The NSW and federal governments has provided a $6 million grant to NSW's dairy sector to help the industry recover from the impacts of bushfire and drought, and to be more profitable in a changing dairy market.
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The grant is part of a $16 million co-investment with the private sector.
The new dairy research and development program will be led by University of Sydney's Dairy Research Foundation with further significant contributions from Dairy Australia, the private sector, and the broader NSW and national dairy industries.
The five-year plan will deliver 10 projects which will give significant benefits to the NSW dairy industry and its farmers.
Director of the Dairy Research Foundation at Sydney University, Professor Yani Garcia said the funding will help the program "unlock the potential for producing milk in NSW".
The program is based on three pillars according to Professor Garcia; to increase productivity and profitability of the dairy industry, to help farmers address the risk of calamities like biosecurity crises and bushfires and to develop new milk markets including leveraging dairy beef.
Part of the projects will include researching the potential of kikuyu based pastures, maximizing milk from pastures through monitoring land with satellites and examining the economics and environmental impact of intensive farming practices like housing cows in hard-floored barns.
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Farmer and Dairy Advocate Ian Zandstra welcomed the funding and said farmers will have to change to stay in the dairy game.
"The main reason we've got to get a better performance from our livestock is due to the changing economics of the dairy industry with most farms growing to a size where they have to conserve, or purchase more feed for their dairy cows," he said.
The government grant is from Stage One Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund - Sector Development Grants.
Kiama MP Gareth Ward said this investment would help farmers secure the upswing they have been experiencing, with new figures from the NSW Government revealing an up-to three-fold increase in profitability.
"Industry asked for more investment in research and development and we've responded with a $6 million investment towards a $16 million project," Mr Ward said.
"Our farmers across our region are a pretty tough bunch, but they are not in this alone - the NSW Government stands shoulder to shoulder with them to help prepare for the future.
"This grant will help them navigate away from the trying conditions of the last few years and help them to secure their position as world-leading dairy farmers."
