Effluent innovation cuts fertiliser cost
August 30, 2010
Fourth and fifth generation farmers at Allendale East, Trevor and Brendan Ashby, have had a long association with the land, witnessing many changes within the dairy industry.
Their “Caveview” property milks 320 cows and its annual milk production is 2.2 million litres. Read more
Agriculture research funding concern
July 26, 2010
Concerns are growing in the agriculture industry over the gradual withdrawal of research funding and fragile nature of the balance between farming productivity and responsibility on research and development organisations to demonstrate a “public good” by way of environmental benefits, according to a new report.
South Australian Dairy Farmers Association (SADA) chief executive Ken Lyons said the South East, being the biggest dairy region of the state, had a vested interest in seeing that the state and federal government “get the message”. Read more
Students gain dairy industry insight
July 5, 2010
The Cows Create Careers program officially ended late last month with a presentation day at the Barn Palais, where students listened to guest speakers before awards were given out, along with lunches packed with dairy products.
Schools across the South East were recently involved in the initiative, which is a project of DairySA and Dairy Australia attempting to promote career pathways in the industry. Read more
Cream rises to top at dairy awards
June 30, 2010
Glencoe farmers Joyce and Lyndon Cleggett from Brookleigh Dairy have won the title of top dairy producers in the South East of South Australia region at the fourth annual Westpac Agribusiness and Dairy Australia Australian Dairy Business of the Year Competition.
The couple, who work 340 cows on only 93 hectares, were thrilled to accept the honour. Read more
Students explore dairy career potential
June 28, 2010
Students from 10 South East schools have been learning about the dairy industry for the past three weeks while caring for calves as they participated in Dairy Australia’s Cows Create Careers project.
The project aims to educate secondary and primary school students each year about the vocational and university careers pathways in the dairy industry and place emphasis on the importance of the sector to the local community. Read more
International demand to push dairy prices higher
June 14, 2010
Australian dairy prices are expected to increase by 10pc in 2010-11 due to strong demand from China and India, firm domestic demand and stable production.
National Australia Bank’s Rural Commodities Wrap, released with dairy as the “commodity in focus”, provides an overview of key rural commodity prices and macroeconomic drivers, such as interest and exchange rates. Read more
Dairy takeover bid withdrawn
June 7, 2010
The board of Warrnambool Cheese and Butter (WCB) has welcomed a decision by Murray Goulburn (MG) to withdraw from a proposed merger of the dairy goods processors.
“We have long maintained a takeover of WCB by MG was not in the best interests of WCB, our shareholders and suppliers,” WCB chairman Frank Davis said. Read more
Dairy innovation showcase
May 31, 2010
One of the world’s leading bovine fertility experts will be guest speaker at the 2010 South East Dairy Innovation Day at Mount Gambier’s Barn Palais on June 10.
Kylie Boston, who has coordinated the event, titled Herd Fertility – Meet the Challenge, said around 150 dairy farmers would hear what Dr Stephen Butler had to say about reproductive physiology and nutritional research. Read more
ACCC raises dairy takeover bid concerns
April 29, 2010
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has warned the proposed merger between two regional milk giants could substantially lessen competition in the South East of South Australia.
The commission has released its preliminary views of the proposed merger between Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory and Murray Goulburn, but is not expected to announce its final decision until June.
While the Warrnambool-based company is against the merger, rival milk processor Murray Goulburn has been aggressively pushing the move. Read more
Confidence builds as dairy industry emerges from crisis
April 28, 2010
South East dairyfarmers are trying to “claw back” the substantial losses they suffered in arguably the worst crisis in the sector’s history, according to industry leaders.
The region’s dairy sector — worth $80m at the farmgate and $247m in wholesale value — experienced a dramatic slump last year as the global economic crisis forced milk prices to tumble significantly. Read more
