Quota exchange adhering to divisive history

SINCE its introduction more than 20 years ago the milk quota regime has been strewn with problems, court actions, conflict, allegations of cheque book rule, and dissatisfaction by those who received (too little) quota and those who qualified for none in the allocations.

There was the EU court Mulder case, the outcome of which still baffles many logical thinking farmers, and the Development Farmers action, which went to the Supreme Court before the affected farmers received what appeared to have always been their justifiable entitlement.

The Milk Quota Review Group — comprising of representatives from the various sectors including dairy farmers to advise the Minister of the day on quota regulations, had the most difficult task, but over time achieved a respected balance within constraints.