Singleton farmer Max Wake fights to build new dairy on floodplain
A Hunter Valley, NSW, dairy farmer says he has been told by the local council he cannot build a new dairy on his land as it is located on a floodplain.
Max Wake and his son Gavin were busy last week organising repairs to the centre pivots used to irrigate their property located on the Hunter River floodplain at Whittingham, NSW.
Standing on land where the Wake family hope to build a new multi-million dollar dairy and cow feed pad facility, last month's mud has swiftly been replaced by dust - the cycle of life on the land.
Despite the current dryness of the site selected for the family's proposed dairy infrastructure, Max Wake said had received a verbal rejection from Singleton Council's planning department that the development application (DA), submitted by Pittman Building Services, could not proceed as it is located on a floodplain.
Floodplain developments are currently front of mind for many councils following record flooding this year.
Singleton Council spokesperson said the council was in receipt of a DA for an upgrade of an existing dairy shed at Whittingham.
"The proposal is located in a high hazard floodway as identified in council's flood mapping. Council is currently assessing the application. No determination has been made," the spokesperson said.
Mr Wake, who has been dairying on the property for 47 years, said the selected site was not impacted during the most recent flood in July.
"In fact in the second highest flood on this property since 1955, in June 2007, the water was only lapping at the bottom wire of this fence," he said pointing to the fence on the nearby paddock.
"We are prepared to build the site up a metre with fill, that will cost several hundred thousand dollars, to ensure the building is out of flood.
"I know at this stage it is just a verbal rejection, but I hope council would be prepared to take a site visit and discuss the proposal with us."
Mr Wake said two years ago council approved a hayshed adjacent to the dairy infrastructure site.
This shed was not impacted by the two floods this year and Mr Wake said why take a different approach now when it was fine to build on this section of the floodplain in 2020.
Gavin Wake said the family wanted to spend in the vicinity of $4 million to improve the farm's efficiency and productivity, create a better work environment for workers and improve cow comfort.
"This farm supports four families, is the major supplier to the Hunter Belle brand of milk, cheese and other dairy products and we want to continue to grow the business in a changing environment," he said.
"Our existing dairy is well and truly past its used-by date with the new dairy capable of handling 250 cows/hour where we are currently only milking 80 cows/hour in the existing dairy.
"We have to build this infrastructure to survive."
The Wake family's existing herringbone dairy is now the oldest one still operating in the Hunter.
Keeping with the family tradition of adopting emerging technologies, they wish to now build a new facility, which Max Wake said would lift the herd's milk production from 23 litres/cow/day to 30litres/cow/day.
"That's a huge difference in terms of productivity," he said.
Gavin said the feed pad, where the milking herd would be housed, would allow the business to use water far more efficiently as they would opt to grow corn rather than rely on pastures to feed the milking herd.
"With the two centre pivots it just makes economic and environmental sense to grow corn silage and feed that to the cows. We have to make the most of that water and this management system is proven to do that," he said.
At the heart of their operation is their nationally acclaimed Benleigh Brown Swiss stud.
Source: Louise Nichols, Farmonline National, 8 December 2022
Milk price comparison: Fonterra beats Bega and Saputo
Fonterra leads on farmgate price ahead of rivals Saputo and Bega, but all dairy processors are struggling. See the latest milk price comparison.
New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra has beat its major rivals to top the milk price pool, despite embattled Canadian processor Saputo’s recent 10-cent step up.
Milk2Market’s latest milk price comparison has Fonterra offering $9.52 a kilogram of milk solids for farmers delivering two million litres, followed by Bega Cheese on $9.45/kgMS, with Saputo on $9.40/kgMS.
Competition among processors for farmers’ milk was already strong heading into this season, but La Nina-driven floods and heavy rain swamped pastures and drove national milk production down 6.5 per cent to the end of October.
If the trend continues Australian dairy farmers will produce just 7.99 billion litres this season, compared to 8.55 billion in 2021-22 and 9.8 billion seven years ago.
Processors have not been able to run their processing plants at anywhere near capacity and have also been hard hit by the global energy crisis.
Diesel price hikes have driven up transport costs, while gas, used in evaporators to make milk powders, has soared to record levels.
While Saputo, Bega Cheese and Fonterra negotiate their own contract gas prices with suppliers, recently gazetted standard contract rates show AGL has lifted its weighted average small business tariffs by 22 per cent, Energy Australia by 35.9 per cent and Alinta Energy by a whopping 67.9 per cent.
Saputo has already rationalised its transport fleet and announced the closure of its Maffra plant and its bulk powders production at Leongatha, both of which use huge amounts of gas in their evaporators.
Australian Dairy Farmers Corporation steps up farmgate price
With record farmgate prices, it was thought a step up wouldn’t happen this spring. But with five days to go, one processor is moving.
Australian Dairy Farmers Corporation have stepped up the price paid to its suppliers, one of the first processors to step up this season.
While late spring was often a period of price movement from Australia’s big three processors - Bega, Fonterra and Saputo - the 2022-23 financial year kicked off with record prices paid at the farmgate.
As a result, few had offered any change to pricing until today’s announcement by ADFC management.
Backdated to July 1, an average of $9.90 a kilogram of milk solids will be paid to ADFC suppliers across the 2022-23 financial year.
Segmented into six-month payment periods, the price paid stands at $9.50 a kilogram of milk solids between July and December 2022, while $10.30 a kilogram of milk solids will be paid from January to June 2023.
In early July, the big three processors offered unprecedented step ups in the first fortnight of the 2022-23 season.
At the time Fonterra, Saputo and Bega were all offering at or near a $9.40/kg milk solids average — about $2/kg higher forecasted figures in February and March.
Dairy Australia staff surge as milk production slumps by a billion litres
As national milk production slumps by almost a billion litres, Dairy Australia has boosted staff numbers to 178.
Dairy Australia’s staff numbers have surged almost 30 per cent in the past five years, despite national milk production slumping by almost a billion litres.
DA’s annual reports show it had the full time equivalent of 139.65 staff in 2016-17, with 91.3 FTEs at its Southbank headquarters, plus 48.35 FTEs spread across its eight regional development program sites.
The latest 2021-22 annual report shows that number has grown to 178 FTE staff, but gives no breakdown of how many work at Southbank versus the RDPs.
As DA’s staff numbers increase national milk production wanes, from 9 billion litres in 2016-17 to a forecast of just on 8 billion litres this season.
The wages bill reflects the hike in staff numbers, having grown from $14.9m in 2016-17 to $18.34m in 2021-22.
DA managing director David Nation said employee numbers “fluctuate over time based on the significant increase in the delivery of services to farmers and the industry and the reduced dependency on consultants to deliver these services.
Dairy Australia managing director David Nation responded to questions on increased staffing by stating he plans to enhance farmer engagement.
“There are also plans to enhance Dairy Australia services and engagement with farmers through our 8 regional locations. Which includes the bolstering of expertise and capacity to support farm businesses.”
The wages hike comes despite DA losing a bid earlier this year to gain a 20 per cent increase in the levies farmers contribute to its research, development and marketing efforts.
At the time the Australian Dairy Farmers Board urged the nation’s 5000 farmers not support any increase in the levy, given dairy processing giants – such as Fonterra, Bega and Saputo – refused to contribute, despite enjoying the benefits of the R&D body’s $10 million investment in post farmgate manufacturing research, market access and development.
Woolsthorpe dairy farmer Glenn Britnell said the question DA needed to answer was “What value have we got from employing more staff while producing less milk?”.
“I don’t mind if they step up their staffing, but are they creating value down the chain?”
Cohuna dairy farmer Steve Henty said DA had delivered value to his own operation over his lifetime, but could not attribute anything to its R&D that had helped him over the past five years.
However he said “when there’s an emergency they (DA) do really step up, calling to ask what we need, and when things are tight.
As for the decline in milk production Mr Henty said “everyone has to take a little bit of blame”, from those with big numbers of cows who “had not been able to find the right balance”, to “those of us of a certain age who are thinking of running beef”.
ADF board candidates want to halt milk production decline
The three candidates for the Australian Dairy Farmers board want to turn around declining milk production in Australia.
But they have vastly different priorities for making this happen.
Incumbent ADF president Rick Gladigau, from South Australia, is facing a challenge from south-western Victorian dairy farmers Ian Morris and Glenn Britnell for a seat on the five-member board.
The three faced a Victorian Farmers Federation online forum last week to outline their case for election at the ADF's annual general meeting on Thursday.
Ian Morris, from Cobden, Vic, is fresh off having won a court case against the Victorian Farmers Federation in July.
Mr Morris launched legal action after the VFF terminated his membership while he was running for the presidency of its commodity group, the United Dairyfarmers of Victoria.
He wants to see a complete overhaul of ADF and Dairy Australia's structure.
The former World Bank economist said the industry needed to have the right framework to deal with the extensive range of issues facing it.
"The dairy industry is at a major tipping point, as the national milk pool collapses by 3 per cent per year," he said.
"Paradoxically, in recent times, we have had relatively good milk prices, reasonable seasons, except for fires and patches of drought and floods, but farmers are leaving in significant numbers with many farms being converted to alternate uses.
"This is simply not good for the industry."
Mr Morris said ADF had done some good work in addressing some of the issues facing the industry, but more needed to be done, particularly around supermarket power over processors and issues such as the commitment to net zero and social licence to operate.
ADF needed to consult more with farmers on these issues and focus on solutions while keeping farm profitability top of mind.
He said industry reform was critical to achieving this.
"Dairy leaders started the Dairy Plan process by indicating that the existing advocacy arrangements and structure were not fit for purpose and were broken," he said.
"No discernible progress on this very important set of issues and advocacy reform has been made by dairy leaders."
Mr Britnell also wants to address the decline in the industry - but he wants to do this by bringing the views of grassroots farmer to the table.
"What we see now is an industry that's in decline and we need to be able to put a put the brakes on it," he said.
Mr Gladigau staked his bid on his track record with ADF and on the need to have stability at a board level.
He pointed to the Australian Dairy Plan, the mandatory Code of Conduct and advocating for dairy to be an essential service during the COVID crisis as some of these achievements.
He pointed to more recent wins as the management of biosecurity issues this year and the development of ADF federal election platform.
He said one of the biggest issues facing the organisation was ongoing funding, something he had been working on with the past chief executive officer and the new CEO.
Board stability was a critical issue.
"I am actually the currently the longest-serving director on ADF," he said.
"We've only got five directors, and three of those were actually appointed last year, so stability to me is a big key to how ADF can continue to function."
Biggest issues facing dairy industry
Mr Gladigau nominated labour as the biggest issue facing the industry and said this was driving a lack of confidence.
"Farmers are doing long hours, and some recently have had the extra burdens of flooding and wet weather," he said.
"Some are getting on in age a bit, like me, and with no family to take over and and feeling a bit worn out.
"When we see large dairies closing down because they can't find staff, this becomes a big concern for industry.
"And smaller farms sell up due to good land prices and retire and move to beef."
Mr Gladigau said the other part of the labour challenge was the bookwork.
"Keeping up with all the IR laws, wages, super, sick leave, holiday pay and now we also have domestic violence leave added to the list," he said.
Mr Gladigau said collaboration within the industry was key.
"One of the biggest concerns is to increase Australia's milk production," he said.
"I am concerned where we are heading and what we may look like if this continues.
"There are so many pieces to this puzzle as to how to make this happen, and that's why we need a well-resourced ADF.
"We need to build confidence ... through developing relationships between our processors and farmers for a secure profitable farmgate milk price for multiple years.
"The processors can then grow with confidence to grow value and markets, plus returns.
"We need win:wins across the supply chain.
"Unity and collaboration is needed to be able to build confidence."
Mr Britnell agreed that labour was a big issue but part of a wider issue of the loss of dairy farms and dairy farmers from the industry.
"It obviously takes a lot of effort to try and turn that around when we've got influences like supermarkets and government that we have to lobby all the time," he said.
"There's no silver bullet to the scenarios but at least we can try and make sure that everyone's voices are heard on these sorts of things - to be able to work as a team."
Mr Morris said the failure of dairy advocacy across the country was the biggest issue facing the industry.
"The dairy industry needs a robust advocacy capacity, which can engage with government and the community," he said.
"The current advocacy structure is clearly not working.
"It is totally underfunded, and the sustained drop in membership of state bodies, particularly in Victoria, compounds the risk to the current advocacy capacity of the industry."
Mr Morris said he also wanted to see Dairy Australia be more accountable and high performing.
"There is also concerning skepticism among farmers, particularly as reflected in the dairy levy poll, about the accountability, transparency and benefits being derived from DA," he said.
He wants to see DA's forward five-year program of work subject to independent technical and economic evaluations, managed by ADF.
Mr Morris wants ADF restructured with all dairy farmers eligible to join the organisation.
Dairy farmer members from each state would elect representatives to ADF with voting rights equivalent to their share of the milk pool.
The ADF board would have a strong strategic role in setting priorities for DA as a Part B member of that organisation.
Talk of the Town: Time to stop portraying a bush career as a second tier option
It's the first day of school when the teacher delivers the young students their first task.
"I want each of you to tell me what you want to be when you grow up," she says.
Doctors, veterinarians and hair dressers.
The kids throw those three occupations around prolifically and receive plenty of positivity for their future endeavours.
And then someone mentions meat worker, shearer or farmer and the mood changes.
"That's very nice," she responds to them.
So why doesn't society celebrate a future in agriculture like other careers?
Is it because of historical stereotypes?
Have we been groomed to believe that working in processing plants is only for the uneducated and that shearers are unaccomplished?
I remember sitting in on a next generation forum at Beef Australia in Rockhampton a few years ago where the Oakey Beef Exports' general manager at the time, Pat Gleeson, was the key note speaker.
He left school at 15.
"I will never forget one of the things that really drove me was the science teacher told me, the best you will ever aspire to is filling potholes with the shire council," he said.
He switched his focus from bull-riding to complete a butchering apprenticeship, worked 10 years in boning before moving up the ranks with further vocational training and qualifications.
Attitude rather than schooling was what they looked for in their staff.
"From the processing sector one of our challenges is an old age saying, if you don't do any good at school you will end up at the meat works, however, there are so many good opportunities there," he said at the time.
Now more than ever agriculture should be seen as one of the most attractive professions going around.
There isn't a single commodity that isn't booming, or crying out for staff.
In under two weeks thousands of students from across the state will graduate from high school.
Some will go to university or take on extra skill-based training, but a large portion will enter the workforce directly.
Despite this significant flow of new blood to the workforce, we'll still have the same problem and the bush will be short-staffed.
These young people will be influenced to apply for the city job over a rural placement for a number of reasons but the stigma associated with bush careers is undoubtedly a big influence.
Some of the earliest attitudes and decision making processes in a young person's life are shaped during their schooling.
When I finished grade 12 I planned to become a sports journalist for The Courier Mail in the bright lights of Brisbane.
I thought the only way you could be successful was by moving to the skyscrapers.
But after a few years on the Gold Coast, I came to learn that I was just another number on their fluctuating population figure.
So I decided to move back to the bush. I was in tears the day that my parents helped me unpack my belongings in Roma. What would people think of me? I couldn't cut it in the city? Would anyone take me seriously again?
It's time that we stopped allowing people to portray a bush career as a second tier option. You don't need bright lights or big cities to feel worthy or successful.
Every job is an important one and there is no better place to work when you grow up than in the bush.
Talk of the Town is a weekly opinion piece written by ACM journalists. The thoughts expressed are their own.
Source: Lucy Kinbacher, North Queensland Register, 13 November 2022
Stephen Sheridan installed as Australian Dairy Farmer chief
Record dairy prices may look good, Stephen Sheridan says, but input costs are closing the milk profit gap.
Rising input costs are squeezing primary producers and processors, the new chief executive of Australian Dairy Farmers says.
Stephen Sheridan recently took over the reins as ADF’s top administrator, succeeding David Inall in the top job.
Mr Inall now serves as chief executive of the Master Grocers Australia group.
Ongoing flooding across northern Victoria and the Riverina would compound Australian dairy’s input-cost challenges, Mr Sheridan said.
The new chief executive will tour flood-hit regions in coming weeks, talking with farmers about government and industry assistance.
“The cost of inputs, whether it be workforce shortages, energy prices, fertiliser, electricity, gas for the processors,” Mr Sheridan said.
“Feed costs, which have been affected by the floods. All of that is impacting input costs and in turn impacting your profitability.
“So inflation and interest rates are a problem across agriculture, but particularly dairy, being so energy intensive.
“While we’ve got higher prices domestically and higher world prices as well as increased demand, that’s the positive side of the coin, you’ve got to take a wholistic approach that these input costs are really eating into profit margins.”
He is also a current director of Rural Financial Counselling Service Victoria and a former manager with the Australian Wheat Board.
Mr Sheridan told The Weekly Times that rising house prices in Sydney and Melbourne had given many jobseekers pause for thought.
He said a generational shift towards regional areas would help to counter-balance the rural-to-urban population drift of the 1990s and 2000s.
“You’re seeing young people seeing the value of agriculture. In the past few years, with better connectiveness, better technology, is making a shift to regional areas more attractive,” Mr Sheridan said.
“During the pandemic, many people saw the benefits of regional living. That’s a positive sign for agriculture but that’s not to say there aren’t labour shortages, there are, but we’re better placed in terms of population movement than we were only a few years ago.”
Mr Sheridan grew up on a mixed cropping and livestock property near Dubbo before completing a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics at the University of New England.
“I’ve worked in everything from quality assurance to supply chain management, acquisition, trading — it’s given me a good appreciation of the commercial drivers of agriculture.”
Saputo closes dairy factory in Maffra, scales down others in Victoria and South Australia, with 75 jobs lost
Saputo is to close its dairy factory in Maffra and scale back operations at two more sites, affecting 75 employees.
Bulk powder production at its Leongatha site and cheese packaging at Mil-Lel, near Mount Gambier, will be shut down.
In February, the Canadian milk processor announced plans to cut 18 jobs at its Maffra and Cobram factories.
And, in August, it announced further plans to scale back its Australian operations in the face of declining milk supply.
Speaking to the ABC this morning, the company said 75 employees would be affected, and redeployment would be discussed and, where not available, severance would be provided.
Leanne Cutts, president and chief operating officer, said some functions of the three sites would be relocated.
"Many of those impacted production and packaging functions at those three facilities will be integrated into facilities across the network," she said.
"It's business as usual for our customers … no change to the products and brands."
Ms Cutts said suppliers' milk would continue to be collected and processed across the Saputo network.
"We're committed to the Australian dairy industry and we want every litre of milk," she said.
When asked whether Saputo might close more plants, Ms Cutts said "we're always reviewing our network … because we want to make sure we continue to be efficient".
The changes will take effect in the first three months of 2023.
Tim Bull, Member for Gippsland East, said the Maffra closure was not a surprise, but it was still a big blow for the town of 4,000 people.
"The Maffra community saw the writing on the wall when there was a significant downsizing in the past 12 months, but it's always disappointing when you're losing jobs out of a rural town," he said.
"It comes at a time when there are plenty of sectors looking for workers, so there are plenty of job opportunities around, but we need to make sure these workers are transitioned appropriately."
Mr Bull said he hoped Saputo would support the repurposing of the Maffra factory.
"It is a big site in the heart of Maffra, so hopefully we can get Saputo together with Wellington Shire Council and come up with a plan to use that site for the betterment of the community," he said.
Saputo significantly expanded its presence in the Australian market when it purchased the former farmer-owned dairy cooperative Murray Goulburn in 2018.
At its peak in 2014–15, Murray Goulburn collected more than 3.6 billion litres of milk from Australian dairy farmers.
Since then, Saputo's milk intake has fallen to less than 2 billion litres.
Dairy Australia provides resources for managing wet conditions
Dairy farmers across Australia, particularly on the east coast, are again dealing with wet conditions and floods this spring and summer.
The third successive La Nina event means above average rainfall is forecast for many Australian dairy regions.
Dairy Australia has a number of resources available to help dairy farmers to manage wet conditions and to prepare for and recover from floods.
Floods can be unpredictable and destructive.
It is easy to become overwhelmed after a flood event.
A flood can also affect power supply to the farm.
Preparing for power outages helps farmers develop a contingency plan that will save time and keep the dairy operational during a power outage.
Floods can isolate farmers from their community, damage infrastructure, cut essential services, cause death or injuries and result in costly dumped milk.
Being ready with a contingency plan will save time and help keep the dairy operational.
Forward planning a team approach and practice are the key steps to minimise disruption to the business.
Recovery from any natural disaster can be slow, stressful and costly so it is worth spending time at least once a year to discuss areas of business risk with family and employees.
Animal welfare
When conditions get wet, the risk of mastitis and lameness can both increase.
After a flood, farmers should thoroughly assess sick or injured stock - if recovery is unlikely (e.g. from clinical mastitis or lameness), consider culling or humane euthanasia.
Write down an inventory of feed availability and accessibility - use it to budget daily cow requirements.
Wherever possible make feed mix changes slowly.
After a major flood event, cows may be unsettled and continuity of feed intake may be disrupted for a few days.
Try to use 'safer' feeds such as hay/silage or pasture as the main component of the diet until the cows settle back into a routine.
Milk yields may suffer initially but should recover within a few days.
Check damp hay stores for risk of spontaneous combustion.
If labour resources allow; reduce the risk of clinical mastitis by the following steps:
• Wash and dry all teats before cups go on (always use new paper towel for each cow).
• Strip cows every day to detect, treat and isolate clinical days.
• Ensure all surfaces of all four teats are covered with teat disinfectant.
• Keep teats clean and dry for at least an hour after the cows leave the shed.
• Set up feeding and other routines so cows don't lie down soon after milking.
To manage lameness:
• Identify lame cows and separate into smaller groups, close to the dairy, on the best feed available - consider milking them once a day.
• Treat lame cows as soon as possible.
• Be patient when moving all cows - tell staff to expect it to take twice as long as usual. Reschedule staff working hours to accommodate the change in routine.
• Try to keep yard concrete clear of stones to reduce injury to soft feet.
• Consider using material (more than 30 centimetres deep) over damaged parts of the laneways to reduce injury to cow's feet (within 30m of dairy yard) such as wood chips, sawdust, limestone.
To manage downer cows:
• Provide feed, water, bedding and shelter for downer cows. If there is not enough time to provide an appropriate level of nursing care, including lifting and regular assessments, people must consider humanely euthanase the cow.
• Downer cows must never be left in the paddock without feed, water, bedding, shelter and confinement or left hanging in hip clamps.
Keep an impact diary
Dairy Australia recommends farmers keep an impact diary after a natural disaster. This records the impact the disaster has had on the farm.
Keeping an impact diary is an important part of the recovery process from any natural disaster as it substantiates any claims for grant funding applications or assistance packages. The impact diary records any costs, time and resources devoted to clean up tasks and enables a better estimate of financial loss.
Use a phone or digital cameras to take photos of any damage and/or water levels for insurance claims and to help future planning. See Dairy Australia website for more information.
Source: The Land, 8 November 2022
Norco flood loss: $27.5m loss for northern dairy co-operative
Norco may have been hit hard by the Lismore floods, but $46m in government grants is helping it rebuild farmer equity.
Lismore’s February floods have cost Norco dairy co-operative $41m in damages, as revealed in its 2021-22 annual report released to farmers this week.
By far the greatest loss was the damage to the co-operative’s Lismore ice-cream factory, which was undergoing a $30m upgrade at the time.
All up Norco recorded losses of:
• $24.5m to its ice-cream business
• $9m in stock losses
• $7.5m in employee expenses and clean-up costs
Those losses led to Norco recording a $27.5m net loss - before recognition of tax loss benefits.
However, the co-op recently won $46m in NSW and Federal Government grants to help rebuild its flood-damaged ice-cream factory.
The total cost of the rebuild is $59m, which should revive Norco’s equity position, which had slumped from $80.7m prior to the floods, down to $61.2m in its aftermath.
“The 28 February 2022 will be a date that will go down in history for our co-operative, our members and many of our staff due to the impacts of a devastating natural disaster,” Norco chairman Michael Jeffery said in his report to farmers.
“While our sites in Lismore could withstand a one-in-100-year flood event, with some short-term minimal impact, this flood event was more than two metres higher than any other flood in recorded history and it caused significant damage and losses at many of the co-operative’s facilities.”
Despite the floods, Mr Jeffery said Norco was still able to inject $4.5m to boost the farmgate milk price during the year, to aid members’ recovery from the floods and cover surging costs of production.
Norco chief executive Michael Hampson said the co-operative had built-in resilience over recent years, by reducing “net debt to $4.7m at 30 June 2022, the lowest level in many years”. “This is a considerable improvement on the 2019 financial year end, where net debt was $36.5m – this clearly points to the resilience now created in the co-operative, and the benefits of the change to our new operating model that we commenced in 2020,” he said.
He said the Norco brand continued to grow in Queensland and NSW, with an annual national retail sales growth rate of 5.3 per cent in 2021-22.
“When considering the white milk category declined at 2.1 per cent, this growth shows the focused activity of the sales and marketing team to communicate the point of difference of the Norco brand to consumers.
“It also shows that consumers do understand that supporting a 100 per cent farmer-owned co-operative is a unique value proposition.”
ACCC makes a move Dairy Code compliance
The supply chains in which farmers and the broader agribusiness community operate have experienced significant challenges over the past 30 years, particularly around 'deregulation'.
These include unequal bargaining power between processors and farmers, and systemic transparency issues in contract and pricing practices, and have now culminated in the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission implementing the Dairy Industry Code of Conduct, which came into effect on January 1, 2020.
The Code regulates the conduct of farmers and milk processors in their dealings with one another and applies to retailers to the extent that they purchase milk directly from farmers. Under the Code, all processors that intend to buy milk from farmers in the next financial year are required to publish standard form milk supply agreements by the publication deadline, which is 2pm (ACT time) on June 1 each year.
Additionally, an MSA must not permit a processor to unilaterally terminate an MSA, except where the farmer has committed a 'material breach' of the agreement to ensure that farmers are not treated unfairly.
The ACCC considers has signalled a focus on ensuring compliance as part of its 2022-23 Compliance and Enforcement Policy and Priorities. Farmers will be pleased to hear these weren't empty words following the conclusion of the first court proceedings instituted under the Code since it came into effect.
In the case of Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Lactalis Australia Pty Ltd [2022] FCA 1087, the court found that Lactalis Australia Pty Ltd breached the Code in relation to the 2020-2021 milk season when it failed to publish its MSAs on its website by the Code's deadline of 2pm on June 1, 2020.
The court also found that Lactalis breached the Code by publishing and entering into agreements that allowed them to unilaterally terminate the agreement in circumstances that did not amount to a material breach.
Farmers should feel encouraged to report potential non-compliance with the Code to the ACCC.
Kylie Wilson and Geoff Farnsworth are partners, and Kayla Plunkett is a graduate at Holding Redlich.
Source: Kylie Wilson, Geoff Farnsworth and Kayla Plunkett, Farmonline National, 29 October 2022
NSW dairy leader Graham Forbes predicts dairy price trend
It’s fast becoming a reality that the price of generic milk may hit $2 a litre – which is still ‘cheap’ according to a NSW dairy leader.
The price of generic milk may hit $2 a litre by the end of they year, matching a prediction by a NSW dairy leader.
In March, eastAUSmilk vice chairman Graham Forbes said $2 a litre for generic milk was needed to cover the cost of primary production.
“Two dollars a litre for milk is still very cheap,” Mr Forbes said in March.
“You pay more per litre for soft drink or sparkling water. Throughout the dollar-a-litre years, we were always were pretty reasonable. We’d say $1.40 a litre or $1.50 a litre was about where the price needed to be.”
In July, Aldi, Coles and Woolworths all raised the price of generic milk from $1.35 to $1.60 for one litre containers, while a two-litre bottle had a price hike from $2.60 to $3.10.
Fast forward to November, and Mr Forbes said inflationary pressures meant his March prediction was likely to come true in coming months.
“People laughed at the time about raising the price to $2 a litre,” he said.
“But it’s looking like it could happen sooner rather than later.
“Electricity prices are going through the roof and the floods have had a huge impact on dairy delivery in both NSW and Victoria.”
Generic milk at $1 a litre was introduced by Coles and Woolworths in January 2011 and lasted until 2018, when both raised prices to $1.10, then $1.20 a litre the following year.
United Dairyfarmers of Victoria president Mark Billing said $2 a litre for generic milk reflected market realities.
“We often said during the dollar a litre debate that if prices really reflected inflation, then it would have been two dollars years ago,” he said.
“Horticulture adjusts their prices pretty quickly with fruit and veg and rightly so. We can’t live on with fantasy prices when the reality is that making milk is much more expensive than it was at the start of the year.”
Aussie producers warned they must also pay to tackle animal disease outbreaks
Australia's livestock and wool industries have been warned to brace themselves for a massive financial hit if the feared outbreak of an animal disease occurs.
They will have to pay their share of the clean-up costs.
Under agreed national arrangements, producers would have to pay 20 per cent of the cost of the response to an outbreak of foot and mouth disease.
This is on top of the devastating cost to individuals from lost markets and possible on-farm impacts, like culling.
With some estimates putting FMD's potential impact as high as $50 billion, producers would need to pay their one fifth share through increased transaction levies over 10 years.
If the outbreak were the other grave threat, lumpy skin disease, at the moment producers are up for half the total bill - again to be paid back over 10 years.
Government experts calculate a lumpy skin disease outbreak could cost Australia more than than $7 billion in its first year.
This is why beef and dairy farmer groups want lumpy skin disease to be given a stronger priority under national arrangements, to bring it into the same category as FMD.
This would avoid the expensive 50/50 cost sharing deal, to access the 80/20 arrangement.
Experts believe lumpy skin disease is much more likely to arrive in Australia before FMD.
African swine fever is also lurking dangerously close to Australian shores and shares the same category as lumpy skin, with the 50/50 cost sharing arrangements.
An ACIL Allen impact modelling report on an African swine fever outbreak has predicted it could cost Australia's 3700 pig producers, plus meat processors, transport operators and others linked to the meat industry, $2.03 billion over five years.
The wool industry is considering how best to prepare for an animal disease outbreak, given it does not have the same levy arrangements and only $5 million tucked away for an animal disease outbreak.
Red meat livestock industry bodies are signatories to the federal Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement which sets out the response to 66 categorised animal diseases.
The government is expected to "initially" cover an industry's cost-sharing obligations but the relevant industry "will then repay the government within a reasonable time period - generally up to 10 years".
The cattle and sheep industries fund their industry commitments through transaction levies paid through the sale of stock.
Those industry levies pay for marketing, research and development and a small contribution for Animal Health Australia, which is responsible for reacting to animal disease outbreaks.
But most producers do not realise their levies also include a component called Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement or EADRA levy which currently lays dormant but would be "activated" to repay the government for the industry share of an outbreak.
The size of that "extra" payment would still need to be negotiated and would depend on the actual cost of the outbreak, but still needs to be paid.
Wool Industry Australia has estimated a FMD outbreak would cost the industry an estimated $2.2 billion in revenue alone over a decade.
Australian Wool Innovation has been questioned over its preparedness for an outbreak.
Victorian Farmers Federation livestock group president Steve Harrison suggested during a webinar with AWI last week they should consider doubling the size of its outbreak emergency fund.
AWI chairman Jock Laurie said both AWI and growers were operating in a tight financial environment.
"What other industries have is a levy mechanism set up ... so in the very unfortunate position that that did happen there is a cost sharing arrangement ... the other industries they trigger a levy and the levy pays a pool of funding for the management of that (outbreak), under an agreement of 80/20 with the Federal government," Mr Laurie said.
Mr Laurie said the wool industry was in discussions with industry bodies about establishing a levy which could potentially collect those funds.
"If the wool industry doesn't do it we still have an obligation to meet that 20 per cent funding over a period of time and we need to think about how we are going to do it and AWI is not a position to turn around and pull that money out."
Source: Chris McLennan, Farmonline National, 2 November 2022
Farmers want promise that methane pledge won’t hurt ag in writing
THE federal government has assured the agriculture sector it would not be adversely affected by a global pledge to reduce the nation's methane emissions, but farmers want the promise in writing.
Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen confirmed Australia would sign the pledge to reduce methane emissions by 30 per cent by 2030, joining 120 other countries who had already agreed to the proposal put forward by US President Joe Biden.
Mr Bowen said the pledge does not require Australia to focus solely on agriculture, or reduce agricultural production or livestock numbers, nor would the government legislate or introduce taxes or levies to reduce livestock emissions.
NSW Farmers president Xavier Martin said Mr Bowen, along with the Prime Minister and Agriculture Minister, should sign a statement that farmers would not be left worse off under the Methane Pledge.
"We've been told that farmers will be excluded, but the same thing happened in New Zealand and now they're experiencing the disastrous impact of these international agreements," Mr Martin said.
"Australia cannot afford to put global appearances ahead of our ability to feed and clothe ourselves, and our government should make an iron-clad assurance - in writing - that agriculture will not be impacted by Joe Biden's methane pledge."
Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said the industry had already committed itself to carbon neutral meat production by 2030, and the government was catching up to the industry's ambitions.
"By signing the pledge, we are putting Australia's ag sector on a level playing field with our trade competitors.
"Increasingly our trading partners are wanting to do deals with countries that demonstrate a stronger commitment to sustainability."
Mr Watt said the global market was increasingly hungry for low-emission products and also announced $5 million in grants for projects researching methane-reducing feed supplements for livestock.
Cattle Council chief executive John McGoverne supported the pledge and said the industry's levies had already been heavily invested in feed additives, such as asparagopsis seaweed, that could cut emissions by more than 90pc.
"The Australian beef industry is already on track to reach net zero emissions without reducing livestock numbers," Mr McGoverne said.
Red Meat Advisory Council chief Alastair James said the industry had committed to being carbon neutral by 2030 and it was currently just shy of 59pc of the way there.
"Industry quite some time ago set itself its own target because sustainability of the red meat and livestock industry is key," he said.
"So we're very, very comfortable with the approach that the industry is taking in achieving that goal."
Source: Jamieson Murphy, Queensland Country Life, 24 October 2022
Northern Rivers, Lismore to be offered renovations or buybacks in $800 million plan
Thousands of homeowners in the most flood-prone areas of Lismore and the Northern Rivers will be eligible to raise, repair, retrofit, or even sell their home to the government under a major buyback program worth $800 million.
The joint Commonwealth-NSW program will support around 2000 homeowners in the seven Northern Rivers local government areas of Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Tweed.
Residents in the most vulnerable areas, where major flooding would pose a catastrophic risk to life, will be given the option to sell back their home to the government.
The buyback scheme will be voluntary, giving homeowners the choice to sell up and move elsewhere without taking a massive financial hit.
Premier Dominic Perrottet first flagged that his government would implement a buyback scheme in August, when releasing the report from Professor Mary O’Kane and former Police Commissioner Mick Fuller’s independent flood inquiry.
State Cabinet signed off on money for the buyback scheme earlier this month and has worked with the Commonwealth for weeks on the final package.
There will be a detailed property assessment process under the scheme. The Daily Telegraph understands land would be valued at pre-flood levels.
For homeowners vulnerable to floods, grants of up to $100,000 will be offered for house raising. Others will be offered grants of up to $50,000 to retrofit homes in areas where flood risk can be reduced by better building standards.
Homeowners will be offered one of the three available measures based on their circumstances.
The NSW Government will provide $100 million to buy land for new development in flood-safe areas, in partnership with the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the fund was a “practical” solution to “protect lives and livelihoods”.
“We know this repeated, relentless flooding can be emotionally and financially draining and we want communities to know we will be there to support them now, and as they recover.”
Mr Perrottet said the money will help residents along their road to recovery while boosting long-term resilience.
“We will work with the Northern Rivers community to ensure repairs, retrofitting and voluntary buybacks are undertaken in a way that will better protects people and their homes from future flood events,” he said.
Offers provided to individual homeowners will be based on extensive analysis of the 2022 floods and expert advice on subsequent disasters.
The buybacks will be for insured and uninsured homes, and any insurance settlement will be deducted from the contract price.
“There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to building back and this program offers multiple measures to help residents stay in the region in homes that can better withstand future floods,” Deputy Premier Paul Toole said.
DOMINIC PERROTTET, NSW PREMIER
In the worst of times, we often see the best of Australia. And Australians are at their best when we work together. That’s exactly the spirit that the Federal and NSW Governments are embracing as we join forces for the flood-stricken communities in the Northern Rivers.
I have seen with our own eyes just how hard communities like Lismore have been hit. They’ve shown amazing courage in the face of adversity, but no one should be expected to get by on courage alone.
And as natural disasters increase in intensity and frequency, no one can afford to keep doing things the same old way. That’s why we’re taking a new approach to disaster response.
The Resilient Homes funding package takes significant steps towards ensuring communities are better prepared for the next time disaster strikes.
Around 2000 home-owners in flood prone areas of the Northern Rivers will be eligible for a voluntary buyback scheme as part of a new $700 million program, jointly funded by the Federal and NSW governments.
It will also provide financial assistance of up to $100,000 for house raising, or up to $50,000 for retrofitting for homeowners in areas where flood risk can be reduced by better building standards.
As Federal Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt has stressed, the program will be designed to support the recovery of the region by ensuring the available measures don’t just deliver short-term solutions.
Unfortunately, we have to confront the truth that there are some places we can’t make safe.
We also have to acknowledge that disaster does not strike equally. The most vulnerable in society are the ones who get hit the hardest. They have the least secure housing, are less likely to be insured, and more likely to live in areas at greater risk.
We need to work across all levels of government and with local communities to make sure we build more resilient communities.
That includes designing homes where the ground floor can be easily hosed out, managing bushland to reduce fire severity, and slowing water flow with increased vegetation in built up areas.
There will be floods again. Together – communities and governments – we can deal with them better. The people of the Northern Rivers deserve nothing less.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER
In the worst of times, we often see the best of Australia. And Australians are at their best when we work together.
That’s exactly the spirit that the Federal and NSW Governments are embracing as we join forces for the flood-stricken communities in the Northern Rivers.
I have seen with our own eyes just how hard communities like Lismore have been hit. They’ve shown amazing courage in the face of adversity, but no one should be expected to get by on courage alone.
And as natural disasters increase in intensity and frequency, no one can afford to keep doing things the same old way. That’s why we’re taking a new approach to disaster response.
The Resilient Homes funding package takes significant steps towards ensuring communities are better prepared for the next time disaster strikes.
Around 2000 home-owners in flood prone areas of the Northern Rivers will be eligible for a voluntary buyback scheme as part of a new $700 million program, jointly funded by the Federal and NSW governments.
It will also provide financial assistance of up to $100,000 for house raising, or up to $50,000 for retrofitting for homeowners in areas where flood risk can be reduced by better building standards.
As Federal Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt has stressed, the program will be designed to support the recovery of the region by ensuring the available measures don’t just deliver short-term solutions.
Unfortunately, we have to confront the truth that there are some places we can’t make safe.
We also have to acknowledge that disaster does not strike equally. The most vulnerable in society are the ones who get hit the hardest. They have the least secure housing, are less likely to be insured, and more likely to live in areas at greater risk.
We need to work across all levels of government and with local communities to make sure we build more resilient communities.
That includes designing homes where the ground floor can be easily hosed out, managing bushland to reduce fire severity, and slowing water flow with increased vegetation in built up areas.
There will be floods again. Together – communities and governments – we can deal with them better. The people of the Northern Rivers deserve nothing less.
Source: James O’Doherty, Daily Telegraph, 28 October 2022
Norco introduces phone mental health support for dairy farmers
Dairy co-operative Norco has introduced a dedicated telephone service for farmers struggling with their mental health.
The new service is in response to a spike in mental health issues among farmers following devastating floods earlier this year.
Queensland dairy farmer and Norco supplier Ross Blanch leads the new program.
Mr Blanch has farmed at Lower Mount Walker, Qld, for 50 years.
For the past 23 years he has donated his spare time to counselling and helping farmers in his local community, particularly after natural disasters.
Mr Blanch said he had spoken to more than 40 farmers this year and their mental wellness had declined since this time last year.
Farmers were still suffering from shock following the severity of the floods, resulting in self-isolation and reclusion from social events.
"I have noticed that many farmers are socially distancing themselves from their communities," he said.
"Where there was once over 100 farmers attending industry events, we're now lucky if there are 15.
"The new program with Norco works brilliantly because we know farmers are open to talking about their mental health if it is with a fellow farmer who understands and knows the daily struggles they go through.
"I just drop in for a chat and because I'm a farmer also, they tend to open up at the end of the conversation and their whole tone of voice changes."
Norco Milk supply manager Dr Mark Callow said the 2022 east coast floods were devastating for dairy farmers, as they threatened their lives, properties, livelihoods and cattle.
"One of the main messages we want to share with other farmers - and indeed the broader farming community - is the importance of mates talking to mates, and doing what we can to look out for each other," Dr Callow said.
"We're privileged to have Ross on board to lead this program, knowing that he can connect with farmers, by speaking openly and honestly about his own personal experiences, and how he maintains his own mental wellness."
Dr Callow said the motivation to take positive action and establish this new program was amplified by learning how long farmers, and those living in rural and regional Australia, were waiting to speak to a mental health professional.
"Having to wait up to three weeks to speak to a professional is simply not good enough, let alone at such a critical time as when mental health support is needed," he said.
Dr Callow said the floods tested the resilience of their farmer members and their ability to manage and cope.
"Providing mental health support to our farming community by giving them the opportunity to talk to a trained and likeminded farmer has certainly been well received," he said.
"And at the end of the day, we simply want them to know that there's somewhere to turn and someone they can relate to when in need of some extra support."
The new program is part of Norco's Employee Assistance Program.
It was implemented in response to a 40 per cent increase in community referrals compared with last year, with heightened pressure being felt by farming families after the devastating floods earlier this year.
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Dairy Australia plans new phase in Dairy Manifesto sustainability campaign
IN 2019 Dairy Australia launched the Dairy Matters 'Manifesto' campaign with the objective of building community trust by reinforcing the industry sustainability commitments: enhancing livelihoods, improving wellbeing, best care for animals and reducing environmental impact.
Dairy Australia marketing manager Glenys Zucco said as the industry made progress against its sustainability commitments, it was important it continued to tell that story and demonstrate that it understood community expectations.
"Our insights tell us that improving health and wellbeing and reducing environmental impact are what's most important to our community, so this year we are launching Manifesto 2.0, where these two commitments and the actions we are taking will be a key focus," Ms Zucco said.
"The recognisable voice of dairy ambassador Jonathan Brown features as our narrator for the campaign, where our overarching message is about Australian dairy's sustainability promise. A promise to protect what matters most."
Although 21 million Australians enjoy dairy foods every day and milk is in 98 per cent of households, nine out of 10 people are not consuming the recommended daily intake of milk, cheese and yogurt.
To encourage consumption and drive home the role of dairy foods in a healthy balanced diet, the campaign will leverage the fractures trial research published last year, as well as new data that says Australians are unaware of just how many serves they should be consuming per day.
Health messages and resources including posters for clinics will also be delivered to health professionals to ensure they feel confident to recommended dairy consumption and respond to health-related questions or concerns from the community.
The campaign will also communicate environmental messages and the progress dairy is making across the supply chain, focusing on topics of community interest including water use, packaging, biodiversity and commitments to achieving net zero emissions.
The campaign is being delivered across TV, digital and social media, with a particular focus on our younger Australians via podcast partnerships and the development of content for TikTok and YouTube.
With both health and environment proving to be critical topics in the minds of the younger generation, TikTok creates an exciting opportunity to tell the dairy story in a way that is authentic and engaging.
Learn more at dairymatters.com.au.
Pathways modeled for lumpy skin coming into Australia
Lumpy skin disease is not yet close enough to Australia to 'blow in' but Australian epidemiologists are flat out modeling likely pathways in an effort to put livestock industries on the front foot.
National Animal Disease Preparedness Coordinator Dr Chris Parker, from the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, said given the disease was spread by vectors, its march across the globe would continue.
Australian work with weather patterns was attempting to determine the most likely places it might land on our soil, he said.
"There is a range of other things to consider in this space - what stocking densities would have to exist in the north to see the establishment of LSD, and indeed foot and mouth disease," he said.
"We also need to understand the survivability of the LSD virus on the mouth part of the biting insect, and the probability of insects traveling in a cyclone."
Meanwhile, Australia's dairy industry is about to embark on a study looking at the effect of pasturisation on LSD and its effectiveness as a kill point of the disease.
Dairy Australia's Charles McElhone said this would be an important piece of work that would play a role feeding into the market access process in the event of an outbreak.
While producers have expressed fears about LSD reaching Papua New Guinea, Dr Parker said there was not a great number of cattle there, so FMD reaching PNG would be more of a concern, given the pig population.
It has become very clear that Australian farmers themselves are the front line to defending against FMD.
Mr Parker said the most likely pathway for FMD entering Australia was via infected meat or infected animals, either of which would then need to make contact with a susceptible animal in Australia
Red Meat Advisory Council chair John McKillop said Australia has close to zero risk via the live animal trade.
Swill feeding of pigs and people who have been to countries where there is FMD returning to farms and not following appropriate biosecurity measures were the main risks, he said.
Source: Shan Goodwin, Queensland Country Life, 12 October 2022
Australian dairy organisations work to manage disease threats
The detection some months ago of lumpy skin disease in countries close to Australia had the Australian dairy industry on alert. However, the news that foot and mouth disease had now been detected in Indonesia - including the popular Australian tourist destination, Bali - has significantly heightened biosecurity concerns.
All dairy farms should already have a sound biosecurity plan in place, but the threat of LSD and FMD means that now is the time to review and update farm's plan.
The potential damage that these diseases could do to Australia's dairy industry - and the wider national economy - is significant. Australia has been FMD-free since 1872 and everyone within the dairy industry must strive to ensure that an incursion of the highly contagious viral disease, which affects cloven-hoofed animals, does not happen.
The federal government is responsible for enforcing biosecurity at the Australian border and has already enacted a range of measures aimed at preventing an incursion of FMD into our country. Dairy Australia is working closely with key industry bodies, including Australian Dairy Farmers and the Australian Dairy Products Federation, to provide an industry-wide response to the threat of FMD and LSD.
Dairy Australia is also focused on providing the dairy industry with all the resources and information they need to prepare for, and prevent, a possible incursion of either FMD or LSD, as well as respond to any incursion should either disease enter the country.
A new Emergency Animal Disease Preparedness page has been set up on the Dairy Australia website to collate all the latest information and resources on LSD and LSD. All farmers and dairy industry professionals are encouraged to visit the webpage, familiarise themselves with the signs of both FMD and LSD and review the biosecurity and other information available. Visit website dairyaustralia.com.au/fmd.
Quick detection and response to these diseases gives our industry the best chance of eradication.
Report any suspicious signs in your animals to the Emergency Animal Disease Watch
Hotline on 1800 675 888.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are the risks?
An outbreak of either disease would cost the Australian dairy industry billions in loss of international trade, the cost of the response, and the potential loss of cattle. Even if no dairy farms are directly infected, all dairy and cattle trade will be impacted by international market loss.
What are the diseases?
Lumpy skin disease is a cattle disease (including buffalo), mostly transmitted by biting insects. This causes skin lumps, reduced milk production, weight loss fever and abortion. This disease is most likely to come into Australia by insects blown across to Northern Australia on monsoon winds.
Foot and mouth disease is a disease affecting cloven-hoofed (two-toed) animals (e.g. cattle, goats, sheep, pigs and camelids). It may cause blisters or ulcers in the mouth, feet and teats as well as lameness, a drop in milk production or even sudden death in calves. This disease is more likely to be bought into Australia by the illegal importation of infected meat products, feeding of human table scraps to pigs or on contaminated clothing or shoes.
What is the industry doing?
To address these risks, the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments - along with relevant industries - are working together to prevent and prepare for an incursion. Dairy Australia and Australian Dairy Farmers (ADF) are involved in a cross-industry taskforce that is coordinating work to ensure all impacted industries have input into government plans and enable collaboration on any research needed. The federal department and Australian chief vet regularly participate in the cross-industry taskforce meetings.
The Australian dairy industry has also activated an emergency animal disease response team to develop relevant dairy resources and technical information to prepare for potential incursions of either FMD or LSD. This work is split into key areas, including preparedness and prevention, policies and response for post-incursion, industry training opportunities, trade and market access and communications.
Dairy Australia and ADF are both members of Animal Health Australia and are heavily involved in the current revisions of the AUSVETPLAN emergency animal disease response manuals for both these diseases. Managed by Animal Health Australia, AUSVETPLAN provides a nationally agreed approach for the response to an emergency animal disease, and the dairy industry is working hard to ensure these agreed approaches account for dairy production systems.
What can farmers do?
While the risk of one of these diseases coming on to a farm may seem remote, excellent biosecurity and surveillance by farmers is the industry's best protection.
If anyone see anything suspicious, such as skin lumps, blisters in the feet, mouth or on the teats, and fevers, lameness, drooling, sudden drops in milk production, sudden death in calves, they should speak to their vet, government vet, or contact the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888. Finding the disease early gives us the best chance of eradication.
Good biosecurity practices are also vital to reduce the spread of diseases. Keeping track of visitors and conducting staff and visitor risk assessments, maintaining traceability obligations under the National Livestock Identification Scheme (NLIS), keeping tanker tracks clear of mud and manure, and ensuring gear used on multiple farms (e.g. veterinary equipment) is cleaned and disinfected after every use is a good starting place in preventing any disease spread.
Source: Stock & Land, 10 October 2022
2022 Manning All Breeds Dairy Youth Camp and Heifer Show at Wingham Showground
It has been cuteness overload at Wingham Showground in the NSW mid north coast on the last week of the spring school holidays, with doe-eyed little dairy heifers (and a few more grown-up ones) acting as models for a show on Friday, October 7.
The heifer show is the culmination of the Manning All Breeds Dairy Youth Camp, a four-day camp for children from nine years old to youth 18-25.
The event has been a long time in the making.
"Our local dairy industry has been battered after the last few years from drought to floods and the camp has been postponed twice already due to COVID lockdowns but now we are finally going ahead," local dairy farmer Joel Dorries said.
A total of 39 heifers spent three days getting the salon treatment as the 38 campers learnt how to prepare cattle for parading ahead of the show on Friday. And going by the half-closed sleepy eyes of one of the animals flanked by its glam squad, the heifers thoroughly enjoyed it.
The heifers have been donated by dairy farms from around the district. The human participants come from as far away as Wagga in NSW and Beaudesert in Queensland, and are a mixture of kids whose families own dairy farms, to kids who have no experience with dairy farming whatsoever.
Fourteen-year-old Chelsea Atkins is one of the ones with experience. She lives on a 300-cow dairy farm at Tamworth, NSW, and she has been most looking forward to the show at the end of camp.
"We love showing cows. We're pretty used to doing it," she said.
Young Jackson is 11 years old and also lives on a dairy farm, at Comboyne, NSW. He was looking forward to learning how to clip the heifers and parade them.
"It's been pretty good so far," he said.
However, the kids are not just learning how to make cows pretty and presentable to a judge. They are also being given lessons on the parts of a cow and confirmation - why they need a wide muzzle (it's the cow's air conditioning system, mentor Andrea Henry explains to me), for example.
They are also learning about animal selection and handling, nutrition, skeletal development and animal welfare, employment opportunities within the dairy industry, marketing business and animals, first aid, the use of drone technology in agriculture, rope halter making, and team work - all in the three days.
The lessons are being given by leading mentors from across the country in their areas of expertise.
"The camp is based around agriculture and farming. Some of (the youth participants) are from beef properties, but this whole week is all about hands on learning opportunities in the agriculture industry," camp organiser Karen Polson explained.
But it's not all hard work. After dinner on the first day a trivia night was held, and on Wednesday night, a disco.
"The whole idea of the camp is for the kids to socially meet, form lifelong friendships, and at the end of the day, just long as it has been fun, that's the main thing," Karen said.