Amnesty extension a win for Victorian dairy farmers

The United Dairyfarmers of Victoria (UDV), the dairy commodity of the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF), has welcomed the announcement by the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) to extend the Dairy Shed Water Licence Transition Program amnesty until 26 March 2010.

UDV President Chris Griffin said the extension would give dairy farmers additional time to discuss their situation with their water corporation and apply to license the water used in their dairy shed without facing any penalties.

“It is no secret that many Victorian dairy farmers have had a number of concerns with the licensing of dairy wash down water. The UDV and VFF have been working with government to find the solutions needed to relieve these concerns. The extension of the amnesty period is a welcomed step on this important issue,” Mr Griffin said.

“The UDV and VFF have always maintained that four aspects of the program need to be adequately addressed to achieve its intended objectives. These are, the need for a Section 51 Take and Use license for unregistered farm dams; the application and on-going fees associated with registering a farm dam; Goulburn-Murray Water (G-MW)’s license fees that are applied to all types of applications under this program; and the metering requirements for licenses issued under this amnesty program.

“The UDV and VFF will continue to work with all levels of government to address these issues to secure the best outcomes for our members. It is essential that all dairy farmers have certainty and security over their water sources to ensure the sustainability of their farm businesses,” Mr Griffin concluded.