There’s always so much to achieve from the first of July in our spring calving system to keep us busy.
I always look forward to the slower pace of January when the kids are home from school, and we can all relax a little more as a family.
Even the cows look forward to January here — with joining out of the way, the cows settle into a calm flow of milk, eat, repeat.
GippsDairy recently held its Annual General Meeting at Tinamba in the Macalister Irrigation District.
It was a great turnout of farmers and service providers from across Gippsland.
As a board we farewelled and thanked outgoing farmer director Jessica Knight. Jess and her husband Steven dairy farm near Stratford and I thank Jess for her time, contribution, and skills she provided for Gippsland farmers.
We also welcomed Raelene Hanratty to the board as a farmer director. Raelene and her husband Dennis dairy farm near Newry.
Raelene comes with plenty of board experience within and outside of dairy. We look forward to Raelene’s extended experience and perspectives.
This year the board made a progressive change to our statement of rules.
We want to encourage farmers and dairy industry professionals who may feel they don’t have the skills or capacity to be a full director to still apply for board positions.
To achieve this, we have created Associate Farmer Director and Associate Specialist Director positions.
The associate director positions offer confidential exposure to board papers and conversations that lead to outcomes, however, the individual won’t hold any voting rights.
It is a paid position and considered a stepping stone into full directorship if and when the opportunity arises. The associate director positions will become available during the normal cycle of new applications.
It would seem the past month has been filled with strategy consultation in Gippsland.
It’s been wonderful to see and hear of the number of farmers and service providers that have come out to share thoughts and perspectives that will help shape both Dairy Australia’s five-year strategic plan and ultimately the regionally specific dairy industry strategic plan for Gippsland being delivered through the Gippsland Dairy Industry Leadership Group.
Both plans are considered carefully and designed to complement both national and regional needs and trends now and over the next five years.
GippsDairy proudly supports the Facial Eczema Spore Count Monitoring Project for Gippsland.
So far this year the season has been drier than conditions this time last year.
GippsDairy has reflected on some helpful changes to the delivery and accessibility of data to help determine decision making for farmers this year.
Lauren Foster is a qualified vet working for GippsDairy and will oversee the spore count monitoring project, to provide more timely information.
Thanks also to Dairy Australia for hosting the results.
We will require farms to sign up to access the results. This can be done through an expression of interest link found in GippsDairy’s fortnightly eNews, or please contact the office directly on 5624 3900.
The program heavily relies on farmers collecting and sending their pasture samples from across Gippsland. Thank you to farmers that have partnered with GippsDairy in this project.
The board have heard from many farmers about the value of this data for decision making and we’re happy to continue supporting it into the future.
– Sarah O’Brien is the GippsDairy chair.
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