AUGUST 2020 ISSUE 118
WEST VIC REGION
Building on dairy’s strengths
After overhauling their dairy farm last year, the Sloanes are starting to see the benefits. Page 4
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
2 // WEST VIC REGION
Chair’s message Still reasons to celebrate AS I write this, it seems impossible to know
what the outlook will be when you read it, as we currently face an increase of COVID-19 cases in Victoria. After we had allowed ourselves to become cautiously optimistic that we had navigated the worst of this global pandemic, its resurgence is a reminder that we can’t be complacent — with our businesses as well as personally. Further resources and training programs are moving to online platforms and many of us are now well practised in videoconferencing — more than we’d like in most cases! We know that most of the region’s farmers prefer face-to-face events, along with the social connection and time off the farm that comes
with it. The WestVic Dairy team feels the same and cannot wait to get back out on-farm with our extension activities. In the meantime, if allowed, we will try smaller groups (four to five farmers) or individual phone/ face-to-face farmer chats to meet our stakeholders’ needs. We had delayed our Gala Dairy Awards Night in the hope of being able to run it by now, however, we’ve decided to host the Great South West Dairy Awards online this month. With little chance of rescheduling, we have decided to hold three short winner presentations over successive weeks, with the first winner announcement on Wednesday, August 19.
One benefit of this change is the ability for a much larger audience to get involved, see the on-farm interviews with the finalists and then watch as the winners are announced. The finalist videos will be shown on the Monday and Tuesday prior to the winners being revealed on the Wednesday; they give a great insight into the knowledge and dedication of these talented people. The whole awards program will be available for everyone to watch on the WestVic Dairy Facebook page. Join us for the first finalist night on Monday, August 17 followed by the rest over the next few weeks. Each night will be kept short and sharp — we appreciate people’s lives are busy
and want to make this event as viewer-friendly as possible. If you haven’t already, please like and follow WestVic Dairy on Facebook to make sure you don’t miss any of the action. While we are unable to be out and about as much as usual, it is just so important to look out for each other, and keep in regular contact with our family, friends and neighbours. With spring around the corner let’s hope for some brighter times ahead. Take care and be kind to yourselves in this somewhat crazy time we’re living through. • Simone Renyard WestVic Dairy chair
360 Dairy Solutions, your local trusted dairy specialist
NEW DAIRY DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION.
Feed systems, wash systems, ACR’s, electric backing gates… we have you covered.
Access up to $150K Asset Write-Off*
1300 444 360 www.360dairysolutions.com.au
*Seek financial advice for eligibility
147 Peterborough Road, Terang Open weekdays from 8am to 4.30pm
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
WEST VIC REGION // 3
Dairy awards move online WINNERS OF the 2020 Great South West Dairy
Awards will be announced over three online presentations. WestVic Dairy chair Simone Renyard said the event was only two weeks away before it was postponed due to COVID-19. “At a recent board meeting it was decided that moving the awards online was the appropriate and timely thing to do,” Mrs Renyard said. “We have enjoyed great support from our sponsors and the finalists through this time of uncertainty and we are committed to hosting a great event that really recognises the achievements of those at the forefront of our industry. “We believe that presenting the awards in this way will enable many more people to get involved and to see the great work people do, day in day out, to provide the country with fantastic dairy products.” Winners will be revealed at 7.30 pm on Wednesday, August 19 and 26 and September 2. WestVic Dairy project officer Liza Fahey said the Monday and Tuesday evenings prior to each presentation would highlight the achievements of each finalist in that week’s categories. “Prior to the restrictions, we went out onfarm and recorded interviews with the finalists,” Mrs Fahey said.
WestVic Dairy chair Simone Renyard said holding the 2020 Great South West Dairy Awards online would allow more people to get involved.
“The videos look great and really showcase the high calibre of finalists — each category is very competitive. “All of the presentations (finalist videos and winner announcements) will go for about 15
minutes each night and will start at 7.30 pm, so hopefully people will be in from work and be able to sit down for a little while to enjoy the event.” The sessions will be available to view on the WestVic Dairy Facebook page.
NEW BOARD MEMBERS WANTED WestVic Dairy is calling on dairy farmers and service providers to nominate for the dairy organisation’s board of directors. Two full member positions are currently available on the eight-seat board — one farmer position and one service provider position — providing individuals the opportunity to contribute to the direction of industry research, development and extension. WestVic Dairy’s regional manager Lindsay Ferguson said he would like to see more people consider the role and apply for the positions. “We would like to hear from those who are passionate about the dairy industry and are keen to use their skills and knowledge to help advance the industry in our region,” he said. “Our board sets the strategic plan and direction of the work we do at WestVic Dairy — it is an important role and a unique opportunity to help deliver positive outcomes for the region’s farmers.” Nominees for the positions are invited to download the application pack from the WestVic Dairy website or phone 5557 1000.
Social media tips for farmers A PANEL discussion held by the WestVic Dairy
Young Dairy Network is aiming to empower farmers to harness social media. The panel will be led by farmers who have mastered social media and want to share what they have learned from years of trial and error. WestVic Dairy’s Young Dairy Network coordinator Heather Smillie said the panellists would provide practical social media tips. “Each of our six amazing panellists has a unique approach to social media and years of experience to back them up,” she said. Gippsland Jersey co-founder Sallie Jones said she owed the success of her business to the community of customers and supporters she had built through social media. “There’s no way we could have built the connection with our customers and community without the power of social media,” Ms Jones said. “Through every challenge, we have always been able to speak directly to our customers, gather their support and continue to grow our business.
“Beyond just marketing our products, we’ve also got this amazing platform to talk about what’s important to us — a fair price for farmers, mental health and kindness in everything we do.” Former UDV president Adam Jenkins said farmers needed to proactively use social media to give urban consumers a window into daily life on Australian farms. “I’m passionate about using social media to tell positive stories, demonstrate the care and compassion we show our animals, and counteract the lies perpetrated by those who want to shut down animal agriculture,” Mr Jenkins said. “I want to inspire more farmers to do the same.” The Dairy Businesses panel will be held on Thursday, August 13 from 7.30 pm to 8.30 pm and will include Gippsland Jersey co-founder Sallie Jones, Lightning Ridge Genetics founder Declan Patten and Provenir co-founder Jayne Newgreen. To register, visit: bit.ly/socialmedia4dairybusiness
Gippsland Jersey co-founder Sallie Jones says social media is an important tool to connect with her customers.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
4 // WEST VIC REGION
Working with dairy’s strengths RICK BAYNE
TWELVE MONTHS after taking on a new
farming challenge at Naroghid, Jim and Felicity Sloane are starting to see the benefits of their hard work and vision. The couple and their two children Eamon, 10, and Audrey, 5, moved onto the 232 ha farm that splits the difference between Camperdown and Cobden. It’s a prime dairying area but the farm presented some challenges, leading Jim to head a significant overhaul during the past 12 months. His focus has been on improving laneways, paddock layout, water supply and building a new vat with the ultimate aim of making it easier to manage and more profitable. They are milking 440 cows, mostly Friesian but with some crossbreeds, and believe they will be well placed to capitalise on a strong dairy industry when the improvements are finished in the next year or two. About half the herd came with the farm, the others from the Sloanes’ former farm at Cobrico. A relatively new 50-unit rotary dairy has been a significant boon while they put their mark on the farm. “Having a good dairy was a saving grace,” Felicity said. “We were able to put milk straight into the vat while we fund the other improvements.” “When you take on a new enterprise, you expect to have extra work at the start,” Jim said. “Every farm has its challenges; this one has
Jim and Felicity Sloane with their son Eamon, 10.
RIDLEY LIFECYCLE FEEDING FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE DAIRY COWS Heifer
Calving
Lactation
LIFE STAGES
Birth
thrown out a few more than the average, but we want to do it right so you only have to do it once. We’re happy with the progress.” The first priority was expanding laneways and rearranging paddocks to improve cow flow and pasture growth. Water supplies have been improved and they are now relocating the vat. Demolition of former sheds and dairies that hadn’t been removed when superseded is next on the agenda. “You need to be running efficiently so you need wide laneways,” Jim said. “You could barely get a tractor down some of them. We’ve removed several kilometres of unneeded lanes and now they’re about eight metres wide and it’s much easier for the cows.” The previous laneways had multiple bends; the new design is much more direct. “I came up with a plan over a few months, and called in consultant Sam Baulch to help with the final design,” Jim said. "It’s all about ease of management and making it a simpler operation to run." About two-thirds of the farm has a new layout and the remaining section will be redesigned next summer. The new vat will also boost efficiencies. The vat was never moved when the previous owner built new dairies. “It’s basically down the back of the farm and for ease of management we need it closer to where we milk,” Jim said. The site is marked ready for construction and the vat will be larger and more efficient; going
CALF MILK REPLACER
RIDLEY SPECIALISED FEED
CALF MAXIMISER MIX
AGE 0
CALF REARER PELLETS HEIFER DEVELOPER PELLETS LEAD UP DAIRY PELLETS PERFORMANCE PELLETS CONCENTRATES GRAIN MIXES 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 10 11
12 WEEKS
3 WEEKS PRIOR TO CALVING
CALVING
LACTATION
RID22254
To learn how to feed smarter, contact your local Ridley team of Dairy specialists Gippsland (Pakenham & Maffra) Northern Victoria (Gunbower) Western Victoria (Terang) Tasmania (Carrick) New South Wales (Taree) New South Wales (Tamworth) Queensland (Toowoomba)
1300 531 833 1800 832 644 1800 100 151 1800 655 600 02 6557 3300 02 6765 0444 07 4699 1777
Pakrum.Sales@ridley.com.au Gunbower.Sales@ridley.com.au Terang.Sales@ridley.com.au Carrick.Sales@ridley.com.au Taree.Sales@ridley.com.au Tamworth.Sales@ridley.com.au Toowoomba.Sales@ridley.com.au
www.ridley.com.au
RID22254_Ridley_Dairy_News_Australia_DairyNewsWestVic_T42_QuarterPage_186mmHx129mmW_FA.indd 1 12/6/20 2:27 pm
Being able to use the 50-unit rotary dairy while doing other improvements has helped the Sloanes to make good headway.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
WEST VIC REGION // 5
A significant overhaul has delivered results for the Sloane family.
from 14,000 to 18,000 litre capacity. Although it’s too early to gauge how the changes are improving production, especially with water supply issues resulting in lost production over summer, Jim and Felicity are happy with the progress and confident about the future.
“We’re doing it all now so we can reap the rewards in the long-term,” he said. “It’s going to improve.” Jim is a self-confessed pasture farmer, admitting that watching grass grow is his prime joy from farming.
“Because they were so rundown, it’s going to take three or four years to get them where we want. “This season I’m using annuals and bi-annuals and once we get the weed and barley grass under control, we’ll look at the better class of
perennials.” Investing in a new farm reflects their confidence in the dairy industry, and the region. “When we were buying there wasn’t a great selection out there,” Jim said. “We didn’t want to move too far south or north; this is where we wanted to be.” It is on good, flat land with a mostly reliable rainfall, with Camperdown 7 km in one direction and Cobden 7 km the other way. The picturesque Camperdown-Timboon Rail Trail goes through the farm. Local contractors have been used to do the farm upgrades, and the Fonterra suppliers have developed good relationships with their field services officer and bank manager. Jim and Felicity know that it’s not a bed of roses, but they don’t share the more negative views of some in the industry. “I can’t see a problem with it,” Jim said. “People are always going to drink milk. It will have its ups and downs but it’s going to have a good future. “The last three seasons we couldn’t have asked for better weather conditions and we can’t complain about the price. “There’s way too much negativity in the industry.” Felicity points to the contribution of dairy to the region’s success. “If you look at the history of dairying in this region, it has been pretty good. These towns have been built around dairying.”
PÖTTINGER’S – World-Class Harvesting Range Designed in Austria. Made in Germany. Performs in Australia. New stock for this year has just arrived: ¢ NOVACAT & NOVADISC front & rear mowers ¢ TOP & HiT rakes and tedders ¢ IMPRESS variable chamber round balers
At 10, Eamon Sloane is already keen help around the farm.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
6 // WEST VIC REGION
Fertility control breeds success ENSURING COWS calve when they should is
the focus of the fertility program at the Western District farm of Bruce and Andrea Vallance. The Vallances concentrate on achieving good fertility in their 800-cow herd at their Nullawarre farm, split-calving the herd to ensure they can utilise available feed and give them enough heifer replacements to sustain herd numbers. About seven years ago they were experiencing a 20 per cent empty rate and went looking for answers; what they ultimately learned has seen them reduce that figure to about five per cent. “The fertility issues we had seven years ago that we had to address we could have bred-out with the Friesian breed, but crossbreeding gave us a quick answer to that question,” Mr Vallance said. “A big part of that was using the fixed AI program. After the first seven weeks we have about 80 per cent pregnant. “Seven years ago that figure was around the 60 per cent mark.” The farm’s 60:40 split-calving system has paid dividends. “This makes whole farm planning much easier throughout the year in terms of managing their labour requirements and resources,” Mr Vallance said. “It works for us because it means the cows are calving when we want them to calve to utilise the feed, and we get the heifer replacements we need to be a sustainable herd. “It just makes life easier.” They have achieved good fertility in the herd over the past seven years through an intense crossbreeding program, using fixed-time AI, lead feeding and by placing an emphasis on industry training programs for staff education. Mr Vallance credits a shift to a crossbreeding model and their AI program as the main drivers behind their success.
Nullawarre dairy farmers Bruce and Andrea Vallance discuss their herd fertility in a new Dairy Australia video. Source: Dairy Australia
A focus on staff education has ensured that all employees receive training and are across the goals of the herd. “Isaac, who manages here, we send him to just about all training courses — the cow fertility courses, lameness, all those sorts of ones and he brings that information back to the farm and
trains up everyone and make sure those systems are in place on the farm,” Mr Vallance said. “We have got a younger herd because of fertility because we bring in so many heifers which has kicked a lot of cows out. “We’ve replaced the herd quite quickly, and you can’t do that without fertility, so now we’re
at the stage it can give us some options in the farm business to use some beef bulls to value add to the whole business and diversify a little bit.” For more information or to hear more about the Vallances’ experience improving herd fertility, visit: dairyaustralia.com.au/farm/ animal-management/fertility
Data-driven approach to fertility TACKLING A “messy” calving pattern and devel-
oping a reliance on data have been key to improving fertility on Bonnie Taylor’s Heathmere farm. After taking over the farm a number of years ago, Ms Taylor set out to fix a system which saw the herd calve over nine months of the year and introduce split calving. “We’ve focused a lot on condensing our calving period and now in-calf rates have gone to approximately 70 per cent for a six-week in-calf rate,” she said. “We probably get about a 98 per cent calf rate with our heifers.” Ms Taylor milks predominately crossbred cows on her 400 ha farm just outside Portland, with a herd of about 5000. “We decided to focus on fertility as an area
that we could improve on the farm to become a more efficient and sustainable farm. “Initially, we focused a lot on nutrition and nutrition management, including transition care management — it’s important to feed the cow for her individual status, not just as a herd as a whole, but each individual cow.” With an increased focus on fertility has also come an increased focus on data collection to continue to improve their model. “Starting from stuff having to diarise cow numbers and dates and things like that, all the way up to the data that we get from using farm consultants, like nutritionists and vets that analyse our results in our information,” Ms Taylor said. “We then sit down at least quarterly and go over our data and our information so that we can
make decisions or change things in our management plan as we go. “We are also very strict on heat detection. So we use manual heat detection methods and we train our staff in using those methods. “By going to a three-way crossbreeding program, we were able to increase the health traits, which provided us with an overall healthier animal, and then in turn had a huge effect on fertility. “A healthier animal is going to get in calf and stay in calf.” Ms Taylor gets all replacements within the first two weeks of calving. “That’s allowed us to then diversify what we do with the calves that come after that. “We were able to reduce the costs of raising
replacement milking cows by having less of those coming through the calf shed. “And then we can use the other calves to generate extra income for the farm through other avenues.” When it comes to examining your own calving system, Ms Taylor recommends being honest with yourself. “You need to look at your data and then tell the real results. “Don’t be worried or scared that you’re going to be judged by other people or people that help you. “And unless you’re being honest about the areas that you need help, you’re not going to get the information that’s going to take you further in your business and furthering your family.”
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
WEST VIC REGION // 7 ABATTOIRS HIT WITH COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS Abattoirs across Victoria will have to reduce production by a third and introduce strict health protocols under new COVID-19 restrictions announced on August 3. Premier Daniel Andrews revealed abattoirs will be among the industries affected under new restrictions designed to slow the spread of coronavirus. “In the meat industry — and based on the minimum required to operate safely onsite — the workforce will be scaled back to two-thirds,” he said. “Unlike other changes, and recognising the risk these sites have posed here and around the world, this will apply to abattoirs in Melbourne and across the state. “These workplaces that are continuing to operate will also have additional requirements including extra (personal protection equipment) PPE, staggering shifts, staggering breaks, health declarations and more support for sick workers to ensure they stay home. “Workers in abattoirs will be kitted out in full PPE — gowns, masks and shields — more akin to what a nurse would wear. They’ll also be subject to routine testing. “These changes will be enforceable. And the onus will be on employers to
Face masks mandatory for farmers FROM MIDNIGHT on August 2, regional
Cedar Meats in Brooklyn, Victoria was one of number of meatworks affected by a COVID-19 outbreak. Picture: AAP Image/James Ross.
make sure they’re doing the right thing by their workers, including ensuring those with symptoms — and potentially the virus — do not come to work. “As always, this work will be done in consultation with industry and with unions.” Regional Victoria moved back into stage three restrictions from midnight on August 5.
SHEDS Dairy sheds dairy housing MACHINERY SHEDS shade SHELTERS FEEDLOT SHEDS HAY SHEDS Save $ and go direct to an Award Winning Manufacturer CALL 1300 296 206 visit entegra.com.au
Victorians are now required to wear face masks — including farmers. Farmers whose family home is also their workplace are only required to wear a mask if they have staff coming and going from the property. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said maskwearing rules for farmers were based on “common sense”. “If you’ve got staff or you have got people beyond your household coming onto your property, then logic just says put your mask on because that person is not part of your household,” Mr Andrews said. “Even though the farm is your home, that’s in a workplace and you’ve got that movement back and forth.” Farmers who work alone or solely with their families are not required to wear a mask. “If you’re out on your own, and you’re not coming into contact with anybody else — if it’s just you and livestock, or you’re on a tractor and you’re doing whatever it is, then you wouldn’t need to wear it,” Mr Andrews said. “If it was just you and your family out working, well, then the same rule would apply.”
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says regional Victorians must wear masks to keep coronavirus cases low. (AAP Image/Erik Anderson)
If caught not wearing a mask, a $200 fine will apply. Mr Andrews said he was confident rural Victorians would not receive many fines. “In my universal experiences, common sense runs deepest in regional Victoria, and particularly in farming environments, and I think people will work it out.”
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
8 // WEST VIC REGION
Building a family legacy
Geraldine and Edward Conheady are providing opportunities for their children.
RICK BAYNE
Variable Chamber Round Balers
WITH A big family waiting in the wings, Edward
In Stock Now
• High Efficiency Pick-Up • Cost & Time Efficient
• Low HP Requirements • Suitable for all fodder types
PHONE: 5231 5136 408 Princes Hwy, Colac West, Vic, 3249 www.gafm.com.au
and Geraldine Conheady realised they needed to expand if they were going to offer future farming opportunities. About 20 years ago they had one farm at Noorat with about 200 cows. Today they own five farms plus run-off blocks, and the Noorat home farm is the smallest of the lot. Three of their sons — Dominic, William and Joseph — are running farms on a 50:50 share basis, and a fourth son, Seamus, has joined the enterprise to help with administration and finances. Combined, the five farms milk nearly 2100 cows and they also have a sideline beef business. It has been a heady period of growth but fourth-generation farmer Edward wouldn’t have it any other way. “We had six children at the time, now seven, and realised that if we wanted to give them opportunities such as university or getting into farming, we weren’t going to do it on a 200-cow farm,” he said. Three of the farms are around Noorat, two near Garvoc. They have two run-off blocks at Mortlake and a leased block beside the Garvoc farms and another leased block at Mortlake. When the need to grow became obvious, the family didn’t want to over-capitalise on the home farm and didn’t want to be limited by location. “You might think that a dairy business has to expand in that immediate location, but there are many ways of achieving your goals,” Edward said. “You can sit and wait for a lifetime for a neighbouring property to come up for sale if you want to expand, and it may never happen. “You’ve got to make your moves in life when you’re young enough and you’ve got the drive to do what needs to be done.” More intensive farming on the home farm wasn’t an option, so they looked further afield and purchased a farm near Garvoc.
“The industry was low at the time,” Edward said. “I work on a theory that the most important thing is to make use of opportunity. Opportunities usually come along at bad times and you’ve always got to run when the other man walks. “You’re swimming up river all through your career because you’re doing the opposite of everyone else. “It can be risky but if you stick to what you know and back yourself and your abilities it will work out.” Although planned for a long time, the transition to 50:50 sharefarming moved quickly after the St Patrick’s Day fires. The two Garvoc farms were burnt, losing up to 3000 tonnes of feed. William has worked with the family farms for 12 years, Joseph for 10 years. Dominic was living in Echuca and working with Reid Stockfeeds at the time of the fires, Seamus was working with Westpac and living in Adelaide and Sebastian was at university in Melbourne. Dominic, Seamus and Sebastian all came immediately after the fires to help with the recovery, leading to Dominic and his wife, Kylie, and Seamus to return to work in the business with William and Joseph, in turn leading to 50:50 sharefarm arrangements. The family members get together each month to plan and discuss things and they have an active WhatsApp farm group. “The boys work independently in terms of their on-farm operations, but major decisions are made in consultation with the group,” Geraldine said. “They all have university degrees and are good thinkers and it’s great to see the interaction.” Although keen on expansion, Edward sticks to the basics when it comes to farming practices. “I’ve always worked on the theory that you stick to the basics and try to do them as well as you can,” he said. “You know what your area is capable of doing so don’t get too elaborate in your systems and don’t over capitalise.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
WEST VIC REGION // 9 “I’ve always been very conscious that you build a farm up to a certain level. “That’s what happened at the home place; improving it wouldn’t be worth it. If you get too intensive, the costs kill you. “If you’re satisfied with your cost per hectare and what you’re achieving on the farm, don’t try to go too far — go and buy another farm and build that up to what nature can produce for you.” Although only about 20 minutes apart, the Garvoc and Noorat farms offer different opportunities and challenges. “There are two different soil types,” Edward said. “There’s no bad country anywhere here in the south-west but you’ve got to get into your mind that all country has its seasons. “We’re lucky to spread our risk by having land in different soil types. “The Garvoc region is magnificent spring, summer and autumn country, whereas Noorat is magnificent in autumn and winter. “All the country is good but at different times of the year one will be better than the other.” The herds are mostly Friesian with some crossbreeds, and they can run bigger cows at Noorat on the more solid land. The farms have a mix of herringbone and rotary dairies and calving seasons happen within weeks of each other. The farms have a similar stocking rate of about 1.8 cows per hectare, reduced from two for lifestyle benefits and to improve margins. “We’re not too intensive,” Edward said. “If you push to the limit, the farm gets under pressure, the herd gets under pressure and then the operator gets under pressure and the wheels fall off.” Despite the slight reduction in numbers, the farms still achieve about 560 kg/MS production, boosted by the best 12 months in memory. “We’ve had four phenomenal seasons in a row,” Edward said. “We had a cracker of a spring, a mild summer which meant more milk followed by the best autumn break we’ve seen in 35 years and now a mild winter. “If it does get wet from now on, you know you’re only a month away from spring.” Geraldine said the farms had been set up with flexibility and succession in mind. Initially they were run by hired staff but they have gone to another level since the sons took over and focused on their own units.
“We had the attitude that the boys would make their own decisions but we would provide opportunities,” Geraldine said. “We’re working through succession planning at the moment and the boys have a clear direction now.” Edward, 64, sees a bright future for dairy and gets annoyed by critics. “There has been that much pessimism in this industry and it annoys me. “I blame my generation for running their industry down to their children. What hope have you got of them being interested if you’re always criticising it?” Geraldine is also looking at the future as a newly elected Corangamite Shire councillor. “I felt like we needed someone with an agricultural connection on the council,” she said. “With the boys coming home and investing in the business with us, I started thinking about the legacy we leave for young people. “They’re committed to the industry and planning their futures here so I want to be a part of what council decides for the region’s future.”
The family first started farming 20 years ago, milking 200 cows at Noorat.
Seamus, Dominic and his wife Kylie, Edward, Geraldine, Joseph and William Conheady.
Dominic runs one of the family’s Garvoc farms and is enjoying one of the best seasons in memory.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
10 // WEST VIC REGION
John Vogels’ sons Andrew and Jamie now run the farm, milking 600 to 700 cows on about 600ha.
From the farm to parliament RICK BAYNE
JOHN VOGELS owes a lot to dairy farming,
Apex and being an interpreter for his father. John was just seven when he arrived from Holland in 1953 with his family and has gone on to a long career not only as a farmer but as an industry and community representative and in local government and state politics. Most recently he’s added an Order of Australia (AM) to his list of achievements. The AM recognises the former State Member for Warrnambool’s “significant service to the Parliament of Victoria and the community of western Victoria”, all of which stemmed from his dairying roots and his connection with the service club, Apex. The Vogels family migrated in 1953 because
John’s father, Willem, wanted to be a dairy farmer and provide a better opportunity for his young family. “He was on a small plot and couldn’t see a future in Holland,” John said. “We came to Australia under the Catholic Rural Movement in which Catholic farmers from Holland went to work for Catholic farmers in Australia.” After a few false starts on a sheep property at Pyramid Hill, an orchard in Gippsland and a struggling dairy farm at Woodend, the family became sharefarmers at Glenormiston, with John leaving school at 14 to work on the farm. With John’s help, his father applied for a Heytesbury Settlement farm but was told he was too old, and when John tried under father-son rules he was told he was too young. “I used to go with Dad to interpret. He never
spoke English very well so I’d go along with him. “We went to banks and to political meetings in Terang so I could interpret what they were saying.” Eventually they bought a half-cleared block at Scotts Creek. “The first year we milked 20 cows. I was 17 when we went there and the Heytesbury Settlement had just started so I reckon I was a relief milker for half the settlement.” John realised early on that farmers needed a united voice. “Dairy farming has always been tough,” he said. “If you whinge on your own you get nowhere; you’ve got to be part of an organisation, so we joined the then farming lobby group, The Australian Primary Producers Union (APPU), the forerunner of the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF).
“Eventually the United Dairyfarmers of Victoria (UDV) was formed and I got very involved. I was elected branch president and delegate to central council.” John became a confident industry advocate with help from service club, Apex. “Apex gave me the ability to meet and talk to people and I was involved in debating in the district,” he said. “We had 40 members in their 20s and 30s. It was a great social life and we did a lot of service work in the community and raised money for good causes.” John was the Ash Wednesday fires co-ordinator for Timboon and district and on committees that built the Timboon hall, swimming pool and sporting complex, and board member and president at the local hospital. “We were under a lot of pressure with funding
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
WEST VIC REGION // 11 cuts and at the same time my wife Lyn was battling cancer and I could see how important the hospital was to her and the community,” he said. “They were talking about turning it into an aged care facility so it was suggested I join the Liberal Party to talk to the then minister who advised us we should look at becoming a multipurpose service which was a much better model to deliver services for our community. John bought his first farm at Scotts Creek in 1983, not far from his father. In 1989 after his father’s death, John sold both farms and purchased one larger property to farm with his sons Andrew and Jamie. “The original farm was 150 acres but as neighbours sold, we borrowed more money and bought more land to expand.” Andrew and Jamie now run the farm, milking 600 to 700 cows on about 600 ha. Lyn died from breast cancer in 1996 and John admits his world collapsed. “My sons were working on the farm and I was probably holding them back so I thought I needed to do something else.” He successfully stood for the newly formed Corangamite Shire and came up with a succession plan to hand over the farm to his sons over the next five years. “I was then approached by the Liberal Party to run for the seat of Warrnambool. “I was 53 at the time and thought I was too old, but there was an opportunity because the
National Party member John McGrath was retiring and the Liberals could run a candidate. “They said they needed some farmers in parliament, they had enough accountants and lawyers.” John won a six-way competition for preselection and went on to win the seat, but after three years there was a redistribution and the electorate was combined with Portland to create South West Coast. “Denis Napthine was the Member for Portland and he was the party leader and I was the new kid on the block so it was a short-lived career for me.” However, in the Legislative Council, Bruce Chamberlain was retiring from Western Province and John successfully filled that vacancy. “Then they abolished Western Province to create Western Region, which went from Melton to the South Australian border, which I represented for the next four years.” During his time in parliament, John was shadow minister for agriculture and local government and Victorian communities. “I think it was helpful to have a farmer in parliament. You understand the issues and know it’s tough out there. “I was an old-style politician. When I was elected, I didn’t even have a mobile phone. If people had issues or problems, I’d go and visit them.” After leaving politics, he was appointed chair of Wannon Water and campaigned without success to pipe water from the Otways to farmers
in the Heytesbury Settlement areas to droughtproof their farms. At 74 and living on the farm with his second wife Maryanne, who is now chair of the Timboon and District Healthcare Service Board, John still helps his sons. “I do the boring jobs I suppose, like cutting grass, shifting silage rolls but I love it. “Most of the school holidays or weekends I take one of my grandkids with me.” He said farmers needed to keep up with modern technologies and learn from others. “Everything is better now — the AI, the grass we grow, technology — but it’s always going to be tough and you need to learn from each other. “Discussion groups are great for new farmers and we still belong to the UDV. There’s no point going to the government complaining as a single farmer, governments listen to organisations.” John sees a bright future for Australian dairy, but says it’s still difficult for farmers. “It’s tough and has been for a while. “The average farmer at the moment needs 50 cents a litre, or $7 per kg/MS, to break even, but the factories are all opening at $6.40 per kg/MS. “Farmers with no debt will be okay, but for the younger generation trying to get ahead, it’s too tough. “I hate to see all the imports on our supermarket shelves. It’s hard to find Australian products. “Maybe COVID-19 will make people realise we need to support our local farmers.”
Dairy farming has opened many doors for John Vogels.
Great South West Dairy Awards 2020
Winners of this year's Dairy Awards will be announced in a series of short online presentations which will be available to view on the WestVic Dairy Facebook page. The new format will see on-farm video interviews of each finalist screened on the Monday or Tuesday prior to the winner being announced on Wednesday. The Awards program will commence on Monday 17th August, featuring the finalists for the Young Dairy Leader and Farm Photo Awards, followed on Tuesday 18th with the finalists of the Natural Resource Management Award. The winners of all categories will then be announced on Wednesday 19th. All sessions will start at 7:30pm. The Employee and Service Provider Awards will feature in week two. With the third and final week commencing on Monday 31st August and culminating in the presentation of the ANZ sponsored Dairy Farm Business Management Award. A prominent industry identity will also be added to the Western Victorian Dairy Industry Honour Board. If you haven't already, please like and follow WestVic Dairy on Facebook to make sure you don't miss any of the action! The Dairy Awards event is made possible thanks to the tremendous support of our valued sponsors:
ANZ proudly supports of the Great South West Dairy Awards
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
12 // WEST VIC REGION
Don’t ignore the warning signs JOHN VOGELS was sitting in the tractor doing
the annual harvest last spring when he realised something was seriously wrong. “Every hour I’d need to stop to urinate and I’d get off the tractor and just go dribble-dribble,” he said. The warning signs had been there for a while but, like many men, he ignored them. “When I started having to get up three or four times a night to urinate, I should have thought this is not right,” he said. “I never used to do that but I kept putting it off. “My story is pretty simple: I didn’t take enough note of what my body was telling me.” After the problem got worse during the harvest, he decided it was time to act. Tests found a very aggressive prostate cancer which had already spread to his lymph nodes in his groin. “They told me I was in a fair bit of strife,”
John said. “When I first starting having these problems three or four years ago, I was told I had an enlarged prostate but not to worry about it, I’d be fine. “All I was told to do was to keep monitoring and have PSA tests. “I wish I had asked more questions so I could better understand my options.” John has shared his story in the hope of encouraging all men to get tested if they have warning signs “What I want to tell men is: don’t be scared of a test. “Most of the time, it’s fine — and even if you have prostate cancer, if they find it in time you’ll probably still die of old age before the cancer gets you.” John’s cancer is aggressive and was found late and will be an ongoing issue.
John Vogels is encouraging others to watch for early warning signs of cancer.
He is undertaking radiation treatment and remains positive he will manage the condition. “My oncologist explains it like traffic lights. I’m on amber, I won’t be reversing back into green but I’m not in the red.
“It doesn’t mean I’m going to be written off, but I need to be careful and stay in the amber.”
Grant to deliver farm safety officers FARM SAFETY officers are the latest step
towards preventing farm injuries and deaths in Victoria. The Victorian Government will provide the VFF with a $3 million Making our Farms Safer grant to employ two farm safety officers and deliver new resources. As part of a four-year program, the farm safety officers will develop an online platform with a range of resources to help farmers adopt better farm safety and health practices. A program involving on-farm visits to advise farmers of the risks and changes that can be made to improve safety is being developed. VFF president David Jochinke said the health and safety of everyone on farms was the priority. “Safety on farms is paramount, because it concerns the wellbeing of our workers, families and ourselves,” Mr Jochinke said. “The agricultural sector is one of the most dangerous workplaces in Victoria, not just for farmers, but everyone present on the farm. “As a father, there can be no bigger priority in a parent’s life than the health and wellbeing of your child. “It’s incredibly tragic that children under the age of 15 make up more than 15 per cent of
preventable death and injuries on farms.” On average, there are about two serious injuries on Victorian farms every day and in the past five months, six people have died while working on a farm. Victorian Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes said workplace deaths were devastating and needless. “That’s why we’re working with industry to reach as many people as possible and change the attitudes around farm workplace safety,” Ms Symes said. “We want our farms to be safe places for those who live, work or visit them. “The work that the VFF will carry out with this grant will make a difference in achieving this for all Victorian farms.” Quad bikes were the most common form of farm fatalities this year and have been the most common form of injury for more than a decade. Statistics from the Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit reveal that 388 Victorian children under 14 years old were treated in hospital in 2018–19 because of a farm-related injury — about seven per week. To contact the safety officers for advice, email: wr@vff.org.au
VFF president David Jochinke says the grant will help deliver the resources and tools needed to make Victorian farms safer.