Photo: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images.

People are showing their support for local dairy farmers by posting images of empty milk shelves at Coles and Woolworths.

The “milk crisis” has been spurred by dairy giants Murray Goulburn and Fonterra who slashed the price of milk solids from $5.60 a kilogram to between $4.75 and $5 leaving local milk farmers to be paid less than production costs.

Struggling farmers also haven’t been helped by the sale of home brand milk at $1-per-litre at major supermarkets including Coles and Woolworths.

In response, supporters have created a group on Facebook called “Dairy Farmers Need Your Help please” which has already garnered close to 50,000 members.

In the group, many people have posted photos of empty milk shelves at their local supermarket leaving only the discounted milk products.

Members have also posted complaints suggesting that Coles and Woolworths have not restocked the shelves of branded milk in an attempt to get customers to buy the remaining “unbranded milk”.

“They (dairy farmers) deserve to make a decent living and a fair return on their investment. Right now many of them feel as though they’re feudal serfs,” said independent senator Nick Xenophon who called for a temporary levy on milk on Friday.

“If we don’t act now the dairy industry with its 6000 farmers will shrink to a level from which it may never recover.”

Here’s a look at the empty shelves below:

https://instagram.com/p/BFqX-GXNhBV/?tagged=brandedmilk

If I could buy a product that would make Supermarket execs go broke, I'd buy it. @Coles @Woolsworth #milkcrisis pic.twitter.com/D3us08ncVP — Rob Török (@Torok762) May 21, 2016

Fridge section in Coles, totally sold out of all brand-name milk, only Coles-brand left. #milkcrisis pic.twitter.com/hJewoYv6UY — Gareth (@liquidparanoia) May 19, 2016

Here’s a list of Australian produced, brand name milk, cheese and yoghurt that consumers have been urged to support.

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