South Australian Farmers March Against Government Loans, Favor of Overhaul

Victorian (Australian state) farmers have gathered to the nationwide rally against what they perceive are the government’s anti-agricultural policies, national media reported Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Farmers in the southeastern Australian state of Victoria brought their tractors, buses and cattle to major cities for a nationwide rally against what they perceive are the government’s anti-agricultural policies, national media reported Wednesday.

Farming lobby group Farmer Power stands against retrospective milk price cuts and calls for a tax of 0.50 Australian dollars ($0.36) for every liter of fresh milk sold, the country’s ABC broadcaster reports.

"[Farmers] do not need any more loans, they're at the end of their line of credit now," Farmer Power vice president Alex Robertson was quoted responding to the government extending a low-interest loan scheme.

Slogans "you want a latte, you need a farmer" were reportedly heard in downtown Melbourne, with similar processions expected in Brisbane and Adelaide.

The outlet cites Farmer Power calling for a complete overhaul of the agricultural industry.

Another lobbying group United Dairy Farmers of Victoria (UDV), absent from the rally, reportedly gathered its committee in a boardroom to discuss next steps.

UDV President Adam Jenkins was cited as saying the group did not support either the calls to reform the industry or the 50-cent milk taxes. Instead, Jenkins said Victorian farmers needed to work with decision-makers on "realistic" solutions to the crisis.