Western Dairy Overview

Western Dairy is one of eight Regional Development Programs that are spread throughout the nation’s key dairy areas and operates under the auspices of Dairy Australia.

Western Dairy has been operating since 1997 to guide the strategic direction and implementation of dairy research, education and promotion programs in the Western Australian region.

Western Dairy works closely with WA Farmers Dairy Section, the Department of Agriculture and Food WA, the Department of Environment and Conservation; the Department of Water, numerous natural resource management bodies and WA dairy processors and service providers, in implementing its annual operating plan, in the best interests of WA dairy farmers.

Western Dairy is charged with:

• Ensuring responsible and timely use is made of the Dairy Service Levy paid by WA dairy farmers and where possible using these funds to lever additional monies that can then add further value to current and planned research projects
• Participating in national priority setting and strategic planning of Farm RD&E;
• Identifying and facilitating regional projects and relationships providing benefit for the local dairy industry – RD&E; HR; and other areas;
• Building local community awareness and ownership of RD&E;
• Facilitating communication between the WA Dairy farmers and the WA dairy research and extension community;
• Advocating best practise in animal welfare, environmental management and business management in the interests of the long-term sustainability of the WA dairy sector
• Monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of all the above.
  

Key areas of operation

Western Dairy’s annual operating plan focuses on six key areas of operation:

• Animal Systems 
• Feedbase
• Human Resource and Farm Business Management 
• Natural Resource Management 
• Industry image  
• Western Dairy operation and management
  

Example Activities

Western Dairy has been instrumental in the funding and/or delivery of a range of projects and initiatives, a snapshot of which include:

• Greener Pastures – a project that looks at whole farm management systems with a particular focus on nitrogen, its role in increasing pasture production and quality and ways in which to ensure nitrogen management is in harmony with the environment;
• Nutrient Management Systems for Dairy Farms – a project that has demonstrated the cost benefit of whole farm soil testing and associated analysis to better match fertiliser  application to soil and pasture needs;
• The National Centre for Dairy Education Australia (NCDEA) – an initiative that facilitates nationally recognised and accredited training for the dairy industry at both a farm and manufacturing level;
• The Dairy Farm Skills Passport Program – an initiative to recognise and accredit existing skills and learning, to help raise the perceived value of accredited training;
• Numerous short courses around pastures, feeding, finances, animal husbandry
• Dairy Innovation Day – the annual ‘dairy industry show window’ that showcases the latest information and technologies available to dairy farmers
  

Organisational Structure

Western Dairy reports directly to Dairy Australia but also formally to industry through WA Farmers Dairy Section.
Western Dairy is managed by a five-member Board, with support from several advisory panel members and a part time Executive Officer (1.5 days per week)
The Board comprises:

• Minimum 3 and maximum 4 dairy farmers, one of whom must be the Chair and three at least must be members of Dairy Australia
• Minimum 1, maximum 2 persons with complementary industry skills as determined by the operational and strategic needs of the Board at the time of appointment.

Board members are appointed for a three year term, with an option of renominating for a second term. An industry-led selection panel is appointed each year to interview and select candidates for any Board vacancies. The selection panel is chaired by the Chairperson of the WA Farmers Dairy Section.

Other members of the panel include:

• A former Board member of Western Dairy
• Two other persons with recognised industry experience
  

Western Dairy also schedules a biennial review of its Memorandum of Understanding with WA Farmers, to ensure that communication and alignment between policy and research is optimised.

Industry Consultation and AOP Review

Western Dairy formally conducts a biennial planning day with a broad range of industry groups – service providers, dairy farmers, dairy organisations – to review the organisation’s research, development and extension priorities and refine them according to current industry needs and trends.

Informal industry consultation however takes place at every Western Dairy funded activity, as feedback is sought through exit surveys as to the relevance of the event and the requirements for future support.