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Our History and Values

We were founded in 2012 with a simple vision: to help dairy farmers get the best prices for their milk. Since then, we’ve partnered with more than 140 Victorian dairy farmers to offer competitive and reliable prices for milk at the farmgate. 

As an Australian-owned milk co-operative, we have a unique role: directly supporting our members, while ensuring a continual supply of high-quality milk to processors. Our suppliers appreciate ADFC’s transparent, fair, and cooperative working practices in an increasingly challenging business environment.

We are a community-based organisation that are guided by co-operative principles

We operate with honesty, transparency and fairness. We believe the key to a thriving Australian dairy industry lies with farmers running profitable businesses so they can invest back into their farms. With security assured, farmers can produce quality milk, adhere to best practice in animal welfare, care for the environment and become employers of choice.

Our Values

The Four Cs

ADFC is defined by our four C’s and all our actions, decisions and investments are guided by these core values.

Collaborative

Our work with Victorian dairy farmers shows how collaboration helps us achieve predictable, sustainable, and competitive prices.

Collaborative

The ADFC negotiates prices that are fair for all farmers, regardless of their supply patterns. Our suppliers do not compete with one another. Whatever profit the ADFC makes is invested straight back into our organisation, not the pockets of external shareholders: ensuring that our operations remain viable and effective into the future.

Co-operative

Every milk supplier we work with becomes a shareholding member of the ADFC.

Co-operative

A majority of our directors are also share-holding suppliers. At every level, ADFC farmers are invested in the success of the organisation. As such, our business decisions are consistently focussed on maximising returns for dairy farmers in the short and long-term.

Choice

With a flat milk price structure, our members are free to choose the production pattern that fits their operation best.

Choice

Prospective members can choose between exclusive and non-exclusive contracts. ADFC suppliers do not have to fit a standard farm model to get the best prices.

Cost-effective

We are committed to providing value to ADFC members in every aspect of our business.

Cost-effective

Our operating budget is tight, recognizing that suppliers can hold the managing board to account in every decision they make. You can count on the ADFC to make good on its promise of value for money.

View our constitution

The ADFC Constitution demonstrates, the quality of its principles, the value of its philosophy, the simplicity of its structure, and the transparency of its purpose.

Download Constitution

Our people

Meet the team

ADFC is run by a small management team alongside ADFC’s Board of Directors, so lets meet the ADFC team:

Andrew Sutton

General Manager

See Bio

Paul Casey

Financial Controller & Company Secretary​

See Bio

Ron Page

Operations Manager & Company Secretary​

See Bio

Peter Mulheron​

Director and Chair (South West Victoria)

See Bio

Wendy Brown

Farm Liaison Officer

See Bio

Jade Sieben

Director and Vice-Chair (Northern Victoria)

See Bio

Rod Slattery

Non-Supplier Director

See Bio

Ben Croatto

Director (Gippsland)

See Bio

Interested in becoming a partner or farmer?

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Suite 204, 757 Bourke St Docklands Victoria 3008

03 9602 1157

[email protected]

Copyright 2024 ADFC All rights reserved

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Andrew Sutton

General Manager

Andrew commences his new role at ADFC with over 30 years in the dairy industry. Andrew grew up on a dairy farm in Northern Victoria and brings a passion and commitment from the industry that will only strengthen ADFC for the future. Andrew’s long associations and connections within the dairy industry brings secure relationships with processors, logistic companies and like-minded dairy farmers to enrich ADFC’s position within the dairy industry for the betterment of all ADFC shareholdersuppliers equally. 

Paul Casey

Financial Controller & Company Secretary​

Joining ADFC in June 2018, Paul is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Certified Accountants (FCCA) and an Associate Member of CPA Australia. For the past 24 years Paul has worked in senior finance positions for large multinationals, SMEs and Federal Government entities in London, Melbourne and Abu Dhabi. This experience includes a variety of industries such as construction, manufacturing, advertising, Not for Profit and Government sectors.

Ron Page

Operations Manager & Company Secretary​

Ron helped germinate ADFC into the unique company that it is today. Ron has been intimately involved in the development, growth and viability of ADFC. Ron qualified from the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has held numerous board positions over many years for State Government and non-Government business in a range of industries. Ron’s commitment to primary industry is supported by a range of qualifications from Sydney and Melbourne universities. Intimately involved with dairy farmers nationally for the last two decades, Ron is well supported to help provide good governance within ADFC.

Peter Mulheron​

Director and Chair (South West Victoria)

Peter joined the ADFC board in April 2017 after being part of the advisory committee. He had the role of Deputy Chair for 3 years before being elected Chairman in February 2022. Peter and his wife Trish along with their son James, milk around 240 cows on their farm in Swan Marsh in Southwest Victoria. He is a fourth-generation dairy farmer who has beenrunning their farm, (which has been in the family since 1906) since his father retired in 1996.

After leaving school he came home to work on the farm and completed a four-year agricultural apprenticeship. Peter continued his education and upskilling, participating in various agricultural, computer and financial courses. Peter has extensive expertise in board governance and procedure having served on many and varied boards over the years. He has held positions on school boards (both primary and secondary). He has been involved in various local shire committees including Swan Marsh, Pirron Yalock and Irrewillipe Recreation Reserves.

He has had many roles and board positions at local football club level and served on the board of the Colac District Football Netball League for 15 years, as treasurer, vice chairman and eventually as Chairman for 4 years. He was also the Colac Area Manager for the Hampden Region for Auskick, Vline cup and the Geelong Falcons. He was a member of the Beechey Precinct Planning Group and Colac Central Reserve Management committee which lobbied and oversaw the multimillion-dollar upgrade of the Colac Central Reserve sporting precinct. Peter is also currently on the Colac RSL committee, after he was approached to assist its financial recovery after going into receivership during COVID. He is a member of Australian Institute of Company Directors, having completed the relevant education to assist in his role at ADFC.

Peters aim is to continue to work with board and management to achieve fairness for all our farmers and to have some input into creating and continuing a dairy cooperative that will enable all ADFC suppliers to have a sustainable future.

Wendy Brown

Farm Liaison Officer

Wendy comes to ADFC to support and help the operation team.

Wendy has worked within the industry for many years and has been involved with many industry projects and changes placed on suppliers and companies to comply in an ever-changing commercial world.

She brings to the business a wealth of knowledge and passion in all aspects of the dairy process from the farm, transport, and through to manufacturing.

She strives to ensure quality and compliance through this process. Wendy has formed and maintained a strong working relationship with farmers and service providers within the industry.

Jade Sieben

Director and Vice-Chair (Northern Victoria)

Jade joined the ADFC Board in November 2021 as the representative of the Northern Supply Region. Jade has been a dairy farmer for approximately 20 years and has supplied ADFC since the start of the company. Jade has an Associate Diploma of Applied Science Animal Production from the University of Queensland Grattan College. She has also been on the Holstein National Judging panel for 25 years and regularly is invited to judging at various shows around the country. Jade has also been the part president of the North West Sub-branch and had been the secretary for the past 7 years.

Rod Slattery

Non-Supplier Director

Rod joined the ADFC Board in June 2017 as a Non-Supplier Director.

Rod is a Chartered Accountant and has over 30 years experience working in a professional environment, with PPB Advisory (17 years) and PwC (18 years), working closely with all levels of agribusiness, in consultation with financiers and advisors to provide strategic advice to achieve the best outcomes for all key stakeholders. Rod is based in regional Victoria (small farm on the Bellarine Peninsula) and is sensitive to the economic and personal impact unique to dairy families and local communities. Rod is married to Anna and they have three children.

Ben Croatto

Director (Gippsland)

Ben was duly elected onto the ADFC Board at the 2022 ADFC AGM.

Representing the Gippsland region of ADFC’s supply base, Ben owns the family farm which has been built up over many years of extensive direct and indirect industry and hands on experience.

In partnership with wife Bron and their 5 children, Ben’s confidence in the future of dairying is evident in his commitment to ADFC and all the family farms that supply and support ADFC.