MURRAY REGION AUGUST 2022 ISSUE 142 HELP TO TAKE NEXT STEP Murray and GippsDairy Young Dairy Networks recently caught up and shared ideas, heard from other farmers and toured Goulburn Valley Creamery. Page 6 The AD230 agrowdrill features our renowned design, melding tradition with modern technology and practicality. We’ve put the hard work in to bring you the toughest seed drill around. The 4 tool bar undercarriage with 442mm spacings consists of Agrowplow’s proven 425 Coil Tyne assembly for the best residual handling capability. The simple tyne unit features the renowned Baker Boot opener and is capable of single or double shooting. Smartly combined with the largest hopper capacity (605L or 710L) with dual lids to prevent cross contamination, superior trash handling capability, heavy duty wheel arm, renowned Australian made Titan axles and Alford phasing cylinders. SHEPPARTON Phone: (03) 5820 9700 375 Goulburn Valley HWY, Shepparton 3631 ECHUCA Phone: (03) 5481 3800 2/10 Murray Valley HWY, Echuca 3564 STOCK HAS ARRIVED IN TIME FOR THE NEW SEASON 425 COIL TYNE DOUBLE SEED ROLLERS SIMPLE CALIBRATION EFFICIENT CLEANING AD230 SEED DRILL The Agrowdrill will not only get the job done, but will achieve the best seeding result, season after season, in the most challenging conditions. ORDER NOW FOR THE NEW SEASON
Keep up to date with the Murray Dairy Events Calendar, online, for more information. Candidates have been selected and interviews conducted for the vacant Murray Dairy board positions. An independent selection committee was tasked with overseeing the recruitment process, with an outcome to take place at the AGM in October. Thank you to all who applied. Dairy Australia has partnered with the Victorian Government to fund a new campaign aimed at promoting Australian dairy as a safe, premium product in the key Asian markets of China, Japan and South-East Asia. ‘Thrive Together’ is an initiative designed to strengthen the brand of Australian dairy as a reliable trade partner and is focused around communicating five thematic areas: relationships, agility, quality, sustainability and place. Key messages are delivered via social and digital media, while tools and resources will be made available to farmers. Take care.
“These grants will help local organisations in many small towns to thrive with initiatives that range from COVID recovery and disaster preparedness, to improved digital capabilities and facility upgrades.” Allan Cameron
Andrew Tyler Murray Dairy chair
A FESTIVAL, new tools and improved digital access were among the projects funded in the northern Victorian dairy region through the Gardiner Dairy Foundation Community Grants Program.Theprogram is delivered by the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal and has been running for 20 years. The northern Victorian dairy region funded projects were:
couple of years have impacted remote, rural, and regional community groups and a great reminder of why it’s important to engage in conversations with the locals on the ground and find out how we can adapt our approach to better serve the needs of their communities.”Community groups were presented with their funds at a series of ceremonies held during June and July.
Grants boost communities
Chair’s message
Gardiner Dairy Foundation chief executive Allan Cameron, Jane Read and Tania Chiswell (Kyabram Development Board), Amanda Logie (Rochester Community House) and Jill Karena and Fiona Bradshaw (FRRR).
THE RECENT outbreak of foot and mouth disease confirmed throughout Indonesia (including Bali) is a timely reminder for farm owners to be vigilant with on-farm biosecurity. It is crucial that anyone stepping foot onfarm understands there is a high risk of FMD incursion into the country and are briefed on biosecurity best practice, including your biosecurity plan. If your biosecurity protocols need updating, there are resources available on the Dairy Australia website under: biosecurity.dairyaustralia.com.au Keep a close eye on stock and report any unusual signs in your cows including blisters in and around the mouth area, drooling and limping to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline by callingWith1800 675 888.areallystrong opening to the season’s milk price and an optimistic seasonal outlook locally, it is also an optimal time to consider farm business planning strategies into the short and long term future. Murray Dairy offers several programs that can be of assistance including Our Farm, Our Plan which works one-on-one with farm owners to help identify long term goals, improve business performance and manage volatility within the farmAcrossbusiness.August and September, Murray Dairy is hosting a series of in-person consultation and priority setting sessions with farmers and serviceThisproviders.isanexcellent opportunity to voice your thoughts and provide input to support Murray Dairy and Dairy Australia identify priority research, development and extension needs — including the next five-year phase of Dairy Feedbase investment.
■ Rochester Community House: To improve facilities and equipment to increase participation and safety with the purchase of new tools for the Rochester Men’s Shed ($2900). ■ Corryong Neighbourhood House: To grow the organisation’s capacity to support the community with the provision of computer equipment and software Gardiner($5000). Dairy Foundation chief executive Allan Cameron said he was delighted to continue supporting dairying communities. “These grants will help local organisations in many small towns to thrive with initiatives that range from COVID recovery and disaster preparedness, to improved digital capabilities and facility upgrades,” he said. “The grants help to ensure the viability of theseFRRRorganisations.”chiefexecutive officer Natalie Egleton said there was strong demand for this kind of support.“Half of the projects receiving funding are geared towards building organisational capacity or improving access to the internet or digital technologies,” she said. “This is a reflection of how the last
■ Kyabram Development Committee: To strengthen the social and economic outcomes of Kyabram through support of the Tastes and Tunes Festival ($5000).
Be vigilant with biosecurity
■ Girgarre Community Centre: To build the capacity of Girgarre Community House to increase community access to online services in collaboration with neighbouring town Stanhope ($5000).
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“I first got interested in farming when Sally’s parents bought 120 acres [48 ha] outside Melbourne and had beef cows. I used to help them and it took my interest,” Jamie said. “I applied to ag jobs everywhere, anywhere, but it took two years for someone to get back to me. “That’s including me doing a Cert IV in agriculture at the time. For a Melbourne person to get into the industry, it’s hard, even with a certificate.” In addition to being regarded with suspicion because of his non-rural roots, Jamie said he found some employers had no patience for new workers. Even today, as a farm owner with nearly 10 years’ experience in agriculture, Jamie said it wasn’t unusual to get talked down to. “Sally gets it worse than me, but I can say I’m 40 and they’ll believe it and respect me more,” the 33-year-old said. Jamie said he likely would’ve stayed an ag worker and made that his career if it wasn’t for a bad experience two years ago. The family left for a better employer and the impossible task of finding a cheap, reasonable, starter farm began.
“Previously you weren’t really sure who’d be coming and going with machinery and that, so you didn’t let them walk around,” he said. The children have their own cow, Maggie, who was given to them by a neighbour. “They are Collingwood supporters so they named her after the team,” Jamie said. “Unfortunately they are pretty attached.”
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2022 MURRAY REGION // 3
JAMIE WALFORD and Sally Rowe grew up in Melbourne, but by the age of 32 they were dairy farmers at Merrigum. The journey away from the big smoke to rural northern Victoria has been a difficult one and it’s taken a lot of perseverance to pull it off.
Merrigum dairy farmers Jamie Walford and Sally Rowe with sons Sam, 5, and Koby, 9. The family entered the dairy industry last year and are originally from Melbourne.
Bringing farmers together
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Sally spent a lot of her time travelling Victoria house hunting (or property prowling) looking at farms while Jamie worked. “I’d always wanted to own land, not so much a working farm, but a little space. Was this where I imagined we’d end up when we started out? Definitely not,” Sally said. Sally has her own background in agriculture and was in the industry before Jamie came along. After finishing high school, she went straight into a Bachelor of Equine and completed a scholarship in the United States before working in an Echuca piggery and at a show horse stable. “Then I had kids and that was the end of me,” Sally said — until farm ownership was brought up. It took two years of property prowling to secure the Previouslyfarm.the couple was looking to buy in south-west Victoria, but the banks wouldn’t play“Theball.farms we wanted were either too expensive or would take too much investment to get up and going, so the banks wouldn’t do it,” Sally said. “The hardest bit was trying to find a property in that starter price range. We were in the right place, right time to get this place (in Merrigum). I heard about it before it went on the market.”
Sam, 5, and Koby, 9, with Maggie, a calf they helped raise. Maggie hangs out in the teenager paddock with the likes of T-bone the steer, Rump, Scotch and Porter.
BY DANEKA HILL
Some of the farm’s springers. The couple negotiated a deal to purchase the entire farm — including livestock and machinery. It allowed them to walk right into an operating dairy and start cashing milk cheques immediately.
In May 2021, Jamie and Sally purchased their 46-hectare Merrigum dairy farm from a retiring couple for under a million dollars. “The day we settled, we milked that afternoon,” Sally said. “It was extremely difficult and we were extremely lucky to find this place. We had all our ducks in a row so when the right opportunity appeared, we could take it.” Sally had heard about the Merrigum farm one week before it was listed. She had a look around and made an offer. “They were quite happy with the really quick sale. We bought the cows, the machinery — they even left furniture in the house,” she said. “I was the one who purchased it really. Jamie didn’t see it before we bought.” Today the pair is milking 80 cows, supplying ACM and raising two kids on the farm. Sally said their five-year-old and nine-yearold sons had much better lifestyles on the family farm where they help out with the calves and ride their bikes down the lanes. Jamie said he’d noticed the children spending more time outside, too.
One year after the purchase of the Merrigum dairy farm, Sally said they’re still in a state of cleaning up and getting up to speed. “I’ve learnt you can always make it pretty later. It just needs to work,” she said. “We’ll keep the herd around 80 head and focus on improving the soils and infrastructure now. Once that’s done the cows will go up.”
Jamie said his goal was to buy some outblocks. “Or switch to a bigger farm in time. “My advice to anyone else thinking of doing this? Build up your stamina first.”
Jess Gavenlock from Tallygaroopna with Bluechip EV Shesaawesome Apple ET Red, the Elders Red Senior Champion Cow.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2022 4 // MURRAY REGION
Glen Gordon with Avonlea Rival Ruth, Supreme Senior Champion at this year’s National Herd Development Bendigo Winter Fair.
Andrew Cullen with Gorbro Arrow 1st Peaches.
Clare said another pleasing aspect of the fair was the great turnout of older kids across the junior section. “These kids are the future of our industry and it was great to see so many of them preparing cattle and out in the show ring.”
BY SOPHIE BALDWIN IT HAS been three years and three wins in a row for Cohuna breeders Gorbro Holsteins, after taking out Supreme Senior Champion with Avonlea Rival Ruth, at this year’s National Herd Development Bendigo Winter Fair. Glen Gordon said it was another outstanding show for the Gorbro team, taking home interme diate and reserve intermediate champion as well. “We had a great lead-up into the show and our string performed really well,” Glen said. “We took 10 in-milk cows and nine of them placed either first or second, so we are really pleased.”Organiser Clare Modra said the winter fair, held on June 30 in central Victoria, was another success for the hard-working team, despite their principal judge unable to attend due to COVID-19. “We thought this year we would finally be free of COVID but we were lucky Ben Govett stepped up for us. He did a great job in the ring, supported by Olivia Millhouse from Tasmania,” Clare said. She said numbers were again solid across the show with about 140 animals on the ground. “The quality of cattle was strong again this year and it was great to see some new exhibi tors joining us from Gippsland, the Riverina and northern Victoria.”
Glen Gordon with Ben Govett, who stepped in at the last minute to judge.
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Brad and Jess Gavenlock from Tallygaroopna were thrilled when Bluechip EV Shesaawesome Apple ET Red went back-to-back, winning Elders Red Senior Champion Cow for the second time in two years. “It was a stronger red show this year so it was pleasing to get the win,” Brad said. “She is such a great cow to work with, espe cially considering she is due to be dried-off in a couple of weeks.”
The Youth Excellence Award was won by Anna Dickson from Victoria’s Western District, after she received the highest points based across the junior handlers and junior judging. Kyabram’s Max Fisher received the Youth Encouragement Award. A highlight of the winter fair was the announcement of the Power of Women in Dairying Scholarship, which was awarded to Penny Welch. She will attend the World Dairy Expo in September.
The line-up for Class 7, winter 2021 calves.
Winter hat-trick for Gorbro
The Gavenlocks haven’t missed a winter fair since they returned home from the United States. “While it does have some challenges with the weather, this is an exhibitor-friendly show. It is run by dairy people and has such a great atmos phere,” Brad said. Clydevale Holsteins from Macorna also did well, taking out Reserve Senior Champion and Supreme Senior Udder with Clydevale Solomon Sunset ET.
Photos: John Holland
There was a great turnout for the youth classes at the Bendigo event.
THE ONSET of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent popularisation of online gath erings has given rise to the importance of run ning effective, productive and engaging industry meetings within the agricultural sector. In June, Murray Dairy engaged the services of Kristy Howard and Cynthia Mahoney to facili tate their Running Brilliant Meetings program in Lockington.Itwasaone-day seminar designed to help participants turn mundane meetings into mustnot-miss viewing. At the start of the session, local dairy farm ers and service providers heard from leader ship coaches Dr Howard and Ms Mahoney, who identified ways of running and participating in productive and successful community meet ings that are to schedule, on time and on target. Dr Howard suggested that meetings should be elevated to a fun and interactive experience, so that attendees treat it as a priority event in a calendar filled with competing commitments. “It’s all about creating meetings that are the hot dates, which are brilliant. They achieve what they want to do, and everybody gets something out of them,” she said. “I think the ag sector is sometimes seen as ‘old fashioned’ and ‘conservative’ in the way decisions are made.
Busting boring meetings
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2022 MURRAY REGION // 5
“For young professionals to be attracted to participate in ag sector industry groups and Murray Dairy recently held the Running Brilliant Meetings program in Lockington. Interaction and humour are keys to good meetings according to leadership coaches Kristy Howard and Cynthia Mahoney. Dr Cynthia Mahoney. committees, it needs to be seen that meetings are ‘hot dates’ in the sense that they are a ‘must attend’ to be part of exciting change and initia tives, not full of old-fashioned ideas and ways. “Effective meeting structures and meetings are essential to attract the next generation to participate.”Thepairprovided practical tools and tips about meeting process and roles, including how to manage different personalities within meetings effectively. And, as Ms Mahoney described, sometimes it’s also about managing yourself in a meeting. “Sometimes we don’t behave at our best in a meeting,” she said. “Making sure in terms of setting expectations that the meeting is not the work. “So, you can’t just join a committee — there’s actually work to do before the meeting and after theOverall,meeting.”the program focused on working with attendees to lift the standard of local meetings to reduce frustration and boredom, while increas ing participation levels to help achieve positive outcomes within communities.
A LIFELONG passion for dairying keeps third-generation Congupna dairy farmer Glenn Carmichael motivated to forge a lasting career. “I want to stay in the industry because I love the cows and I just love producing milk,” he said. Glenn was among the Murray Dairy Young Dairy Network cohort who participated in ‘Dairy Goals: What’s your next step?’. Held on July 20 and 21, the two-day, overnight intensive event showcased tangible pathways for young people in dairy looking to build their career and progress within the industry.
Murray Dairy and Dairy Australia are investing in programs that support farm businesses as they adjust to: For more information visit: dairyaustralia.com.au/murray-dairy
The Murray Dairy Young Dairy Network group visited Andrew Murphy’s farming operation at Kyabram. The event was an opportunity to learn and network. The group also heard from Kyabram’s Josephine and Lewis Watson.
Help to take the next step
Murray Dairy Providing regional and seasonal information, programs and research for the dairy industry in northern Victoria and southern NSW Workshops, training and tools for the management of livestock, feed, natural resources, people and your farm business Access to expertise to improve on-farm Networksperformanceand support for industry groups including Discussion Groups Alternative fodders and cropping Animal health and nutrition Business structures and employment Risk and strategic planning
Murray Dairy Young Dairy Network was joined by regional neighbours, GippsDairy Young Dairy Network, for the event, providing an opportunity for young people in dairy to build industry-wide connections, share advice and socialise. The event maintained a particular focus on how young farmers can build equity, plan the big and small next steps, and ensure their financial, professional and personal growth within the industry for years to come. Murray Dairy Young Dairy Network co-ordinator Bec Wyper said the event was about exploring different pathways and how to put plans in place to achieve short and long-term success. “There’s a lack of young people coming through the dairy industry,” Bec said. “So, if we can support them and educate them the best we can and help put that support network around them … it’s all about bringing the next generation through.”
“So how to get from my parents’ generation to my generation and how that works for different farms … everyone’s at a different stage,” Glenn said. Highlights of day one included a visit to fellow Young Dairy Network member Andrew Murphy’s farming operation at Kyabram; hearing from Lewis and Josephine Watson about their experiences with taking on sharefarmers; and a tour through Goulburn Valley Creamery at Kyabram. An evening of networking provided attendees the opportunity to hear from farming and agribusiness professionals about tangible pathways to building a strong career in dairy. Day two began with a breakfast speaker session, hosted by Pioneer Seeds and featuring Murray Dairy staff, followed by farm tours including Mark and Mandy Dee’s robotic dairy in Macorna North. Glenn said the event was a good opportunity to meet with like-minded young farmers and use Murray Dairy resources. “Murray Dairy having discussion groups for young farmers helps a lot,” he said. For more information on the Murray Dairy Young Dairy Network, visit: dairyaustralia.com. au/murray-dairy
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2022 6 // MURRAY REGION
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