June 2010 edition
Dairy Directions – Outcomes from 2010 Priority Setting for the North East
Nathan Shannon, DPI Wodonga
In April/May 2010, each of the five regional networks hosted a Murray Dairy funded Dairy Directions Priority Setting Workshop. At each workshop, Geoff Akers, Dairy Australia Board member presented the preliminary findings of the ‘Inquiry into Dairying in the Lower Murray-Darling Basin’ to participants. This information formed a background against which participants could then analyse what their farming system might look like into the future and what their needs may be. Participants were asked to describe any new or improved skills and knowledge they as farmers, or industry would require to successfully run their farm business in five years time. They were then asked for ideas on how these needs could be addressed.
Participants from the North East workshop focused on four major areas:
Improved Business Management Skills
- Issue: Empower farmers to make sense of where they take their business into the future at a systems level. How: A Dairy Business Network (DBN)/Feeding Pastures For Profit (FPFP) hybrid package will enable farmers to make confident decisions about their future. This would involve discussion around the topics of cow number, land/water ownership/leasing, expansion, succession, labor, plant upgrades, and equity management etc.
Optimising the use of current resources - Grow and use more feed and feed cows profitably.
- Issue: Enable farmers to optimise the use of their current resources (cows, land and water) and opportunities. How: Through the continued delivery of the Feeding Pastures For Profit Program with experienced deliverers.
- How: More ‘local research and extension’ similar to the 30:30 Partner Farm, such as a Focus Farm, where alternate crops/perennials (lucerne, sulla, chicory, wheat, sorghum etc.) can be trialed and measured (quality and quantity). This would allow ‘best management practices’ such as sowing technique, fertilising, and grazing/harvesting to be developed as well as the risks associated with each species to be assessed in a whole farm perspective for our region. Bigger Field Day events at a Focus Farm could then attract larger groups together to get more diverse discussion and learning’s.
Human Resources (HR)
- Issue: Attracting quality labor and new entrants into the dairy industry: Targeting people who have limited contact with the dairy industry and who are looking for an opportunity to see what it is like. Encouraging/supporting those with a passion for the industry to remain involved through financially tough periods such as drought and low milk prices.
- Issue: Succession Planning How: An expert on succession planning could deliver an information session/workshop on the issues to be considered.
Animal Management
- Issue: Information on milk quality and herd fertility is already available so more research isn’t needed. Communication of these principles/practices is where the focus needs to be. How: Suggested activities included:
-
- A series of ‘Cups On, Cups Off’ courses run throughout the region is a first step in addressing the milk quality issue.
- A series of ‘InCalf’ or modified InCalf delivery sessions.
- Farm walks/field days where InCalf or Countdown Downunder principles are being used successfully.
For more information on the Dairy Directions Priority Setting process, or if you would like to be involved in future planning events, please contact Nathan Shannon, DPI, Wodonga on (02) 6043 7961 or Sarah Parker, Murray Dairy, Tatura on (03) 5833 5316.
