<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national" rel="" target="_blank" title="Australian "><span>Australian</span></a><span> dairy farmers are calling for stricter labelling laws so that their plant-based competitors cannot use the word "milk".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/uk" rel="" target="_blank" title="UK "><span>UK</span></a><span> Supreme Court last month ruled that Swedish company Oatly could no longer trademark or use the phrase "post milk generation" on its products following a lengthy legal battle by Dairy UK.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australian Dairy Farmers president Ben Bennett wants the federal government to follow suit with mandatory rules, saying milk should come from an animal and not a marketing department.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australia-economy-growth-stronger-than-expected/3d2aaffd-f99c-4a7e-a7db-258724e59940" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>'Good signs' for interest rates after economy growth stronger than expected</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"You hardly really milk an almond tree," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I think we just need to be a bit more honest about the language we use."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Bennett has been a dairy farmer in south-west Victoria for the past 20 years and knows first-hand just how much effort goes into producing milk.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/dairy-farmers-want-to-reclaim-the-word-milk-from-plantbased-competitors/29b42457-2d05-4d8d-a361-76836ca9f907" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He said plant-based alternatives are "effectively a juice" with different nutritional value and calcium levels from the real thing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We're all competing for the consumer's dollar, and rightly so," he said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The consumer should have the opportunity to have a transparent, informed perspective for the product that they're consuming, and they are distinctly different."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/victoria-measles-outbreak-vaccine-push/8432fc81-4406-42c8-aeb1-2015a372cbe5" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>One state announces vaccine push as measles outbreak grows</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australia has voluntary labelling guidelines outlined in an industry code of practice.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The federal government put $1.5 million in the 2024-25 budget towards a review of plant-based and alternative protein labelling and commissioned Food Standards Australia New Zealand to conduct a rapid review, market survey, and a consumer survey.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That research found that Australians can accurately identify plant-based products.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>They did not believe plant-based products are nutritionally equivalent to animal counterparts and are not confused about ingredient content. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The government will, therefore, work with the Alternative Proteins Council to strengthen the code of practice. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>​This will provide clearer guidance by discouraging animal imagery, limiting meat-specific terminology, improving the prominence of plant-based qualifiers, and establishing a complaints mechanism.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australians-extra-week-of-leave-per-year/3f69eacf-298c-411f-8a61-0e7cc1c35af6" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Unions launch bid to give Aussies an extra week of annual leave</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Australian consumers should be able to clearly identify both traditional and alternative protein sources," </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/agriculture" rel="" target="" title="Agriculture "><span>Agriculture</span></a><span> Minister Julie Collins said in late January.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But Bennett's message to plant-based manufacturers is simple.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I think it's time that they rode their own boat and stopped endeavouring to emulate us. If they're so confident in the product, try having your own name," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>9news.com.au has contacted Oatly and the Alternative Proteins Council for comment.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>