About us

Gardiner Dairy Foundation was established via legislation in Section 65 of the Dairy Act 2000, in partnership with Victorian farmer, processor and manufacturer groups and the Victorian Government, to increase the international competitiveness of the Victorian dairy industry.

Gardiner Dairy Foundation was created with $62m in funding from the sale of assets, including milk brands, as part of deregulation of the dairy industry. The Foundation’s constitutional responsibility is to maintain the current real value of the legacy. Responsible management of the funds is an ongoing priority as the income produced supports Gardiner Dairy Foundation’s annual investment in key industry projects. The fund now has in excess of $130m under management.

Since inception Gardiner Dairy Foundation has contributed over $80m toward projects that have made a significant contribution to the Victorian dairy industry. With the inclusion of cash and in-kind contributions from all partners, these contributions have a total value of more than $180m.

To maximise benefits to all sectors of the Victorian dairy industry and dairy communities.

Gardiner Foundation aims to create enduring value for the dairy industry, particularly through R&D and leadership development, while also providing security and stability in a crisis.

To support the dairy industry goal of ‘Profitable, Confident and United’, we fund and promote RD&E, people and community development, and industry engagement and support activities that will benefit all sectors of the Victorian Dairy Industry and Victorian Dairy Communities.

Gardiner Dairy Foundation works collaboratively across the supply chain, providing an independent source of funds and flexibility of investment that other participants may not have.

We co-invest where practicable to maximise the impact of our investments. Working cooperatively with other key funders of the Victorian dairy industry [Dairy Australia and Agriculture Victoria] allows us to maximise the outcomes and focus on initiatives that impact the key industry objectives of profitability, growth and sustainability.

Under the Gardiner Dairy Foundation Constitution, we address the needs of a range of stakeholders through industry improvement projects. Our strategic investments focus on three key areas, Research, Development and  Extension (RD&E), People and Community Development and Industry Engagement and Strategic Support.

Gardiner Dairy Foundation seeks opportunities to collaborate with industry, leveraging resources and knowledge to maximise the impact for farmers and communities. We support projects that link research and development with adoption, to deliver real outcomes at farm, factory, consumer and community level. We also invest in current and emerging leaders through programs integrated across the dairy value chain.

Gardiner Dairy Foundation can be agile and flexible in its response to emerging priorities.