Australian Dairy Youth Academy Sucess

The inaugural Australian Dairy Youth Academy, supported by Genetics Australia, saw 17 young farmers from around the country get together over three days at Agri-Bio and Dairy Australia in Melbourne, with attendees taking part in workshops on genetics, animal nutrition, use of dairy industry data and education, training and careers.

Chair of the Australian Dairy Youth Academy, Frances Hayden, said: “To see 17 young farmers – all strangers to each other – get together, work together, socialise together and build a real connection was amazing. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive that ADY had identified a real gap in youth offerings. They’re now working together as a group on what they want to do next.

“Congratulations to our first ever ADY 'Academicians'! It was great getting to know you all, learning from each other, seeing you come together as a group and having some fun into the bargain!”

A big thank you to our ADY Academy 2024 partner Genetics Australia for supporting this new dairy youth initiative.

The key focus of the Academy was educational and informative learning to enhance skill sets & career opportunities. The Academy is intended to enhance and grow the skill set of young people aged 18 to 25 years.

This program supports both on-farm and off-farm capabilities within the Australian dairy industry, equipping the next generation with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.

Presenters and hosts included Peter Williams - DataGene Limited, Boris Sepulveda & Mohammad Ghoreishfar - Agriculture Victoria, Mike Huth - Barastoc, Paul Cocksedge - Australian Reds - The Australian Red Dairy Breed, Frances Hayden - Guernsey Cattle Society of Australia, Michelle & Con Glennon - White Star Jerseys, Ben Vagg - Dairy Farmers Victoria Geoff Akers - Jersey Australia, Kim Damsma - TAFE Gippsland, Glen Barrett, Jersey Australia and Adam Sawell, Holstein Australia, plus Dairy Australia.