The Queensland Dairyfarmers’ Organisation (QDO) has withdrawn its application for the Fair Go Dairy logo following the successful ADPF appeal against the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) authorisation of the logo. The Fair Go Dairy logo was meant to signal to consumers that dairy products bearing the mark were made with 80% milk from Queensland dairy farmers who had been paid no less than the “Sustainable and Fair Farmgate Price”, determined by a formula as a cost of production and the CPI adjustment rate.

However, in its appeal the ADPF pointed to the use of the Fair Go logo as likely to mislead consumers and give rise to inefficiencies in the operation of Queensland dairy farms. ADPF said many processors operating in Queensland would be incapable of satisfying the requirement to use 80% of Queensland sourced milk, thus excluding processors from using the logo even if they did pay a fair price for milk. Further, ADPF added that the formula determining the fair price is inherently unreliable and likely to mislead consumers.

In an opinion piece, QDO said it was disappointed that it is not able to use the Fair Go Dairy logo, however, defending the application in court would be too costly for a small organisation such as QDO. The QDO said it will look at other ways to provide consumers clarity about which dairy products pay a fair price to Queensland dairy farmers.