Ever since the dairy crisis erupted earlier this year, the Victorian Farmers Federation has been flooded with feedback from consumers wanting to know how they can support a stronger dairy industry.
We now have an answer.
That answer is Farmers Fund milk - a brand that is owned by the VFF and guarantees that 40 cents from every two litre bottle of milk sold will go into a fund to benefit dairy farmers.
If consumers aren’t already buying branded milk, they can now buy Farmers’ Fund milk, knowing they’re directly investing 40 cents straight into the Farmers’ Fund.
This is a fantastic opportunity to bridge the gap between consumers and our primary producers, and let consumers show their appreciation for our hardworking dairy farmers.
The fund is entirely farmer-managed.
The fund will provide grants of up to $20,000 for dairy farmers to invest in further education and farm management practices.
Farmers’ Fund milk will be available to purchase later this week.
The two litres of skim or full cream milk will be available in most Coles supermarkets across Victoria.
But while milk is our first product, this could be the start of something much greater.
There is a fantastic opportunity for a farmer advocacy group like VFF to leverage the Farmers’ Fund brand to share with consumers the challenges farmers face and show how to support them all year round, not only in times of need.
The fund itself is already operating.
Dairy farmers are encouraged to apply for grants that will help build viable businesses, including support to help farmers upgrade their dairy, install a more efficient irrigation system or increase productivity.
The first round of applications close on September 30, but every three months all funds raised through the sale of Farmers’ Fund milk will be distributed through a new round of applications.
The Farmers’ Fund makes it easy for everyone to show their support and demonstrate that they believe in the great quality product that dairy farmers work hard to produce.
To find out more about the Farmers’ Fund grant applications process please visit www.farmersfund.org.au.
