Queensland dairy farmers Jason and Lisa Rozynski have been on a roller-coaster they feared would derail, after they were told by Maleny Dairies (the company they had been supplying for 10 years), their milk was no longer required and they had 90 days to find a new supplier.
Initially Jason thought it would just be a simple case of finding another supplier, but phone call after phone call ended in rejection.
“We were desperate and we did approach Maleny again to keep us on but they said no – we became extremely concerned about our future quite quickly after that,” Jason said.
The family has been farming in the Mary Valley for 80 years.
Jason left home at 15 to start his own career on the family farm and their two kids Payton and Angus are keen to continue the business into the future.
“It was always full steam ahead for our business.
“We had given no consideration to getting out of the industry at all and then this happened and for a while there we thought we would be forced out of the industry altogether.”
The family milks 600 Brown Swiss cows across two dairies and 1000 acres.
They remain passionate about the industry but their own personal experiences have highlighted some of the fundamental problems within the Queensland dairy industry.
“I suppose I have become a bit of an unofficial spokesperson for how badly the Queensland dairy industry is treated.
“Processors freight milk in and out when it suits them rather than support milk produced in this state.
“It’s a predatory attack on the industry and it is killing confidence, I have had so many other dairy farmers ring me and ask what the hell is happening here,” Jason said.
Jason said his predicament was a combination of a perfect storm of factors.
“Parmalat had just closed, spring production was up and processors were still trucking milk in from the south and there was just nowhere for us to go.
“Some of the major processors are just not supporting Queensland farmers and it is killing the industry.
“I mean, why would you invest in your business and spend money when our own processors would rather truck milk in from the south, than support local farmers.”
Fast forward to today and the Rozynskis are now happily supplying some of their milk to Kenilworth Dairies – a boutique processor who has launched a brand new product line specifically with the family’s milk – One Farm cream top and One Farm full cream.
The rest of their milk is going to Richmond Dairies at Casino.
The One Farm milk product has been flying out the door and Kenilworth Dairies can’t keep the shelves stocked.
“Public support has been critical for us and with consumers selling out our product, we do believe we are on the right track.
“Consumers want to know where their food comes from and they are willing to pay more if they know the product is good quality and produced locally.
“We have had people message us saying how they can’t believe how good the milk tastes and coffee shops can’t believe how well it froths – we have been drinking our own milk for a long time so we know how good it tastes and it is great the community can now share in that as well.
“We always knew our Brown Swiss milk was unique but that would get diluted in the tanker pick up so the public didn’t get to taste the difference.”
The lifeline has kept the family in business but Jason said he can’t deny the experience has left his confidence dinted.
“It really has been a roller-coaster. We don’t know whether to stay milking 600, cut numbers back or invest in any future growth.
“One thing this whole process has shown me is you don’t necessarily have to produce more to grow – a quality product will sell and the public will get on board if they can see and taste the difference.”
And social media has been a big part of that.
“Some of our reels have had a million views, I just can’t believe it,” Jason said.