The Gardiner Foundation – United Dairyfarmers of Victoria Study Tour of Victoria returned in 2022, providing a group of seven young Victorian dairy farmers the opportunity to explore the largest dairy state in Australia.
In its second year, the Study Tour of Victoria is a collaboration between Gardiner Foundation and the United Dairyfarmers of Victoria. The tour gives passionate, young people in the dairy industry an opportunity for personal and professional development.
Following a competitive selection process, the successful seven participants from the South West, Northern Victoria and Gippsland congregated in Melbourne to begin the tour. They heard from senior farmer leaders and received a broad overview of the dairy industry, before attending a networking dinner where they met with representatives from Australian Dairy Farmers, the Victorian Farmers Federation/ United Dairyfarmers of Victoria, and Gardiner Foundation.
Once they headed to regional Victoria the group experienced the diverse offering of the Victorian dairy industry. Visiting several farms and facilities the group saw everything from family to corporate farms, rotaries to robotic dairies, research farms, intensive dairy operations and specialty cheese businesses to name a few.
“I grew up on a dairy farm and I’m still working in the dairy industry as an agronomist. I wanted to see other farming systems and take that knowledge back to my dairying community as well as my parents’ farm,” Hannah Thorson, one of the participants said. “The highlight was seeing the robotic dairies.”
The group described the tour as an eye-opening experience which showed them that the Victorian dairy industry was so much more than they ever imagined.
The group also greatly appreciated the opportunity to meet other farmers and share experiences of the highs and lows they go through in day-to-day farming. They were grateful to all the farmers and service providers who took time out of their busy schedules to speak to them and help them in progressing their dairy careers.
“Meeting other farmers that were on the tour as well as the farms we went to go and see was a really good way to network and get to know other people in the industry,” Hannah said.
Through their time together, the group had the opportunity to expand their network with industry leaders and other like-minded young people with a passion for the dairy industry.
The Gardiner Foundation – United Dairyfarmers of Victoria study tour is a highly valued experience for young career minded Victorian dairy representatives as they gain first-hand insights into a wide range of aspects of the dairy industry.
The knowledge they gain assists them to initiate positive changes in the Victorian dairy industry.
Victorian Study Tour 2022 selected participants
- Amelia Anderson
- Max Bond
- Tristan Grinter
- Brooke Hewett
- Isaac Hose
- Ebony Mull
- Hannah Thorson
For more information on the tour please visit www.gardinerfoundation.com.au/studytour