Around June 2016 the public consciousness was focused on the plight of our local dairy farmers and we saw a massive increase in support from the local community. Thanks to our loyal customers and the hardworking team here at Maleny we have continued to enjoy this support. We are committed to making sure dairy farming remains sustainable and so we have created this list of 4 ways you can help support your local dairy farmers.
1 Buy Local
This is the obvious one; buy milk from local companies that support their farming families and pay them a fair and sustainable price for their raw milk. If you are unsure about which brands to buy, do your research, give the companies a call and ask them directly.
Branded milk is more expensive and here at Maleny Dairies, we make no apologies for this. We pass the profits back to our farmers by paying a higher price for their raw milk. This allows small farms to continue to make improvements, maintain machinery and look after their herds to the best of their ability which in turn leads to better milk quality. We encourage everyone to do what they can; whether that be buying our cream and custard at Christmas as a treat or having our Farmers Choice (Gold Top) every week, your choice makes a difference and we are grateful for your support.
2 Keep Asking Questions
The food and beverage industry is as big as it is complicated. We may not be sure where the food that ends up on our breakfast table has come from and even less idea about how it has been processed. We often get questions from people about where we source our milk from and the processes it goes through before it gets to the shelf. Keep asking questions so that you can be better informed about the food and drink you buy and make better decisions when you shop.
3 Preach
‘People power’ works! We often get emails from customers who have fought to get our yoghurts or flavoured milk in their local shop and won. If you love our products and your local shop is often running out of stock or does not stock us at all, ask to speak to the Dairy Manager. When they hear there is a demand for local, high-quality produce they will (fingers crossed) supply that demand. If you have already fought that battle and won then tell the world! Start with your family and friends, if they aren’t part of the Maleny Dairies family yet, get them to give us a try and once they have, we reckon we will have a new convert.
4 Educate the Kids
We all know where our milk comes from but believe it or not we get kids from the city visit us who have never seen a cow before. Being able to squirt milk straight into their hands from the udder and watching their faces light up as they taste real milk for the first time is a joy and is a big part of why we run our Farm and Factory Tours. When kids understand the origins of their food they value it more. These are, after all, the next generation of grocery buyers and the choices they make will guide the future of our industry. If you would like to visit us and learn more about where your milk comes from you can book online here.
Remember to share this article with your friends and tell us in the comments below how you support your local dairy farmers!
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