Dairy News Australia - February 2020 - With West Vic Region

FEBRUARY 2020 ISSUE 112

WEST VIC REGION

Fighting for farms see page 8

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 2020

2 // WEST VIC REGION

Chair’s message

Renewing and reinvigorating WHAT A start to 2020 it has been.

Large areas of our wonderful country have been battling bushfires and as this article goes to press it is likely some may still be burning.

I know some dairy farmers were affected and I have been in touch with my fellow RDP chairs to offer them support and see how we as a region can assist.

The draft Australian Dairy Plan has now been released, so please be sure to have your say and

let us know if there is any feedback you want passed on to the lead team.

For us, on the ground here at WestVic, this year will be about renewing and reinvigorating what we deliver and developing our strategy for the next few years.

Our staff works hard to deliver programs that are relevant and progressive to the needs of our farmers and stakeholders.

Please let us know if there is something

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particular you would like to see happen.

Our first Focus Farm Open Day to be held at Dale and Karen’s Ondit property takes place on March 12 — this is a great chance to see this farm in action and hear their goals for the project.

We also welcome the Musson family into the Focus Farm program. Another great farming family to watch and learn from during the next couple of years.

Our Dairy Awards tickets are on sale

now — please come along for a great night out and support our finalists in their quest to be winners of their respective categories.

As usual, I am always happy to hear from you and you can expect that we are here to listen and work hard to deliver the suite of programs on offer.

Catch up around the region! · Simone Renyard WestVic Dairy chair

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 2020

WEST VIC REGION // 3

Daniel Meade: Utilise roadside vegetation for feed.

Push to open roadside grazing for droughtstricken farmers A SOUTH-WEST Victorian council wants red

tape eased, so local roadsides can be grazed by drought-stricken cows from other parts of the country.

Moyne Shire Mayor Daniel Meade has called on the federal and state governments to do more to encourage droving.

Cr Meade, a local dairy farmer, says “red and green tape” needs to be eased to encourage drovers to return to the region, which has had excellent local growth while most of the country is in drought or battling fires.

Cr Meade said encouraging droving had dual benefits of reducing fire hazards and feeding stock.

“We had a drover here for about five weeks last year, but it got thwarted by Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and VicRoads and their red and green tape,” he said.

“It’s especially important in this time of

drought and bushfire risk.

“We’ve got six-foot high feed on the side of our roads that’s just a causing fire risk and going to waste.

“It’s common sense to have cattle graze it when they need it desperately.”

Cr Meade said using cattle was more practical and more effective than cutting roadsides.

“Some people suggest we cut it, but a lot of the roadsides have drains, little trees, posts and big stones, which aren’t conducive to cutting.

“However, cows can graze it; they can go in under trees and around stones and culverts.”

Moyne Shire Council plans to ramp up the campaign.

“We’re going to be persistent with our lobbying efforts to the relevant ministers, Victoria’s Regional Roads Minister Jaala Pulford and Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio and

Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley and local MP Dan Tehan,” Cr Meade said.

He said the main concerns about roadside grazing centred on protecting small patches of native grasses.

“They don’t want them damaged and we understand that, but we want to target the phalaris pasture, which is the biggest fire risk.”

The community response has been overwhelmingly positive and Moyne Shire Council is encouraging people who support roadside grazing to have their say to the Federal Government’s inquiry into the impact of vegetation management policy on bushfires.

When first aired by ABC South West, the suggestion prompted a huge response with more than 1700 replies on Facebook, mostly supporting the idea.

One farmer said Moyne was leading by example

while others said it was a win-win for everyone.

One person said they had tried to get a roadside grazing permit but VicRoads “had way too many requirements”.

“So much red tape for something we have done many times before without hassles,” they said.

Many writers raised concerns about the high level of roadside growth in the region creating a potential fire risk, but said they did not want it to be wasted when it could be fed to cattle.

“That grass is only going to turn into a fire hazard; by all means have it for feed for hungry cattle,” said one person.

However, some of those responding had concerns.

One respondent worried about drivers hitting stock grazing near roadsides and others raised concerns about the impact on remnant grasslands.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 2020

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No regrets as dairy gives way to beef AFTER 38 years of milking cows, Glenormiston’s

Nick Blain has said goodbye to his dairy herd.

Nick isn’t shedding any tears about leaving the dairy industry to go into beef, in fact he has no regrets about the life-changing decision.

Nick reckons that during the past year, 2000 to 2500 dairy cows have been lost within a 15km radius as farmers convert to beef.

Thirty years ago, his road had eight small dairy farms; now it’s back to two, including one that has bought neighbouring farms to expand.

The days of the small family farm are numbered, he says.

His 180 dairy cows were trucked out in late November and two new beef herds have taken their place, joining about 150 beef cattle already on the northern part of the 263ha farm.

“When I left school at 16, we built a dairy and started milking, and that’s what I’ve done for the past 38 years. It was time to pull the plug,” he said.

At the most, Nick milked 210 cows five or six years ago, but in recent years it had been about 180 and as low as 160.

“A couple of years ago my son Marcus came back to the farm,” Nick said.

“I asked if he wanted to milk cows or do something else, realising we could still run beef cattle … he’s gone to get a truck licence.

“He could see that for the hours of work you put in; you’re not being properly paid.”

Despite milk prices nudging $7 this year and a season of good crops, Nick said input prices continued to grow faster than income.

“It looks like grain prices are going to be through the roof again this year and hay is not going to be much cheaper if you have to buy it,” he said.

“By the time we put fuel, grain and power together and the rates go up every year, but we don’t get paid a CPI rise.

“A few years ago, we thought we’d be doing all right if we could get $6, but now I don’t think $7 would be enough now with the way the prices have gone up. We were making enough to live

Nick Blain has sold his dairy cows and bought beef cattle.

on, but we’ve struggled for the past five years.”

The Blain family has owned the farm for about 60 years and Nick is a sixth-generation farmer.

The land has been used for dairy, beef and sheep in the past.

The change is also for lifestyle and health reasons, especially as Nick and his wife Donna plan to travel.

“In recent years I’ve usually stopped for six or eight weeks when they dry off, but before that I milked year-round,” he said.

“When you’ve got a dairy farm, you can’t do anything.

“I’m 54 and if we don’t start travelling now, I probably won’t be able to sit in a plane for 24 hours.

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“The other thing about dairying is walking on concrete wears on your legs and even putting cups on affects your shoulders and I’ve had back problems over the years.”

While many local farms have converted to beef, there is also demand from graziers.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 2020

WEST VIC REGION // 5 “They’re thinking if they can run twice as many cattle on our higher-rainfall land, why buy land up north.”

Nick says the exodus will have long-term ramifications for Australia, potentially leading to a shortage of supply, especially for export.

“There’s no use building new dairy factories for export because our milk will end up in the local market very shortly,” he said.

“They’ve got to increase the prices for the people who are left.

They say if you can’t make money out of milk at $7 you never well, but people have a lot of debts built up over recent years and the prices of everything else keeps going up.

“Young farmers couldn’t afford to start up.”

He also says supermarket milk should cost at least $1.50 a litre.

“I’ve talked to Melbourne people and they say they’re willing to pay 50 cents a litre extra for it.”

Nick doesn’t see the new Dairy Plan as the panacea for the industry.

“I don’t know if it’s going to help that much,” he said.

“We’re going to have to lose another 20

per cent of suppliers to get the price to really improve.”

Seasonal conditions have also been tougher, with this year a positive exception.

“Our rye-grass doesn’t survive as well as years ago,” he said.

“We’d plant things and they’d be there for five years, now we’re only getting one or two years.

“I’m hoping going back to beef we won’t push the pastures as hard and the survival rate will be better.”

Nick and Donna discussed their options earlier in the year and decided to get rid of the Jersey and Jersey-cross herd.

The cows were on the market for about two months before being sold, with about 20 culled.

“They were unimproved cows, but a nice, neat herd all done by bulls, not AI,” Nick said.

He has bought 41 Ultrablack beef cows — Angus with a touch of Brahman — from Warwick, Queensland, and has another lot of 40 on the way.

“They were really good buys,” he said.

“They’ve just got no feed for them and have to get rid of them.

“They’re as happy as Larry down here.”

The new beef herd went into relatively dry paddocks, so they can adjust from the drier conditions.

The farm has not needed significant change to cope with a new herd, with fencing and troughs already well established.

The 38-year-old 13 swingover herringbone dairy now sits idle.

It needed a lot of work, a new vacuum pump and pipes likely to cost $80 000 to $100 000.

“I couldn’t see the point in fixing it up, but still working for nothing, like slave labour,” Nick said.

Last year an 8000-litre vat was added and will now be sold.

Nick says he has no regrets about leaving dairy.

“I couldn’t care a stuff,” he said.

“I’ve been in it that long, I’m happy to be out of it.

“I’m more interested in beef.

“I milked because I thought there was money in it, but there’s not.

“Every year they said it would get better, but it never did.”

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 2020

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Daryl and Sue Bryce on their Mt Pleasant farm.

Don’t fence us in DARYL AND Sue Bryce tried retiring 18 years ago — it didn’t work out.

Daryl was 52 at the time, Sue was 50. They thought they could retire to the outskirts of Warrnambool, do a bit of caravanning, relaxing and fishing.

It was good for a while, but as the city expanded and started to lock them in, the lure of the land was too strong.

Six years ago, they returned to dairy farming after a 12-year hiatus and now, at 70 and 68, they’re still going strong.

“We got tired and moved into the edge of town to retire, but the township started building around us and all of a sudden you have neighbours that are really close,” Daryl said.

They had sold their herd and their Naringal farm, ending all ties to the dairy industry, though their son Greg has a farm at Nullawarre.

Despite such a long break, the bug was still biting and they found a suitable small farm at Cudgee.

“I was going to buy this farm and lease it,” Daryl said.

“Our son Tim decided to milk a few cows, so we went back into it.”

Although less than 50ha, the Mt Pleasant farm south of the Princes Hwy had good soil, irrigation and a good dairy.

“We had been 12 years retired, but Daryl always loved the land and the Jersey cows,” Sue said.

The plan was for Tim to do most of the work, with Daryl and Sue as back up.

“It was good because we were only milking 100 cows, which was enough to keep him going and a bit for us as well, but Tim got a partner and they got married, so it wasn’t big enough for two families,” Daryl said.

The farm across the highway, with nearly 100 hectares and connected by an underpass, came up for sale and they bought it.

Its old dairy wasn’t suitable and it didn’t have irrigation, but the mix was perfect. About half the northern side is used for the milking herd and the rest for dry stock.

The Bryces are now milking about 230 and have about 380 in the herd.

“We have been building the two farms up,” Sue said. “We had to start all over again, start a new business from scratch.”

Having Jerseys was an essential part of the deal and they were able to buy a good herd from Simpson, although they didn’t get back into showing.

“I mostly missed breeding the cows,” Daryl said. “That’s what I like the most; not the milking side of things.”

The biggest change they noticed in their absence was the attitude of processors.

“They’re not as loyal today,” Daryl said. “Seven dollars is good, but when you look at the costs, it should be probably $9.”

The former Saputo suppliers are now with Bega, seeking better prices for Jersey protein and lamenting the poor prices paid through winter.

“Young farmers starting up small don’t get the same prices as the big suppliers,” Daryl said.

“I believe everyone should get paid the same.

There needs to be a lot of changes to encourage young people to get into the industry.”

Daryl also believes factories should better

recognise the value of milk solids in their payment systems.

“There are only a few factories paying 50:50 fat to protein ratio, which is where I believe it should be,” he said.

“Quality control is much harder today. We get better quality and so we should get a better price for it, but that’s just not happening.”

Daryl believes more changes need to be made to encourage young people into the industry.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 2020

WEST VIC REGION // 7

The Bryces are going out of spring calving.

“I believe everyone should get paid the same. There needs to be a lot of changes to encourage young people to get into the industry.”

During his absence, Daryl noticed improvements in cows, but not in pastures.

“I don’t think pasture species have improved at all. With the drier seasons, they’re not hanging on as well. We’ve had some that burn out in the hot weather and we have to sow them every year.”

Cows are another matter, and that’s where his heart really lies.

“Introducing North American bloodlines improved it a lot,” Daryl said.

“I like the dairyness of the Jerseys and their ability to milk.

“They’re producing better and living longer as well. Loyalty to your cattle is the key to success.”

The farm is achieving about 5 kgMS fat and 4 for protein most of the year.

“That’s good, but factories should be paying for it,” Daryl said.

“The factories say they can’t change it overnight, it will take three or four years, but AB companies are changing their bulls’ fat and protein percentages. They are ahead of the factories.”

The cows are producing about 20 to 21 litres, peaking around 23 to 24 litres in spring.

The farm had split calving, but is going out

of spring calving because there’s not enough money in it.

“We’ve been offered 80 cents a litre incentive for any extra production from November to July ahead of the previous year, but most of that would be lost to extra feed costs,” Daryl said.

“That’s why we’re going out of spring calving.

“There’s a little bit extra in it to keep the factory kicking over, but it’s not worth it.”

On the back of a good season, which saw nearly 1000 rolls of silage cut this year, the farm is looking pretty good.

Tim does most of the milking, though Daryl steps up during harvest, Tim’s wife Kate rears the calves and Sue helps with babysitting.

It is a family affair with everyone contributing.

However, thoughts of a second and permanent retirement sometimes return, though there’s no timeline at this stage.

“It will have to come to a time when you think about the caravan and the fishing rods,” Daryl said.

When they retire, it won’t be to the city.

“There are two houses on the farm, so we can stay here. Tim can hire a worker in my spot.”

The Bryces have a preference for Jerseys.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 2020

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Fighting the winds of change to protect farm land WIEBKE AND Jakob Franzenburg settled in

south-west Victoria because they thought it was the best dairy farming land in Australia.

Now they’re willing to fight to protect that land from a proposed neighbouring wind farm.

Wiebke and Jakob moved from Germany in 2003, purchasing Ballangeich Run from Kerry Packer.

The Ballangeich Pastoral Run was established in 1841 and remains one of the district’s premier farms, regularly winning milk-quality awards and milking 1500 cows on 1060 hectares.

The couple farmed in West Germany until 1995 before moving to the eastern side of the country, increasing from 70 to 350 cows.

They wanted to expand and be free of the restrictions and subsidies that come with farming in Europe.

Jakob’s dream was to milk 1000 cows. Wiebke researched Argentina, New Zealand and other parts of Australia and found south-west Victoria would be the best place to achieve that dream.

“This was the first farm I looked at and I knew it would be the one,” she said.

They took over on February 16, 2003, adjusting to the different climate and soils and building on the 900-strong Friesian herd.

“We did a lot of research to find this place,” Wiebke said.

“It was about the soils, not being too hilly, the climate, what you can grow, the location and access to plenty of processors. It was ideal and we love the farm. We have never complained; it just works so well.”

They invested strongly to develop the farm, with a new dairy built six years ago, new fences, new drains, calving shed, two big silage pits and accommodation for staff.

The seasons continue to be kind — especially in comparison to other dairy regions — but like other areas the biggest problem is attracting and retaining skilled employees.

“We need skilled workers,” Wiebke said.

“We’re producing food; it has to be clean and 100 per cent without any contamination.

“It’s a very responsible job.”

The farm has 15 employees.

Brenton Burrow-Buck, Kerrie Okley, Ole Treichel and Patrick Brey are among a 15-strong team.

Wiebke and Jakob Franzenburg are concerned what impact a neighbouring wind farm could have on their cows and groundwater.

Kerrie Okley is the full-time calf rearer and works across the year.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 2020

WEST VIC REGION // 9

The Franzenburgs say teamwork and cow health and happiness are the keys to their success.

The farm produces more than 12.5 million litres a year, averaging more than 9000 litres per cow.

The cell count averages under 60 000; at the moment it’s about 30 000, and mastitis is virtually non-existent.

“We farm a bit different to most Australian dairy farms,” Wiebke said.

“We don’t use hormones and we try not to use chemicals.

“For example, we don’t treat mastitis with antibiotics, but with probiotics and we have been part of research trials with probiotic bacteria for six years.”

Their cows calve year-round, with a full-time calf rearer.

“We don’t synchronise them, if they are ready to go on heat then we inseminate them. We don’t use a lot of replacement heifers because our cows live very long lives.”

They don’t inseminate heifers, instead using Wagyu bulls for natural mating.

“We don’t need to inseminate them. We almost never have to assist a heifer to give birth to their

first calf, which is the best start in life for a dairy cow, then we use proper transition feeding.”

All calving is in a shed with dry straw.

Yelling or whistling near cows, hitting or spraying them with water is forbidden.

Dogs are banned from the dairy.

The farm rarely needs a vet thanks to the well-trained team maintaining strict health and cleanliness controls.

“We’re milking 1200 at the moment and there are just two with mastitis,” Wiebke said.

The farming team knows how sensitive cows are and makes sure they have a content herd to produce good-quality milk.

“It starts with how you approach your cows,” Wiebke said.

“They have to be happy otherwise they are not producing milk profitably. We love our cows.”

This is why they say the Hexham Wind Farm proposal could ruin a happy and successful environment.

Wiebke is marshalling local opposition to the plan, with more than 30 landholders joining the Hexham Community Environmental Action Group, which has engaged a Melbourne

environmental law lawyer to guide their response.

Although still in the feasibility stage, Wind Prospect wants to erect up to 125 wind turbines up to 250 metres high in an area bordered by Ellerslie, Hexham and Caramut.

The Franzenburgs are not against wind farms.

“We do not object to renewable energy; we are big wind farm fans, as long as they make sense,” Wiebke said.

The proposed wind farm would surround their main dairy block and Wiebke says this presents many threats to their cows while removing topquality agricultural land.

“Wind towers need foundations, access roads, concrete spaces beside turbines for cranes; they will seal hundreds of hectares of top agricultural land,” she said.

“At the moment with fires and drought, they want to put things up like this in the food bowl of Australia!”

The farm has a groundwater licence to fill a huge dam and use pivot irrigation.

“Nobody knows what would happen to the water flow and water levels; there could also be problems from leaking currents and noise issues

Wiebke and Jakob Franzenburg are concerned what impact a neighbouring wind farm could have on their cows and groundwater.

for animals,” Wiebke said.

“Studies in Germany show the impact of infrasound on animals; it affects their inner-ear, they get aggressive, stop drinking, stop mating.

For me, that’s enough to say it could happen to my cows.”

She also fears the impact of shadow flickering from the rotating turbines.

The proposal places turbines just metres from their fence, though the Franzenburgs hope to counteract that by subdividing and placing a house on the corner of their land, taking advantage of rules keeping turbines away from residences.

“We have 15 people working on that block and it is the main area for the cows,” she said.

“It could really impact the wellbeing of our employees and the cows’ fertility; cows are so sensitive to all sorts of noise, visuals and currents.

“They might say there’s no problem, but did we know anything about asbestos 100 years ago?”

The turbines have a lifespan of 25 years.

“Then what happens — there will be a safety risk as they get old. What about the next generation?”

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 2020

10 // WEST VIC REGION

Company says wind farm well suited to site THE COMPANY behind the Hexham Wind

Farm proposal says the site is well suited to a wind farm development.

Wind Prospect says the proposal covers up to 125 turbines up to 250 metres high.

It would also include tracks, underground cabling, overhead powerlines and other electrical infrastructure.

Hexham Wind Farm is in the planning and environment stage and focused on completing

independent technical assessments of potential impacts.

A spokesman for Wind Prospect said the company was not aware of any studies investigating potential impacts of wind farms on the health

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and fertility of cows.

“There are more than 90 wind farms operating across Australia and several hundred thousand wind turbines operating internationally,” he said.

“With most wind farms located in rural areas, a significant proportion of these wind turbines would be interacting with livestock, yet we are not aware of any reports of potential impacts of wind farms on livestock.

“On the contrary there are many reports of livestock seeking out the shade and shelter created by wind turbines for protection from the sun and other elements.”

The spokesman said the Toora wind farm in eastern Victoria was an example of a wind farm located on a dairy farm, while wind farms at Codrington and Yambuk had been operating for many years and were actively farmed for livestock.

“Dairy Australia has also prepared a brochure entitled Wind power for dairy farms that explores the opportunity of utilising wind power on dairy farms,” he said.

The spokesman said Hexham Wind Farm was undertaking a thorough independent assessment of the hydrogeology values of the proposed development and surrounding area.

“If potential impacts are identified these will be avoided through site design iterations,” he said.

“This assessment will consider all relevant policy, legislation and guidelines, in particular the local planning scheme and the Victorian Planning Provisions.”

It is also undertaking detailed noise modelling and assessment and expects to easily comply with regulated noise limits.

A detailed independent shadow flicker analysis will start soon to ensure the project is compliant.

The spokesman said Wind Prospect had and would continue to undertake thorough stakeholder engagement, in particular with the local community.

Since the project was announced last March, there have been newsletter mailouts, doorknocking of residences within 6 km of the project; drop-in information sessions at Caramut and Ellerslie; a bus tour of the Murra Warra Wind Farm, face-to-face meetings and phone and email conversations.

“Wind Prospect is committed to understanding the views and concerns of local residents and encourage any local residents that we have been unable to establish contact with to contact us to discuss the project,” the spokesman said.

Wind Prospect says the site is close to an existing 500 kV transmission line and Mortlake terminal station and has an excellent wind resource and relatively low population density.

It says most of the land is cleared and used for sheep and beef farming, though some properties are used for dairy farming and cropping.

The company’s website says the farm would bring economic benefits to the region, including opportunities for local contractors and suppliers of goods and services, and local labour opportunities.

The site It says the wind farm could generate an estimated 2400 GWhr annual output and supply up to 550 000 households a year while abating up to 2.6 million tonnes of CO2.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 2020

WEST VIC REGION // 11

Weather cools for dairy week INTERNATIONAL DAIRY Week was suc-

cessfully held in useasonally mild weather at Tatura in January.

The hot weather held off for the five days of competition.

The week finished with a bang for the Templeton family from Tarwin in Victoria, taking out Senior Champion and Grand Champion Allbreed of the show with Holstein Avonlea Reginald Jacobina.

Tongala’s Frank Walsh and Brad and Jess Gavenlock from Cherrylock Cattle Co, Tallygaroopna won Champion Jersey Cow and Reserve Grand Champion Allbreed with Windy Ways Galaxies Dawn 7.

Drought, tough conditions and fires did little to deter the quality of cattle on show and while numbers may have been down on average, organisers have been very pleased with the quality and number of cattle on show.

The Dairy Week Bushfire Appeal raised more than $65 000 at the World Wide Sires Evolution Sale.

Before the annual sale began, auctioneer Brian Leslie held an auction, with the buyer being able to choose any cow from the Moxey Farms stud.

The sale finished at $50 000 before Mr Leslie announced World Wide Sires would add $15 000 to the fundraiser.

Later on some embryos were also sold for charity.

The proceeds will go to the Salway family, from Cobargo, and BlazeAid. After the bushfire appeal sale, it was Lot 7 — Cypress Grove V3 Ronimo Tiffany — that topped the World Wide Sires Evolution Sale after it sold for $12 000.

The top-priced cow was owned by the Jones family, from Foster, and was sold to Emu Banks Holsteins, from Terang.

Red and White Holstein Show Grand Champion Rusty Red Liner Georgie-RED owned by Judson Jennings from Chapple Vale.

Toby Fleming, 17, from Boorcan and Renee Mugavin, 16, from Warrnambool prepare Holstein Urramy Lodge Bradnick Vixen for showing.

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12 // WEST VIC REGION

Celebrating dairy's best THE GREAT South West Dairy Awards will

return in March 2020.

The Gala evening, which is now held biennially, will acknowledge and celebrate those who are achieving great things in the industry.

A new category, ‘Dairy Farm Business Management Award’, has been added to the program. It will become the premier Award of the evening and combines three previous categories — Farm Business Manager Award, Employer Award and Share Farmer Award.

Applications are now open in the following categories: ■ Dairy Farm Business Management Award.

■ Young Dairy Leader Award.

■ Service Provider Award.

■ Natural Resource Sustainability Management Award.

■ Employee Award.

■ Western Victorian Dairy Industry Honour Board.

■ Farm Photo Award.

In a change to the nomination process, you can download the application form and give it to the person you wish to nominate.

Alternatively, you can encourage people to complete the application form themselves.

Remembering of course that you can put yourself forward for an award, simply download, complete and then return your form.

Generally, farmers and those working in the dairy industry can be reluctant to put themselves forward for this kind of recognition — often not considering what they are doing to be anything special.

WestVic Dairy is encouraging people to consider applying, as the industry should be celebrating achievements and be proud of the work that is accomplished.

Sponsorship packages are available for businesses that would like to be involved in the evening.

Anyone interested can download application forms from the WestVic Dairy website.

If you need any help or guidance with the application/nomination process, or you would like to know more about sponsorship packages, please contact project officer Liza Fahey on 0408 141 820 or 5557 1000.

SUNGOLD FIELD DAYS The 2020 Sungold Field Days at Allansford offers three full days of innovation, inspiration, great food and good fun for the family The Sungold Field Days will be held from Wednesday, February 12 through to Friday, February 14, showcasing a range of agricultural machinery and the latest in dairy innovations.

The event provides an opportunity for dairy industry suppliers to speak directly with the local farmers.

Now in its 39th year, the Sungold Field Days is spread over 7.7 hectares and continues to be the only dairy focused field days in the region.

Like previous years, there will be an abundance of new technology released at the field days which will be of great benefit to farmers and of interest to everyone.

This year’s event will have an entertainment program, complementing the range of exhibits on show.

With wood chopping, live music, excellent food and cooking demonstrations there is plenty to keep the family entertained for hours.

This year patrons will have the opportunity to win return airfares and five nights accommodation for two to Tasmania.

This year will feature free public entry on Wednesday, February 12.

These two enjoyed a visit to Sungold Field Days last year.

Great South West Dairy Awards 2020 TICKETS ON SALE NOW!!

This prestigious event recognises and celebrates the achievements of the region's farmers and service providers in the following categories: Dairy Farm Business Management Award Employee Award Young Dairy Leader Award Natural Resource and Sustainability Management Award Service Provider Award

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Farm Photo Award Western Victorian Dairy Industry Honour Board

Wednesday 25th March 2020 Wannon Rooms Function Centre Koroit Street Warrnambool Canapés and drinks served from 6pm Tickets cost $60pp which includes a threecourse meal and complimentary drink on arrival.

To purchase tickets visit: www.eventbrite.com.au

If you require assistance call our office on 5557 1000.

Dress code: Semi-formal, no denim