The Ekka is where the Farmers’ meet to catch up in the city!
For many city folk, the Ekka is the only chance they get to experience the sights, sounds, and smells of country life. Seeing a dairy cow up close or watching them being milked is even less likely to be something they are exposed to outside of Ekka.
The dairy industry has been an important contributor to the rich history of the Ekka dating back to the very first exhibition in 1876, making it one of the RNA’s oldest supporting agricultural industries.
Each year, proud dairy farming families pack up and leave the farm behind to bring their best milking cows to Ekka for judging. Regarded as the most prestigious dairy show in Queensland, a win is seen as the ultimate recognition of the hard work, passion, and many years of selective breeding that goes into producing the best of the best milking cows.
Leaving the farm behind for 8 days is no small undertaking for these farmers. For many, the trip to Ekka is a family affair, and the result of close to 12 months planning and a cost of many thousands of dollars.
Showing dairy cattle runs in their blood - most are 3rd or 4th generation exhibitors.
EastAUSmilk shares our farmers’ pride in their craft, and this year we’re working with the RNA to better connect Ekka visitors with the dairy industry. Our Queensland Dairy stand in the Agricultural Hall showcases and celebrates the many faces of the dairy industry. Farmers, producers and processors have been invited to come together on the stand to share their passion for the industry.
We’re encouraging Ekka visitors to head on over to the Dairy pavilion to meet our farmers and their exceptional dairy cows to recognise our farmers’ efforts to have fresh milk available for families all over Queensland.
Kay Tommerup, EastAUSmilk Director
Agritourism in Dairy
Mention agritourism and most dairy farmers will run for the hills, but diversification needn’t mean that tourism takes over your life, and certainly not your farm. Agritourism is an extremely flexible addition to your farm business offering many levels of commitment, interaction, and capital investment. Preparation is essential to any on-farm diversification – have a plan to ensure this new path works for you and your farm and seek help from experienced operators. eastAUSmilk also provides assistance to members looking to diversify.
It’s often thought agritourism diversification means you’re not a ‘real’ farmer anymore. In fact, that’s far from the truth, and even further from reality if your goal is to provide genuine farm experiences and/or products. Adding an agritourism sideline to your business can provide a much needed cashflow boost when profitability of the farm is threatened. It can be used as an interim measure to lift a below average season, to build reserves for on-farm capital investment, or a long-term strategy for succession and retirement goals. Agritourism is a supplementary income that sees you completely in control of setting the parameters and pricing.
Many farmers will say they’re not a people person, preferring the company of their animals. I’ve yet to meet a farmer who doesn’t love a yarn, particularly when the conversation involves farming or the weather. You might be surprised to learn how interested city folk are to hear genuine stories about farm life told by the farmer. These are stories that will be shared with friends back in the city - moments they’ll remember when purchasing their next bottle of milk. These connections provide value for the social licence of our industry and make a real difference.
A far cry from the price-taker situation most dairy farmers find themselves in, agritourism encourages independence and confidence for farmers.
By Kay Tommerup, eastAUSmilk Board Member
New Dairy Industry Leadership
EastAUSmilk’s constitution requires that Directors (Board members) are nominated by the District Committees across New South Wales and Queensland, from amongst dairy farmers who are themselves District Committee members, which is a good way to ensure the organisation keeps close to grassroots members.
When long-standing northern New South Wales dairy farmer Peter Graham move north into Queensland, his director position became vacant – Peter’s contributions to the organisation have been invaluable, and much appreciated, and eastAUSmilk is sorry to see him go.
However, in his place, the Northern New South Wales District Committee has nominated a most able replacement, Tim Bale from Stewarts River near Taree in New South Wales, and he’s now been appointed a Director by the eastAUSmilk Board.
Congratulations, Tim!
EastAUSmilk has a total of six Directors – one from each of the district committees in New South Wales and Queensland.
Peter has also been Vice-President of eastAUSmilk, and this appointment also lapsed when he ceased to be a Director. A new Vice-President will be appointed at the next Board meeting.
Further congratulations go to dairy farmer and entrepreneur Kay Tommerup, who has just been elected Vice-President of Queensland Farmers Federation, the peak body representing most of Queensland’s agricultural industries. Kay has been on the Queensland Farmers Federation board for two years, representing eastAUSmilk interests. She’s from Kerry, in the Scenic Rim, and is a Director of eastAUSmilk.
National Ag Day
Dairy farmers around Australia celebrated National Ag Day each in their own way. Kay Tommerup, with daughter Georgia and son Harry, joined Queensland Farmers Federation at Reddacliff Place in the Brisbane CBD, encouraging passers by to sample dairy products, and chat about the industry. Taste-testers wanted to know where the products are made, where the farms are located, and where they can purchase products for themselves.
Mike Smith, eastAUSmilk Government Relations Manager
Bobby Calves and Dairy Beef on the agenda
EastAUSmilk have been closely considering how best to assist farmers in managing the issues and opportunities around bobby calves and their unsaleability, having already raised this issue with the New South Wales, Queensland, and Commonwealth governments.
We recognise that properly addressing the issue will entail a multi-faceted approach. EastAUSmilk is investigating a package of programs which would include training in the use of artificial insemination and sexed semen, incentives for dairy farmers to make the shift (some of the equipment can be quite expensive and sexed semen can be twice the cost of unsexed), and advocacy by government to dairy farmers of its uptake including defining the economic benefits.
Research into the optimal dairy beef breeds, considering geographic location and herd genetics, will help to ensure the program’s longevity and success. Farmers considering adopting sexed semen into their herd management system would have access to relevant data enabling a move to a more valuable and saleable animal. Evaluation of alternative, more consistent markets, and how they could be established, will also be key to the success of the program.
However, before embarking on a comprehensive program such as this, we must be sure we are working with facts. EastAUSmilk is looking to survey our members to collect a range of relevant information including the extent to which they produce bobby calves, use artificial insemination, and use sexed semen. This data will also provide further evidence on the current roadblocks preventing the uptake of dairy beef, and the option of using artificial insemination and sexed semen.
EastAUSmilk is committed to providing leadership and innovative thinking to allow dairy farmers to take the lead in finding and managing sustainable solutions to this issue.
Mike Smith, eastAUSmilk government relations manager
Kay Tommerup, eastAUSmilk board member