First ever dairy AGM in country
Tough conditions facing dairy farmers and a national plan to drive a better future for the industry were discussed at the Dairy Australia annual general meeting at Lardner Park recently.
It was the first time the Dairy Australia annual meeting was held outside the metropolitan area, with chairman Jeff Odgers saying the organisation wanted to make the event more accessible for farmers.
It was opened by GippsDairy chairman Grant Williams. He said hosting the meeting at Lardner was an opportunity to showcase Gippsland’s dairy industry and its 1217 dairy farmers.
Mr Odgers and Dairy Australia managing director David Nation acknowledged the tough conditions during the season and provided an overview of Dairy Australia’s activities supporting farmers, as well as an update on industry initiatives underway to support dairy farming.
Mr Odgers said there was “no doubt” 2018/19 was one of the toughest seasons in the industry’s history.
He said the tough conditions impacted input costs and farm profitability.
“Farmers characteristically showed resilience in the face of challenges.
Mr Odgers said during challenging conditions, farmers had to be proactive of their handling of the situation and Dairy Australia had to be on the ground supporting them.
“The Australian Dairy Plan process has been very timely after five tough years have taken their toll on the industry.
“The level of engagement across the industry has been particularly pleasing,” he said.
Mr Odgers said the key directions statement released as part of the ADP process outlined the change needed to drive a better future for the industry and its partners.
“Despite the challenges of recent years, our industry remains fundamentally strong and one their of Australia’s most important agricultural sectors.
“Per capita consumption of dairy in Australia is amongst the highest in the world and we have growth opportunities in many key export markets, where the quality of Australian dairy products is highly valued.”
Mr Odgers said one of Dairy Australia’s great strengths was its regional networks.
He said the past year had seen an increased participation of farmers in these networks, such as GippsDairy in Gippsland.
“RDPs (Regional development Programs) bring independent thinking that enables Dairy Australia to deliver national programs that are tailored for farmers’ needs.
Mr Odgers said the “Dairy Matters” campaign was a success story and an example of how the industry had connected with socially conscious consumers.
“The current industry conditions underline the purpose of our organisation in the industry. People are at the heart of everything we do at Dairy Australia.
“Despite our challenges we have a lot to be proud of. We get along well and continue to work together for better things,” he said.
The annual meeting saw members vote to elect three candidates to the board.
Mr Odgers and Paul Wood were re-elected as directors for the milk producer and research and development positions respectively and Josephine Rozman was elected to fill the finance and governance position.
Mr Odgers also was re-elected as chairman. The meeting was followed by a tour of the DairyFeedbase project at Ellinbank Dairy Research Centre.
DairyFeedbase was launched last year as a co-investment with Agriculture Victoria and Gardiner Dairy Foundation, to bring new technology in a practical way to the management of pastures and feeding of cattle.