Although they aren't irrigators, dairy farmers are concerned the lack of water available combined with the dry outlook ahead could spell the end for farms that have been in families for generations.

The inaugural Murray Muster saw farmers from the Murray region diverge on Dookie, Kialla and Kyabram over two days with Thursday's session titled the volatile water market bringing to the surface continued concern.

The session saw a panel of five dairy farmers speak about challenges they are facing when it comes to water which included Dederang dairy farmer and Alpine Valley Dairy representative Scott McKillop

"It is pretty dire at the moment," he said.

"Generally speaking we try to be optimistic but the reality is there are more farmers thinking about exiting the industry around our area because of the state of water.

"The forecast is drier than average for winter and if it doesn't rain there is going to be more farmers call it quits."

The discussion was around water pricing, water availability, what farmers are doing to manage risk and what their plans are if dry conditions continue.

"Murray Dairy contributes over $2 billion to the economy and we produce 23 per cent of the nation's milk," Mr McKillop said.

"There are valuable skills in our area but farmers need to have security about water and need to have a level of comfort with how they are going to continue for the next five years.

"The feeling was politicians need to listen to us about what is happening and the inability of people to farm and create food without good water planning.

"Politicians need to be accountable. It is too simplistic to look at purely the economic outcomes of the Murray Darling Basin Plan.

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"There has to be admission that the plan hasn't worked."

New Zealand dairy company Fonterra announced on the same day as the muster it would close it's Dennington plant in south-west Victoria and said keeping the plant open was "not viable" in the current market and the drought conditions represent the "new norm for the Australian dairy industry".

"The closure could have a downstream impact on Murray dairy farmers," Mr McKillop said.

"It could impact the milk price and if contracts can't be met.

"You wonder about the Saputo factories and what the future holds for changes to the dairy industry."

Mr McKillop said Australians, and in particular those in the Murray Dairy region, need to support their farmers.

"It needs to be about education to the broader community to get people to understand what value we have, we are the food producers, and that way we can get more trained staff out to farms to continue producing that food," he said.

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