Dairy farmers across the Australia have been enjoying high milk prices for a number of years but despite the record profits farmers and producers continue to leave the industry. Australia's milk supply is the lowest it's been in 30 years and cheap imported dairy products are on the rise with farmers warning the high prices aren't sustainable.
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TVTranscript
00:00 Narrator: Jamie Forster has been up before dawn, doing
00:05 the same job since he was 15 years old.
00:08 But after decades milking cows and none of his kids interested in dairy farming, he's
00:12 calling stumps.
00:13 Jamie Forster, dairy farmer, "I've been doing it for 37 years, my body
00:16 and my mind's had enough."
00:18 Narrator: Jamie's story is being played out across
00:20 the industry, especially in Victoria, which provides two thirds of Australia's milk
00:25 pool, including most of the nation's $3.3 billion export products.
00:30 Last year, 8% of Victorian dairy businesses quit, despite almost record milk prices.
00:36 Jamie Forster, dairy farmer, "It's just a wear and tear.
00:38 It is seven days a week and it is quite stressful."
00:41 Narrator: And manufacturers processing the milk are also
00:44 struggling, with 11 Australian factories shutting in the last 18 months.
00:49 The exodus is being blamed on farm labour problems, the rising cost of farmland, water
00:55 policy, floods, drought and other international factors, creating an uncertain future for
01:00 the industry.
01:01 Jamie Forster, dairy farmer, "It's created some challenges for the whole
01:03 of industry and that's what we're seeing.
01:04 We're seeing the Australian dairy industry go through a significant period of transformation."
01:08 Narrator: But not everyone has a gloomy outlook.
01:11 Milk production this season is predicted to lift by 3%, the largest jump in a decade.
01:17 Engatha South farmer Callum Moscript is expanding his dairy, and has a new $5 million milking
01:23 shed almost ready to roll.
01:25 Callum Moscript, dairy farmer, "So we'll go from milking 80 to 100 cows
01:28 to 270 to 300 cows an hour, with a third of the labour.
01:32 I believe Gippsland is the centre of dairy in Australia and we're in a prime location
01:37 and we just thought let's go all in and really take whatever opportunities may come moving
01:42 forward."
01:43 For Jamie Forster though, this season will be his last as he transitions to beef production,
01:48 which will free up some time for other pursuits.
01:51 Jamie Forster, dairy farmer, "I haven't played footy for 20 years.
01:53 I'm going to go back and have a couple of games in the over 35s."
01:57 [BLANK_AUDIO]