And local farmers have come out fighting in defence of their industry and the way they treat their animals.

Dairy farmers have done it tough battling through deregulation and drought, and now the very essence of what they do is under fire.

Animal Liberation has come out strongly with an anti-dairy campaign.

They cite:

• Health risks from consuming too much dairy,

• Environmental damage from excess water use and

• Increases in greenhouse gas emissions caused by the production of dairy products.

While the arguments are strong and numerous they can’t deflect the fact that if the demand for dairy was not there, dairy farming would not exist.

After 55 years in dairying, Kangaroo Valley farmer Bob Cochrane is shocked to hear the attack on dairy farmers and feels obliged to stick up for his industry.

Mr Cochrane says he is disappointed and frustrated to see people, who are not associated with the land and who don’t understand the nurturing that farmers provide for their animals, attacking dairy farmers.

“It’s quite offensive.

"Farmers are practical people and people like Lynda Stoner and her group, who are ignorant of farming today, are rubbing farmers’ noses in the dirt,” he said.

“While I’m expecting this campaign to be a flash-in-the-pan thing we would welcome Lynda Stoner to spend a day on the farm and then I would be more than happy for her to point out the pitfalls of our operation.

“There is a global shortage of dairy products, we’re being encouraged by industry to supply more milk,” Mr Cochrane said.

Mr Cochrane has had a number of calls supporting him speaking up on behalf of dairy farmers.

“We care for our animals and the environment - if we didn’t it would be very bad management from a business point of view.

“People don’t see the nurturing that goes into pregnant cows before they give birth.”