And the ADF president, Ben Bennett, warned that a free trade agreement with the EU was neither free nor fair for Australian dairy farmers.
National Farmers’ Federation president Hamish McIntyre said farmers wanted an agreement with the EU, but not one that cemented an uneven playing field.
“Agriculture and food have always been hard to negotiate in global trade, but that only increases the importance of landing a good outcome. Australia has a proud history of pushing the benefits of open trade not just as a pillar of our economy, but for the world,” Mr McIntyre said.
“We know the government is keen to land a deal. But we should not accept a subpar agreement for agriculture.”
Mr Bennett said a free trade agreement with the EU posed a greater risk now than ever before, as the operating environment for dairy had deteriorated significantly in recent years.
“The EU exports more than 70,000 tonnes of subsidised dairy to Australia each year, yet Australia exports only 1500 tonnes in return,” he said.
“This proposed agreement would fully open the Australian market for EU producers, but the EU is unwilling to reciprocate for Australian dairy.
“The EU is the world’s biggest cheese producer by a country mile, and the Australian market is a drop in the ocean when compared to their production. We’re worried that even a modest increase in EU imports, combined with favourable trade terms, could open the floodgates on the local industry.
“The EU’s reluctance to not fully open its market is unfair and unjustified — especially given the EU’s highly subsidised agricultural markets.
“The EU wants Australia to ban the use of names like parmesan, feta and romano, but these are common names that have been used here for generations.”
Australia could seal a long-awaited trade deal with the European Union within months as the prime minister leaves the door open to shifting on key sticking points.
Anthony Albanese met with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Johannesburg after earlier indicating negotiations on the agreement could be finalised by early 2026.
Trade Minister Don Farrell said his talks in Melbourne with his European counterpart were also positive, adding there was renewed optimism on a deal being struck after years of failed negotiations.
– with AAP
