The Strzelecki Lions Club will host the South Gippsland Dairy & Farming Expo at Korumburra on Wednesday and Thursday, September 4 and 5.
This year the expo celebrates 25 years of showcasing the latest innovations, products and services available to the local dairy industry.
Funds raised from the expo have helped the Strzelecki Lions Club distribute more than $600,000 back into the community and Lions projects.
Planning for the expo starts in January each year, and the committee meets monthly until the last week before the event to ensure all the plans are in place.
The committee thanks the gold sponsors for their support: Apiam Animal Health – ProDairy, Brandt, Burra Foods, Dairy Pumping Systems, Easy Dairy Automation Systems, Evans Petroleum BP/Castrol, GEA Farm Technologies Australia Pty Ltd, GippsDairy, Greenmate Agriculture Pty Ltd, Lely Center Gippsland, Metalform Ag, nbn Local Gippsland, Rabobank, Reid Stockfeeds, Saputo Dairy Australia and Vic Silos.
The committee is also grateful to silver sponsors and media partners: Poowong Dairy & Hardware, SRH Milk Haulage, South Gippsland Shire Council, Dairy News Australia, The Warragul Gazette and Sentinel-Times.
Udder Truth Show Bag
Don’t miss your chance to win a share of $5000 in the Udder Truth Show Bag competition, sponsored by South East Organic Fertiliser.
Participants must be farmers and over 18 years of age. Collect a show bag at the gate (there are only 200 of them), answer 17 of the 20 questions and request your card be stamped by the corresponding exhibitor.
The first card drawn at 2.30 pm on Thursday — with 17 correct answers, with the exhibitor stamps — will win $3000. Second place will receive $1500 and $500 for third.
Sponsors include: Easy Dairy Automation Systems, Jantec Systems, Brown’s Fertiliser, Dairy Shelters Australia, MaxCare, Ridley, East Coast Generators, Travel Managers – Poowong, Burra Foods, Achmea Insurance, Green Mate Agriculture, Redei – Renewable Energy Solutions, Entegra, Rural Financial Counselling Service Victoria – Gippsland, Alltech, Reid Stockfeeds, South East Organic Fertiliser, Agriculture Victoria and GippsDairy.
Farmers share their stories
Matt Harms from OnFarm Consulting is hosting a session on Wednesday at 11am, called: ‘This is your life. Everyone has a story to tell’.
With the dairy industry as diverse as it is, and dairy people being the backbone of the industry, it is no wonder there are so many personal stories in the dairy community.
Panel members are: Colin Gray, a dairy farmer from Nilma; Ancret Shipton, a dairy farmer from Bega and a former Focus Farmer from Nar Nar Goon; and Chloe Brown, a western Victoria dairy farmer and podcaster
Panel members have heart-wrenching and challenging stories to tell, which have shaped them into the resilient people they are today.
Colin Gray and Ancret Shipton will talk about the challenges that have been thrown at them, and how they have adapted to their new lives.
Chloe Brown will share the stories and challenges she hears from the people on her podcast.
The Gumboot Gift
On Thursday at 1pm, the prestigious 120-metre gumboot footrace will take place.
It is a must-see and do event, with both male and female sections and a prize pool of $4000.
There are two new rules this year: the participants must be wearing authentic farm-type gumboots (no fitted gumboots allowed); and last year’s winners will be handicapped.
The event is sponsored by: Lardner Cattle Sales, Jefferis Livestock & Transport, Walker Electrical Contracting, Countrywide Clothing, Levey Engineering, Farm Depot, Ag-Crete Industries, Nacas Truck ‘N’ Ag, Devin Hance, Carringtons at Loch, Lectaire Auto Electrics & Air Conditioning, S.G. hire & Sales, The Burra Barber, Nutrien Ag Solutions, JJ’s Waste and Recycling, Notman Pasture Seeds, Area Specialist Jack Gilchrist and T & G Mechanical Repairs.
The South Gippsland Dairy & Farming Expo is on Wednesday and Thursday, September 4 and 5, at the Korumburra Showgrounds, Korumburra, from 10am to 3pm each day.
Cost is $15; children under 16 years have free admission.
For more information for exhibitors or visitors, phone Deanne Kennedy on 0419 878 055 or email dairyexpo@jaydee.net.au