DAIRY processors have received no indication they'll receive any extra compensation for the price on carbon.
That's despite rumours the Federal Government is trying to find a way to soften the impact on the sector through regulation, at the behest of rural independents Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott.
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The key independents are believed to have met with government on the issue of compensation for the dairy sector but no gains were made in the Clean Energy Bill which passed the House of Representatives last week.
Mr Oakeshott told The Weekly Times $150 million was available to the dairy industry as part of the package to compensate high energy users in food processing.
"For dairy farmers, the $1.8 billion land sector package has a number of projects worth looking at in detail, and the lifting of the tax-free threshold is also worth consideration in personal circumstances," Mr Oakeshott said.
Mr Windsor did not return calls.
Murray Goulburn general manager industry and government affairs Robert Poole said the food processing package was welcome, but "won't address the whole issue".
"The Carbon Farming Initiative is unlikely to present any support for dairy," Mr Poole said.
"Tree planting is of minimal assistance to the dairy industry because of our high value, relatively small acreages."
The industry said it should receive further compensation as an emissions-intensive trade-exposed industry but it could not convince government.
Victorian Farmers Federation president Andrew Broad said dairy should be considered emissions-intensive and trade-exposed.
A spokeswoman for Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig said individual dairy processors could apply to be assessed by the Department of Climate Change.
"Dairy processors will be eligible under the $200 million Clean Energy Technology Food and Foundries Program.
"Of this $150 million is specifically for the food and beverages sector," the spokeswoman said.
