increase font size
David Nation.
The Australian dairy industry will need 800 extra workers on farms by 2023.
And youngsters are the key to this, says Dairy Australia managing director Dr David Nation.
The workforce statistic aligns with a rise in farms with six or more employees from 4% to 20% by 2025, he says. Attracting skilled labour and career dairy workers is a priority for the industry, but getting and keeping workers on dairy farms is a big challenge.
“The evolution of the industry and the trend towards larger farms places greater demand on labour, but also provides opportunities for people interested in agriculture to forge a successful career,” said Nation.
“The need for skilled labour is also increasing with the use of technology, the need to monitor farm inputs, animal care, milk quality, managing environmental credentials and other aspects of dairy.”
Farmers are clear about needing to attract more young people to dairy, Nation says, commenting on farmers’ feedback on the Australian Dairy Plan, a five-year strategic plan for the industry.
He says the key to this is getting high schoolers to start thinking about dairy. At least 15,000 high schoolers in regional Australia have seen Dairy Australia’s ‘Cows Create Careers’ presentation on careers in dairy.
“It’s important that we show the diversity of career pathways and highlight the opportunity to be successful working in dairy,” said Nation.
“And people who choose to develop skills or build on existing skills in dairy can study at TAFEs and with other registered training providers. Dairy Australia contributes to course development.”
Courses include milking, farm systems, animal care, farm management, etc.
And when young people have joined the industry they must be kept connected and supported via strong networks and skills building, Nation says.
“Over 2,500 young people have been able to connect through the Dairy Australia Young Dairy Network, providing access to training for both the technical and non-technical aspects of dairy,” he says.
“People are at the heart of our industry and are what make the industry a great one – attracting people to the industry by presenting the many career pathways and providing opportunity to build skills, is a continued priority.”
OPINION: Your old mate hears that at a recent China Business Summit, PM Christopher Luxon delivered a none-too-subtle "could try harder" report card on the red meat industry regarding its exports to China - particularly when compared to Australia.
Twenty four young farmers from South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania have returned from a recent study tour of Ireland with practical insights, fresh thinking and an expanded network of peers.
More Australian states are embracing virtual fencing technology, opening growth opportunities for Kiwi companies like Halter.
Fonterra says its ongoing legal battle with Australian processor Bega Cheese won’t change its divestment plans.
Farmers in the Australian state of New South Wales will soon be able to use virtual fencing and herding technology to boost farm productivity.
NZPork has appointed Auckland-based Paul Bucknell as its new chair.
The Government claims to have delivered on its election promise to protect productive farmland from emissions trading scheme (ETS) but red meat farmers aren’t happy.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.
OPINION: Sir Lockwood Smith has clearly and succinctly defined what academic freedom is all about, the boundaries around it and the responsibility that goes with this privilege.
