Build a sustainable & secure supply chain

Central to this is a long-standing commitment to sustainability that underpins our market advantage and long-term success.

As global demand for sustainably produced food rises, Australian dairy processors are leading the way - reducing environmental impact while upholding the highest standards of quality and innovation.

Over the past decade, energy price volatility has stripped value from the supply chain, reduced processors’ ability to invest, and placed upward pressure on consumer prices.

Additional barriers to full decarbonisation include:

• the regional location of dairy farms and many processing sites which often comes with network constraints
• the daily demand profile which doesn’t match existing renewable energy supply profiles – necessitating energy storage and increasing project expense
• the dynamic nature of many renewable energy sources (e.g., wind and solar) which reduces the reliability of supply and increases business risk, and
• access to skilled people and preparedness for climate reporting.

The opportunity is clear: environmental gains, regional growth, and globally competitive food production.

To deliver this ADPF recommendations:

• provide grants, low-interest loans, tax incentives and capital allowances for:
  • Emissions reduction and climate reporting capability
    • Renewable energy adoption and electrification (e.g. heat pumps, biogas, biomass)
      • Circular packaging solutions and waste reduction technology
      • support to de-risk new technology adoption and upskill the workforce, and alignment of regulation with government and industry emissions and reporting frameworks.
      • ensure equitable investment in regional energy infrastructure to support renewable energy uptake
      • improve consultation with regional communities, and
      • enable a more competitive trade and construction industry through increased immigration of skilled tradespeople.