Our submission on sustainable export trade funding focuses on getting the balance right between cost recovery and the public good.

Exports are critical to Australia’s dairy industry, with more than a third of milk production sold into global markets. Effective export and trade services underpin market access, regional jobs, and Australia’s reputation as a trusted supplier of safe, high-quality food.

We recognise the need for cost recovery where services directly benefit exporters. But the proposed model raises concerns about transparency, duplication, and the potential impact on competitiveness in an industry already facing global pressure from heavily subsidised producers.

In our submission, ADIC calls for clearer cost allocation, genuine consultation, and explicit recognition of public-good activities that should continue to be funded by government — including core market access work, international engagement, and critical systems like Micor. We also recommend linking any fee increases to measurable service improvements, improving efficiency through risk-based and digital approaches, and ensuring smaller exporters are not disproportionately impacted.

Our position is:

• be transparent about costs
• fund public goods as public goods, and
• protect competitiveness while maintaining strong export assurance.

Because a fair, efficient export funding model is essential to sustaining Australia’s dairy exports and the regional communities they support.

More: Read the ADIC submission.