our new communication and stakeholder partners
• Standing up for processors in media

Milk Value Portal launch

• Launched the Milk Value Portal and the Farmgate Milk Value Tool – offering one source of truth on what the milk price is and what influences it

Looking to the year ahead, we’re excited to showcase the economic contribution of dairy processors, and we will continue to advocate for our members on key issues. Focus for the year ahead as follows:

Economic contribution report

• Developing and launching an economic contribution report showing the true value of the post-farmgate dairy sector

Policy & Regulation

• Continuing the campaign to make cheese Health Star Ratings fair
• Australian Dietary Guidelines review to protect and promote dairy
• Preparing for the Dairy Code of Conduct 12-month review

Trade

• Ensuring the EU and UK Free Trade Agreements are fair and optimise market access

As we cap off a challenging, yet ultimately rewarding year, we would like to acknowledge and thank our members, the ADPF Executive Team for their guidance and support, and our industry partners Dairy Australia and Australian Dairy Farmers. Bring on 2021!