Calfways Roadmap
The Calfways Roadmap is a strategy to help achieve the objectives of the Australian Dairy Farmers (ADF) 2022 Surplus Calves Policy.
The roadmap is currently in development by Dairy Australia, working with key dairy and beef industry members to ensure broad buy-in and commitment.
Roadmap objectives
The roadmap aims to connect both the beef and dairy supply chains to enable connections, market opportunities and funding to improve the value of non-replacement dairy calves.
The roadmap is designed to achieve the ADF 2022 Surplus Calves Policy objectives, which states that:
- By 2035 all dairy calves are able to enter a valued market chain.
- The Australian dairy industry and supply chain promotes responsible breeding and rearing strategies that has successful dairy and meat production and markets.
- There will be no on-farm routine euthanasia of viable calves unless there is no other option.
- The Australian dairy industry immediately prepares an industry strategy that brings together all members of the supply chain to deliver on the above objectives (e.g. the GB Calf Strategy 2020-2023). This should be underpinned by a range of aggressively funded service levy and commercial co-investment extension/demonstration projects.
- ADF and Dairy Australia to lead development of the strategy.
Roadmap development
Dairy Australia is contributing $160,000 over a two-year period to develop the roadmap. A reference group reflecting the dairy and beef supply chains is providing guidance to the development process and includes:
- Two dairy farmer representatives.
- Dairy processor representatives from the Australian Dairy Products Federation (ADPF) and the Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC).
- A representative from Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA).
- A representative from Dairy Australia.
Following a robust process that reviewed submissions from five shortlisted applicants, respected agricultural and agribusiness consulting firm Schuster Consulting Group were appointed to the roadmap project.
