Processors appealed a decision of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission that approved the labeling in March.

The farmers dropped their plan because they couldn’t afford the cost of fighting the appeal.

The Queensland Dairyfarmers’ Organisation’s (QDO) ‘Fair Go’ logo, which was set to be launched this year, was designed in conjunctions with the state government to help consumers identify dairy processors and brands paying farmers a sustainable price for milk produced in Queensland.

QDO president Brian Tessman said, “we jumped through so many hoops in lots of places, we’d set the launch date and it was almost there.”

“I think a lot of people in Queensland and a lot of places will be bitterly disappointed that it’s come to this.”

“It basically means that no matter what you do, unless you’ve got a huge pile of money behind you, then really you can’t put it up.”