Some consumers are seeking dairy products that align with their personal values and preferences. There have been requests from consumers on ARMM's Facebook page for a list of dairies in Australia who farm with ethical, sustainable and particularly high animal welfare practises. Recently a post about the winners of the Delicious Awards 2017 reinforced that these farmers wish to connect too. This list, started in May 2017, is an attempt to create a farm-to-consumer link. It is a free community service.

Research show the conscious consumer desire to have direct access to detailed information about what went into the production of their dairy products. They care about the quality of the milk, the welfare of the animals, and the wellbeing of the farmer. Some dairy farmers also desire to have direct access to this information to create a niche product that consumers will love above others. This trend shows that consumer preference and values will dominate in a real free market. In general, the dairy industry in Australia have lost touch with what the consumer really wants.

Overseas raw dairy examples show that consumers have a variety of particular preferences because they’ve become educated. Raw dairies can act on these preferences because of a strong personal relationship, and consumers who are willing to pay for it. Consumer preferences, and access to a product that's in demand, are the driving engine, and it changes the economics of running a farm. Here in Australia it is illegal to sell raw milk (from cows) for human consumption, and it’s keeping many farmers and consumers separate from each other. The millennials and the younger generations in Australia often don’t understand the huge differences that can exist in farming practices, or how that influences the quality of the food, the nutrient-density and the health benefits of the food. They sometimes have no idea that ethical and sustainably farmed animal products even exists. There is a recognition though, that industrial agriculture practices and the animal products they produce are increasingly unpalatable, for a variety of reasons.

In this video, Joe Gretschmann from Elgaar Farm say that many industries have a long history of ignoring consumer demand for ethical, high quality food. It is up to the community to build networks that supports it, for themselves. It is up to producers to decide if they want to participate in this directory (because they know their farming operation). Dairy farmers, please submit your information via the submission form at the bottom of this page if you would like to become listed.

Here is a short list of some of the things raw milk consumers are asking for in other countries:  organic, 100% grass-fed (learn why here), pasture-raised from regenerating pastures, slaughter-free, no antibiotics, no grain feeding, soy free, cottonseed free, no spent brewers grain, no pellets with unknown ingredients, no synthetic fertilisers, herbicedes or pesticides used on the farm, no chemicals with antibiotic properties, unhomogenised milk, use of glass bottles, keeping the calves (at foot) with their mothers and the herd, employment of nanny cows, raising bobby calves, on-farm festivals, animal welfare certifications or animal welfare assurances etc. Consumers want ‘food with a face’, the story behind how the animals were raised, to visit the farm and PROVENANCE. Consumers also don’t want GMOs, which is something that is now silently abundant in the feed supplements of dairy cows in Australia.

Learn more about sustainable alternatives here or hop straight to this story about pioneer Fiona Provan's The Calf at Foot Dairy. Also learn about Ahimsa slaughter-free milk here. The U.K. now has its own directory website where consumers can find dairies who keep the calves with their mums.

Scroll down to find dairies in your state:

How Now Dairy Co, Wunghnu

Website and Facebook,  Email: cathy@ethicaldairy.com.au
Family owned and operated, located in Northern Victoria. On our farm we don't separate our calves from their mums. We keep cow and calf together and share the milk. Our cows roam pastures with an abundance of trees for shelter. We never send a calf to slaughter. There are no pesticides used on our farm and no antibiotics in the milking herd. Click here to see a recent newspaper article about the dairy.

Mother Cow Dairy

Website Email: info@mothercowdairy.com.au