CALLS for dairy to feature in Australia's free trade discussions with China invaded the social media feeds of more than 1.6 million people last Monday.
The #FTA4dairy twitter selfie campaign is another step in Australian Dairy Farmers' (ADF) efforts to highlight the cause with decision makers and the wider public.
ADF chief executive officer Natalie Collard said the social media efforts were about giving Australians the knowledge that dairy was an important part of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
"We've been working closely with politicians and will continue working with them on this matter, but this was about bringing a human face to what is a complex issue," Ms Collard said.
"We are seeking an FTA something to the equivalent of New Zealand with no volume cap.
"This would mean that between 2016 to 2025 there would be a saving of $630 million for our industry."
Ms Collard said farmers, processors, politicians, students and consumers alike had been uploading, retweeting via twitter and spreading the word.
Among the community support was comedian Wil Anderson, Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie and Shadow Agriculture Minister Joel Fitzgibbon.
The WAFarmers office also got behind the campaign, with dairy section president Phil Depiazzi outlining that an FTA including dairy would secure a future and local jobs for the industry.
"We could see happen in Australia and in WA what has happened with the dairy industry in New Zealand and that would be ideal," he said.
"Access to this market would stimulate growth to the industry beyond what we would see otherwise.
"The dairy industry is a major employer across the country and is important to the wellbeing of many Australians, all agricultural goods should receive a fair hearing at the table."
Since New Zealand gained an FTA in 2008, dairy exports have increased by eight per cent.
