And then some faint winter sunshine appears, the blossom on my Manchurian pear trees lining the drive miraculously open and early signs of spring lift the spirits.
With an El Niño outlook now officially at the alert level, farmers’ well-honed skills at monitoring and adjusting to current circumstances will continue to be vital to a successful season.
In the longer term we will all need to understand, measure and improve our on-farm practice as agricultural industries transition to operating in a zero-carbon environment.
Have you checked out the carbon calculator on the Dairy Australia website? Or listened to the Dairy Australia DairyPod The value in knowing your farm’s carbon emissions? Both good places to start if you haven’t already.
And watch out for more Dairy Australia and WestVic activities and events in the climate adaption space as they are rolled out over coming months.
It's been Farm Safety Week as I am writing — always a timely reminder of this important aspect of everything we do.
The statistics for workplace injuries and deaths on-farm do not make pretty reading, but behind every one of those statistics is a person, a family and a business grappling with the ‘what ifs’.
It’s time to make it a priority — and it is squarely at the top of my to-do list. WestVic will be running sessions to help, and you can always call and request support from the team on 5557 1000.
We are seeking nominations for the WestVic Dairy Board, and I would encourage anyone interested in using their knowledge and developing their leadership skills to consider applying.
The board is skills-based and endeavours to ensure diversity in all its many facets.
Contact any of the current board members if you would like more information about the work the board does. An application pack is available by calling the office on 5557 1000 or visit the website. Applications close on August 25.
I’m looking forward to attending the annual South West Dairy Ladies Lunch at Deakin University, where the guest speaker is Myf Warhurst — my favourite Spicks and Specks musical wizard.
Thanks to the brilliant team that puts this special event together each year, and of course the sponsors who ultimately enable the gathering.
Jacqui Suares
WestVic Dairy chair
