While the 2021-22 figures were better, they weren’t as good as many hoped they would be — and only Coles and ACM went into $7-plus territory.
Most farmers interviewed said the prices didn’t even matter to them since they were already locked into multi-year contracts.
Nathalia farmer Mark Peterson said the prices didn’t impact him personally because of his contract with Biodynamic Marketing, but he was still paying attention.
“I think we’d always like it to be a bit more,” Mr Peterson said.
“But, put it this way, it’s going in the right direction.”
Biodynamic and organic dairy farmers earn more per litre, but they also spend more per litre to produce and the sector is feeling the same squeeze as everyone else.
Mr Peterson said quite a few farmers in the biodynamic and organic space were “under the pump” — mainly due to company changeovers.
Kyabram farmer and Freedom Foods supplier Peter Wearden said he was disappointed in Freedom's $6.60 minimum milk price.
“I thought it would be $7, into the $7s,” he said.
“I think we’ve talked about it long enough, I expected them to do it.”
UDV president Paul Mumford said the price was good, but needed to be better.
“These milk prices are some of the highest we've ever seen because commodity prices are high and enough farmers are exiting the industry to create competition among processors,” Mr Mumford said.
“Farmers have been under stress for a considerable amount of time and they are tired and looking at other opportunities.
“We need to make the processors realise it they want the dairy industry to be here, they have to keep offering better prices.”
The June 1 deadline was introduced by the Dairy Code of Conduct, which forces processors to publish a standard milk supply agreement and their minimum milk price for the upcoming season.
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