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Page Last Updated:
Monday, 7 April 2008 |
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| The dairy industry is the primary industry sector within Wellington Shire which hosts approximately 27 per cent of the dairy farms in Gippsland. Quality pastures are produced due to a mild climate, high quality soils, a reliable supply of water and well established irrigation systems.
The dairy industry in Wellington Shire employs approximately 1629 individuals with the average age of farmers increasing to 46-53 years of age over the past 40 years.
A majority of Wellington Shire's income comes from livestock and livestock products. Milk production for Wellington Shire in 2005-2006 was valued at over $181 million or an average of $497 000 per day. Wellington Shire currently has 477 dairy farms, in which 380 are located in the Macalister Irrigation District.
The Macalister Irrigation District is a flood irrigation area with free draining and fertile soils producing ideal dairy products for export. Known as the power house of the dairy industry, the Macalister Irrigation District covers farms in the area surrounding Maffra, Heyfield, Briagolong and Stratford.
Currently in Gippsland there are 12 dairy factories in operation collecting and processing milk with one major source being the Murray Goulburn Cooperation located in Maffra.
The Murray Goulburn Cooperative was formed in 1950 and is now the largest processor of milk in Australia, processing over 35 per cent of the nation’s milk into quality products. The Murray Goulburn Cooperative have contracts with 90 per cent of the dairy farmers in the region and operates two depots in the shire, the biggest in Maffra, to service the dairy industry adequately.
The Maffra processing plant produces full cream butter powder, skim milk powder, butter milk powder, anhydrous milk fat, butter and specialist ingredients. The surrounding milk collection area extends from Stratford to Yarram.
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