Something for everyone at Western Dairy's Spring Forum

The annual Western Dairy Spring Forum will take place on Wednesday 30 November at the Dolphin Discovery Centre, Bunbury. The event will showcase all things dairy – from traineeships through to climate and environmental issues.

Dairy Australia Chair James Mann will attend this year’s event to provide an update from the Dairy Australia Board. Mr Mann has been involved in the Australian dairy industry for over 30 years and farms in South Australia.

“We are pleased James was able to make time to come speak with our farmers,” Western Dairy Chair, Robin Lammie, said.

“It has been a challenging few years for not only the West Australian dairy industry but the dairy industry as a whole. We look forward to having James speak at Spring Forum to inform WA dairy farmers of Dairy Australia’s vision going forward.”

Special guests dairy farmers Greg and Meagan Brentnall from Bamawm, Victoria, will also be participating in Spring Forum. The couple will talk about farm operations and how involvement in various discussion groups has influenced their business decision-making.

The current workforce shortage is the dairy industry’s number one concern and will be addressed in an interview between Western Dairy Training Officer Fiona Jones and trainee Zac Bedggood. Mr Bedggood will share his experience as part of the Dairy Graduate Program - a partnership between Western Dairy and South Regional TAFE - and the potential for the program to help resolve the labour shortage.

Sustainability, carbon baselines and effectively managing dairy effluent are also on the agenda with presentations from Brownes and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation.

The host farm for Dairy Innovation Day, to be held in May 2023, will also be announced at Spring Forum. Each year the host farm is rotated amongst farmers within WA’s dairying region. Dairy Innovation Day is the premier event on Western Dairy’s calendar and is the largest dairy conference and exhibition in the state.

Spring Forum will conclude with the 2022 Western Dairy Annual General Meeting (AGM). There are two vacant director positions to be filled. Current Chair, Mr Lammie and Jindong dairy farmer, Peter Evans, are at the end of their respective terms. Mr Lammie has indicated he will stand for re-election at this year’s AGM.

To view the day’s agenda in full or to register attendance, visit the Western Dairy website.