Australian Dairy Farmers Ltd.
Australian Dairy Farmers (ADF) is the national advocacy body representing dairy farmers across the six dairying states. Our mission is to improve the profitability and sustainability of dairy farmers in Australia. ADF was originally formed as the Australian Dairy Farmers Federation (ADFF) in 1942 by Victorian dairy farmer George Capstick Howey, as an unincorporated association to represent the national interests of dairy farmers. In 1993, ADFF was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee and the organisation’s name was changed to Australian Dairy Farmers Ltd. Over 70 years on from our formation, ADF is advocating more policies, in more areas than ever before. Lobbying for the rights of dairy farmers on many fronts, including trade, water, carbon, milk price and animal health and welfare issues, ADF has developed a strong collective voice to Government, industry and the community on national issues affecting dairy farmers and their profitability.
Company details
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- Business Type:
- Professional association
- Industry Type:
- Agriculture
- Market Focus:
- Nationally (across the country)
About Us
ADF’s constitution is comprised of a Board, National Council, six State Dairy Farmer Organisation (SDFO) members and five Policy Advisory Groups (PAGs).
Alongside the dairy processor representative body, the Australian Dairy Products Federation (ADPF), both organisations form the Australian Dairy Industry Council (ADIC). This partnership is unique to Australian agriculture in that it takes a unified, whole of industry approach to policy and advocacy.
DataGene is another organisation that develops programs to drive new science with a focus on the future of the national dairy herd. Formed in 1982 as an ADF initiative, DataGene specialise in improving Australian Breeding Values through genomics and delivering programs, such as the recently launched National Breeding Objective. ADF and Dairy Australia are major shareholders of DataGene.
Policy Advisory Groups
Policy Advisory Groups (PAGs) play a key role in setting Australian Dairy Farmers’ (ADF) advocacy objectives and driving policy formulation. They also help to ensure dairy interests are properly represented at a domestic and international level.
ADF has five policy focus areas, each with a dedicated PAG comprised of elected state farmer members. These groups are led by a farmer appointed Chair, working in collaboration with ADF policy officers to discuss priorities and strategic direction. PAGs recommend policy settings to ADF via the National Council and also act in an advisory capacity providing feedback to Dairy Australia, state dairy farmer organisations (SDFOs), and other bodies like the National Farmers' Federation and the Australian Dairy Products Federation.
PAGs are appointed by the ADF Board every year to ensure ADF business members with the right skills, talent and interest are involved, and can meet up to three times a year. While PAGs are not the primary decision-making bodies at ADF, the advice and perspective that they provide is invaluable in shaping ADF’s National Council and Board policy direction and advocacy efforts.
How We Work
Australian Dairy Farmers (ADF) is the national policy and advocacy body working to improve the profitability and sustainability of dairy farming in Australia. Representing Australia’s six dairying states, ADF state membership is comprised of representatives from Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. These state bodies are known as State Dairy Farmer Organisation (SDFO) members, whom ADF provides support and representation to on a national level.
Alongside the dairy processor representative body, the Australian Dairy Products Federation (ADPF), both organisations form the Australian Dairy Industry Council (ADIC). This partnership is unique to Australian agriculture in that it takes a unified, whole of industry approach to policy and advocacy. Through the ADIC, dairy farmers and processors work together to create a more prosperous and sustainable future by advocating to government, industry and the community.