Things have changed rapidly over the last month here in the Macalister Irrigation District.
It seems once the tap turned off, farmers have been put under pressure to keep enough water up for pasture growth. After having so much early rain, then a hot dry spell, I’m sure we’re all wondering when the tap will turn on again.
While writing this, we’re expecting a heatwave across Gippsland over the next four days. As the calendar tips us into April, hopefully Mother Nature gets the memo about an autumn break I’m sure we’re all waiting for.
Our exciting and highly sought-after Don Campbell Memorial Tour to Tasmania ran last month. Again this year, participants were fortunate enough to attend the Tasmanian Dairy Conference.
Congratulations to the 15 successful applicants out of the 26 that applied this year. This study tour has grown in popularity over the years and is such a great learning and networking opportunity. I’d encourage you to apply or talk to a young person that would benefit from the experience next year.
The Young Dairy Network (YDN) is a great way for new entrants in the industry to link into specific training and social connections. The Gippsland YDN is run by a committee of young leaders from all over Gippsland who come together and direct their own learning and development journey.
It’s a fabulous way for our next generation of dairy farmers to make their mark and gain great leadership skills.
Recently the GippsDairy team helped deliver a successful Growing Beef from Dairy Field Day in Woodleigh to showcase the profitability, market options and genetic breeding of dairy beef.
A pilot program has been running on farms and this event was an opportunity to share the findings with Gippsland dairy farmers. A special thanks to Will and Sarah Jelbart for hosting the field day.
If you would like to know more about the Growing Beef from Dairy Project, please contact the GippsDairy office at info@gippsdairy.com.au
Our regional Muster took place on-farm in Trafalgar recently.
Local farmers shared their personal wisdom and insights on topics including pastures, pathways through the industry and performance. Hearing directly from farmers is always inspirational learning.
Our goal as a board and team is to offer an event that stimulates discussion, offers opportunities for growth and a social connection with like-minded peers. It was fantastic to see so many people gather and participate in this day.
Thank you to Louise and Graeme Paul, Belinda Egan and Simon Reid for hosting the event.
I was fortunate to attend the Australian Dairy Conference in Melbourne in February.
Congratulations to all those that organised and facilitated a wonderful experience. Sitting in a crowd full of peers, all pursuing knowledge and insights from experts in their fields is inspirational.
The ‘Power of Purpose’ was the theme this year. We heard some very heartfelt experiences of dairy farmers that have been dealt unbelievably difficult circumstances in their farming journey.
With each experience shared I could hear the evidence of purpose to keep going, to take steps to recover and come out the other side.
There is definitely power in having purpose. It gets us out of bed at 4am each day, it gives us direction and meaning. Hopefully it leads to satisfaction in why we dairy farm.
Around the same time as the conference, parts of Gippsland experienced unprecedented weather conditions, devastating both communities and dairy farms.
Bruce Manitveld was a leader in his own right within the dairy industry. He was well-respected and successful in his purpose that was cut short too quickly.
It’s times like this that the comradeship of others around us is important to extend and accept.
If you require support, we strongly encourage you to reach out to the GippsDairy office or contact Lifeline Australia on 131 114 or go to https://www.lifeline.org.au/ for 24-hour crisis support.
Sarah O’Brien is the GippsDairy chair.