By JONATHON HOWARD
SOUTHERN Downs’ dairy farmers say they are fed up with being screwed over on milk prices.
About 25 Southern Downs dairy operators attended the heated meeting at the Jackie Howe Motel in Warwick last week hosted by Gympie rural industry figure, John Cochrane.
He used the occasion to encourage dairy operators to attend a pre-election forum held in the marginal Federal seat of Blair last weekend.
Mr Cochrane’s family runs a successful dairy farm in the Mary Valley, but the farmer and auctioneer said he has struggled with the political inaction on the supermarket milk price war, that has driven many dairy farmers out of business.
“Our vote is for sale,” he said. “Tell us what you (politicians) are going to do for us.”
He said when Coles and Woolworths dropped their milk price from $1.28 to $1 a litre the supermarkets talked the Senate into believing it was they, and not the dairy farmers, who would bear the cost.
“I am just sick and tired of these politicians messing with the dairy industry,” Mr Cochrane said.
He said the Warwick forum was a chance to tell dairy farmers they need to join forces to tackle the issue head-on as well as rallying support from politicians.
“This is an opportunity for farmers to get out and question politicians and decide who they are going to vote for,” Mr Cochrane said.
Rowell Watson, candidate for the seat of Maranoa for Katter’s Australian Party, also attended the Warwick meeting.
Mr Watson said desperately needed policy changes could help salvage the industry from even further decline.
