The Business of Dairy

We are now entering milk pricing season in the Australian dairy industry, which means there will be plenty of headline news as we head into milk processors announcing prices on the 1st June as required under the mandatory Dairy Code of Conduct.Joanne Bills, Director of the Global Insights team with Ever.Ag (Freshagenda) outlines their forecast around milk pricing with particular reference to the NSW industry and we also discuss some of the implications of the Trump Administration's tariff announcements on the Australian dairy industry.  Milk Value Portal (MVP) Fresh Agenda Quarterly Insights Report (MVP)Farmgate Milk Value tool (MVP - calculator)This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary IndustriesIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageNSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries Transcript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Over 170 dairy farms across SE QLD and the North Coast of NSW were impacted by severe flooding and wet conditions as a result of Tropical Cyclone Alfred in early March this year, 2025. This resulted in losses of power, pasture and crop and other feed losses, for some farms a period of time where milk was unable to be picked up and infrastructure damage on farm and off farm such as land slips impacting road access to farms. Herd health is always a major issue in this situation and this month we focus particularly on the impact of mastitis, lameness and the conditions for people on the farm. While the floods have receded, the management of these conditions continues and I am very pleased to have veterinarian Dr Mark Humphris and Riverina dairy farmer, Ruth Kydd join me in discussion today. NSW Rural Assistance Authority – Natural Disaster Transport SubsidyNSW Rural Assistance Authority – Natural Disaster Relief LoanQLD Freight subsidies for disaster affected Primary Producers - Freight Subsidies for Disaster Affected Primary Producers QLD | business.gov.au QLD Rural & Industry Development Authority – Disaster Assistance Loan - Disaster Assistance Loans | Queensland Rural and IndustryQLD Rural & Industry development Authority – Disaster Assistance (Essential Working Capital Loan) - Disaster Assistance (Essential Working Capital) Loan |Fact sheets – Dairy Australia:“Managing Lameness in Wet Conditions” and “Mastitis Control in Wet Conditions”This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary IndustriesIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageNSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries Transcript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Too hot, too dry, too wet - seasonal conditions can be challenging to manage for those on the land. Forecasting for the season ahead can be difficult but is important when planning what you will do now or in the coming months. The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's Climate team have some excellent freely available resources including a recently released Drought Forecasting tool. Kel Langfield and Jen Wurtzel from the team step us through these tools and how they can be used by farmers and their advisors. Please use the links in the show notes to access these tools and other information, noting that the State Seasonal Update report is released at the beginning of the month and the drought forecast maps are updated twice a month.Email the team: seasonal.conditions@dpird.nsw.gov.au  DPIRD Climate webpageState Seasonal Update  Drought forecastCombined Drought IndicatorFarm Tracker AppMy Farm DashboardSurvey - Have Your SaySeasonal Conditions Information PortalClimate DogsBoM OutlooksClimate Forecasts and MonitoringSeasonal Climate Forecasts in Australian Agriculture Case StudiesDrought Hub   LLSThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary IndustriesIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

 Are you a farmer or interested party looking to undertake a development on your dairy farm? Planning farm developments is complex and involves planning and assessment requirements which can be tricky to navigate. This month my colleague Zita Ritchie discusses the recent release of the NSW Dairy Development Guidelines with Clare Fitzpatrick who is a renowned and respected planning consultant within the dairy industry. The guidelines are designed to help anyone involved in decision making around planning, design, construction and operation of a dairy development. They also contain an excellent farmer checklist highlighting key areas to consider when planning a development and a checklist for a development application. A link to the guidelines is provided in the show notes.  NSW Dairy Development and Environmental Guidelines 2024 - New developments and facilities | Department of Primary Industries This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit For more information visit Dairy | Department of Primary Industries It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.com Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include: NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page DPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feed NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries Transcript here Produced by Video Lift The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

The 13th year of the Dairy Farm Monitor Project in NSW was one in which strong milk prices managed to hold gross farm incomes relatively stable. Increases in operating costs reduced average Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) relative to the previous year, with the most noticeable impact coming from purchased feed costs.On average, profits for the 36 NSW Dairy Farm Monitor Project (DFMP) participants remained strong at $2.12/kgMS and above the long-term average of $1.36/kgMS, for the fourth consecutive year. This translates to an average return on total assets of 4.5%.  This month I discuss the ups and downs of NSW DFMP relative to the previous year with my colleague Zita Ritchie, including some commentary on the GHG emissions profile of the group of farms.NSW DFMP Annual Reports, Regional Infographics and Interactive ReportNSW DPIRD “NSW Dairy Industry Overview”Previous podcasts related to economics of intensive dairies:Episode 27 “Intensive Dairies – Drivers of Adoption and Profitability”Episode 39 “Intensive Dairying – Profitability and Risk Insights”This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Very hot – that is the forecast for the summer ahead. Heat has immediate impacts on the performance of our dairy herd and pastures, but it also impacts other industries we rely on such as the broadacre cropping industry. Extensive work has been undertaken by the NSW Department of Primary Industries Climate Vulnerability Assessment program and also our own Dairy Unit through the Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Program to understand what the on farm climatic impact will be in NSW dairying regions by 2050. Our guests this month, James Lawson – Project Officer with the Climate Vulnerability Assessment team and Blake Cheer from the Dairy Unit explain the outlook for the coming 25 years, what we are likely to see and how we can start to manage these conditions on farm and share some useful resources to help inform your decision making now and into the future.Climate Vulnerability Assessment websiteTHI Forecasting Tool (Northern Australia Climate Program)NSW State Seasonal UpdateThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Feed costs are the highest operational costs in a dairy business, so it is vital that we manage these well in order to enhance our farm's profitability. We are currently well into a somewhat m­ild spring here, in most regions of New South Wales, so thought it would be a good opportunity to revisit some earlier podcast episodes on key aspects of profitable pasture management and silage making.The extracts come from a couple of very popular episodes and even though they are a couple of years old, the messages and key principles discussed are as relevant as ever.The first episode was Episode 3 – Lowering total feed costs with good spring pasture management with NSW agronomists Josh Hack and Peter Beale. Aspects such as the importance and economics of nitrogen use and the principles of good grazing management to help capture true pasture surpluses are discussed. Please note that urea prices discussed in this episode were from a couple of years ago when urea prices were abnormally high.The second episode comes from Episode 24 – The economics of silage making with agronomist Neil Griffiths. It follows on logically from the previous episode. Neil highlights the importance of timing when making silage in relation to producing high quality and profitable silage. This includes capturing silage with high energy content and minimising wastage.Links to the original episodes have been included in the show notes for this episode which include links to some very useful resources.Podcast links:Podcast Episode 3 - Lowering total feed costs with good spring pasture managementPodcast Episode 24 - The economics of silage makingThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Late in 2023, a group of dairy farmers from across NSW were interviewed about their experiences, decisions made, support networks and lessons learnt following a number of recent natural disaster events, including the 2021-2022 floods. Tori Alexander (DPIRD) and Nikki Reichelt (University of Melbourne) share some of the findings from these interviews and the key challenges and successes observed.  For further information on the interview findings and products take a look at the Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Program (SFIRP) webpage, or the DPIRD Dairy webpage as resources become available.This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPIRD Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPIRD Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPIRD Dairy Facebook pageDPIRD Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPIRD Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

NSW dairy farmer Brad Winzer shares his journey, moving their well-established family farm from Northern Victoria to the Mid Coast of New South Wales – the reasons why, the differences between farms and the challenges they faced. He outlines the key support people he uses in the business, how he manages and monitors the performance of the business, and the things he focusses on to drive a profitable farm performance.This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript here Produced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

This month's episode focuses on a project looking at intensive dairy systems in Inland NSW and Northern Victoria over the last 7 years. This has provided the industry with quality foundational information on the profitability, cost structures and risks of these systems. Claire Waterman from Agriculture Victoria and Sheena Carter (NSW DPI) led the project for their respective regions and were recently interviewed for a Rural Bank podcast called “Beyond the Farm Gate”. A big thank you to Rural Bank who have kindly allowed us to use the recording to share the project findings via this podcast. Links to useful resources related to this podcast:Project Report and Case Studies Intensive Farm Systems Economics | Dairy AustraliaThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Feed costs are typically the largest component of operational costs in a dairy business, typically making up 50 – 60% of total costs, depending on feeding system, seasons and conditions. Hence it is vital that what is being fed to the cows results in good milk production. David Barber, DairyNEXT nutritionist joins us this month to discuss the important topic of feed conversion efficiency. He outlines what it is, how to measure it, targets for different types of feeding systems and factors that can impact it. He also introduces a metric he calls ‘True Feed Conversion Efficiency', which he uses to determine how economical a farm's feed conversion efficiency is.  Links to useful resources related to this podcast:David Barber: qlddairynutrition@hotmail.com This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

The use of a structured approach within a NSW dairying business to assist with decision making and risk management, is discussed this month with Kay Smith from Bulahdelah. The Smiths have been operating a family dairy business for over 40 years and 5 years ago, faced with a number of challenges, were weighing up their future options. One of these involved a significant change to the business requiring a lot of capital investment and risk. Kay introduces us to the business and steps us through their reason for creating their advisory group, how they set it up and how it assisted them in getting to where they are today. We would like to thank the NSW Farm Business Resilience Program for their support in the production of this episode. This program encourages best practice knowledge sharing to highlight the social and economic benefits with forward planning and investment.Links to useful resources related to this podcast:GRDC publication “Farm Decision Making”This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

This episode follows on from episode 35 “Successfully navigating farm loans” but focusses specifically on financing for large infrastructure projects such as cow housing facilities. This topic was addressed by my guest, Greg Kuchel, Senior Insights Manager at Rural Bank at the 2nd Raising the Roof conference in Hunter Valley of NSW earlier this year. Greg also touches on the evolving area of farm Carbon Plans and their place in seeking farm finance.Links to useful resources related to this podcast:Rural Bank Insight ReportsAustralian Dairy Carbon CalculatorDairyBaseThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscriptProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice.

My guest for this episode is Greg Kuchel, Senior Insights Manager at Rural Bank who spoke recently at the “Raising the Roof” conference in Hunter Valley of NSW about farm loans in particular for infrastructure loans related to cow housing facilities. Greg and I had such a good discussion that we have turned this into a two-part series. This first episode covers the general principles and considerations when approaching banks for finance – what you need to do, information you need to provide, what banks are looking for from you and in you and the types of loans available. In the next episode we move into financing large infrastructure projects on farms, so remember to tune in next month for part two! Links to useful resources related to this podcast:Rural Bank Insight ReportsThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscriptProduced by “Video Lift”The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

What were some of the features of the Top 25% of NSW Dairy Farm Monitor farms in the 2023 financial year? This month's podcast provides insights into some of the physical and financial metrics associated with their productivity and profitability compared to that of the remaining 75% of farms in the project. Links to useful resources related to this podcast:NSW DFMP Annual ReportDairyBaseLink to January 2024 podcast: Highs and Lows of Dairy Farm Monitor 2023 This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript here Produced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

With a national focus on reducing dairy GHG emission intensity by 30% by 2030, farm greenhouse gas emissions are currently getting a lot of attention. This month we take a look at what has been happening with emissions on NSW dairy farms through the lens of our Dairy Farm Monitor Project.   Links to useful resources related to this podcast:NSW DFMP Annual Report (pg. 35-36)Dairy Farm Emissions (Dairy Australia)Dairying for Tomorrow – links to Aust Dairy Carbon Calculator etc.Episode 26: Dairy Carbon Emissions - What Does It All Mean? This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript - Produced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

The 2023 financial year saw the highest average profit for the Dairy Farm Monitor participants in the 12 years of the project in NSW. Jess Bell hosts this month's episode as she teases out what the main drivers were behind this performance with Sheena Carter. It was yet another very challenging year with more floods which had a big impact on the majority of farms across the state. Links to useful resources related to this episode:DFMP Annual Report & Interactive ReportDairyBaseFarm Business SnapshotThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscriptProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Rearing heifers well is an extremely important aspect of herd management. Selecting the right heifers and ensuring they reach target weights in a specified time period is integral to the future production of your herd. However rearing heifers is a costly exercise so thought and planning is important to ensure you get it right. Carrying too many heifers can be expensive and tie up farm resources. This is particularly so in dry times which we are currently seeing through much of NSW. Today my guest Neil Moss joins me to discuss the cost of feeding heifers and strategies to ensure you rear the number you need. Links to useful resources related to this podcast:Feed budgeting tool | Dairy AustraliaBack of the envelope feed budget | Dairy AustraliaMonthly back of the envelope feed budget | Dairy AustraliaThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page DPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

With much of the State of NSW currently experiencing very dry conditions NSW DPI reached out to Tim Ford, Director at Feed Central to provide an update for the industry on the current situation and outlook for fodder supply. Tim presented this information at our recent Dairy Breakfast webinar in conjunction with a presentation from the DPI Climate team on the seasonal conditions and tools available to farmers to help monitor the current conditions and assess forecasts for the period ahead. Feed Central link buyers and sellers of hay and grain across the country and provide feed analysis on what is being sold as well as a visual description. NSW DPI strongly encourage you to purchase feeds based on quality, so feed tests are a ‘must have', regardless of where you purchase from.  This episode brings you a recording of Tim's presentation and the show notes have a link to our YouTube page to view the Climate team's update as well as Tim's presentation. Also within the show notes are links to resources including feed budgeting tools and NSW DPI's Seasonal Conditions Information Portal and Feed Quality Testing Service.Links to useful resources related to this podcast:Dairy Breakfast Webinar - https://youtu.be/fOs4pCCIOaMFeed Central | Buy Hay | Hay For Sale | Sell Hay | Feed Testing | BalesFeed quality (nsw.gov.au)Seasonal Conditions Information Portal (intersect.org.au)Drought and Supplementary Feed Calculator (nsw.gov.au)NSW DroughtHubDrought - Local Land Services (nsw.gov.au)Back of the envelope feed budget | Dairy AustraliaMonthly back of the envelope feed budget | Dairy AustraliaFeeding & Farm Systems | Dairy AustraliaThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript here Produced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice.  

Dairies are complex businesses requiring a very broad range of skills to manage. In today's environment, good business management skills are more important than ever. This is recognised by industry organisations whose role is to support farmers such as the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Dairy Australia as well as farm consultants who provide individual farm support in various technical areas. Jane Bower, who is an Extension Officer and Engagement Lead with Dairy NSW joins me to discuss some key support programs for available for dairy farmers. We cover off on the Dairy Business Support Services program, staffing or workforce programs to help you find staff and retain them, Our Farm Our Plan for getting a plan together that will get everyone on the same page and all driving the business in the direction needed to achieve your identified goals, and much more!Links to useful resources related to this podcast:Contact Jane Bower or the Dairy NSW Team (Jane 0427 929 694)Wellbeing and Safety | NSW DroughtHubBusiness Support Services Project Dairy Farm Jobs Board Dairy Standard Chart of AccountsOur Farm Our Plan (Starting 2nd or 10th October, National Online programs)Dairy Farm Business Analysis National Online October 2023 | Dairy AustraliaFarm Business Fundamentals National Online November 2023 | Dairy AustraliaFarming with My Team - Online 2023 | Dairy AustraliaFarm Business Snapshot | Dairy AustraliaDairyBase | Dairy AustraliaDairy Australia Farm Business Program information. This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – please visit for further information and resources.It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in

Recently a farmer reference group was formed in the Mid Coast region of NSW to provide information and guidance on an economic and risk analysis of rearing non-replacement calves. The project was led by Dan Armstrong, Senior Consultant with the RM Consulting Group. In the analysis, Dan and his team used two of the farms as case studies where the goal was to sell the non-replacement calves as dairy beef and investigate whether it would be economically practical to hold onto these calves and pursue this alternative pathway.This was the second phase of a Dairy UP project looking at Sustainable Pathways for Surplus calves, led by Dairy Australia. The first phase involved a variety of consultation activities in the Nowra region with consumers, farmers, milk and meat processors and other supply chain stakeholders looking at alternative management pathways.Useful resources related to this podcast:DairyUP website - further information on this project and others www.dairyup.com.au Dairy Australia's “Surplus Calves” and the Growing Beef from Dairy Project This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Interest in NSW and Australia in intensive dairy systems has grown significantly in the last decade due to many factors. These systems require significant capital investment, so it is important that if this is a system that interests you, you really do your homework. Through DairyUP, a large research, development and extension program in NSW, NSW DPI with joint funding from Dairy Australia, has undertaken an economic and social science project looking at the profitability of intensive farms in NSW and why people are considering and adopting them. This month Sheena discusses the project with Nikki Reichelt, a Research Fellow from the University of Melbourne's Rural Innovation Research Group who undertook the farmer and consultant interviews to understand the ‘why' of the interest and adoption in NSW and Karen Romano, National Feeding Systems Lead at Dairy Australia. Karen is responsible for a program that is providing farmers with excellent information and resources to help them in their decision making and implementation of system intensification and has a strong background in extension and farm systems.  Useful resources related to this podcast: Adapting Dairy Farm Systems website (includes links to the National Guidelines for Dairy Feedpads and Contained Housing Systems and the Farm System Evaluator) DairyUP website - further information on the Intensive Dairies project and others R,D & E programs funded by this initiative. This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit  (further information and resources are available here) It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.com Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include; NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page DPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feed NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter Transcript here Produced by Video Lift The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Greenhouse gases, carbon emissions, carbon credits, mitigation strategies, emission reduction targets - these are terms that are bandied about regularly in relation to agriculture and dairying. What do they all mean and how do they impact you at a farm level?This month, my colleague Zita Ritchie interviews Blake Cheer a Dairy Development Officer with NSW DPI and Aaron Simmons, a senior research scientist also with the DPI. Blake has a background in Climate & Environmental Management which was the focus of his work in a previous role in New Zealand, where a GHG emissions partnership for primary producers has been introduced.Aaron's role sees him work on activity focussed around climate change mitigation in agricultural systems and he also dabbles in the policy and market issues around efforts to reduce GHG emissions. Useful resources related to this podcast:Australian Dairy Carbon Calculator DairyBaseThe On Farm Carbon Advice Project - For further information please contact the NSW DPI Team via their email address which is carbon@dpi.nsw.gov.au Dairy Australia online course on Climate Change:  Course: Climate Change (dairyaustralia.com.au)This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

NSW dairy farmers have faced many extreme weather and climatic challenges in recent years from severe and prolonged drought to bushfires and then widespread flooding. There is no doubt we will continue to see these events and others occur in the future. We need to get better at preparing for, responding to and managing our recovery in these situations.With this in mind, last year a large collaborative research, development and extension program worth $16 million was launched. This 5-year program aims to fast track the NSW dairy industry to a position so that farm businesses have tools and options they can use to help them survive and prosper under the inevitability of changing conditions - be they economic, social or climatic.This project is called DairyUP and is led by one of my guests today, Professor Yani Garcia who is Professor of Dairy Science at The University of Sydney and Director of the Dairy Research Foundation. We will be discussing some of the outcomes to date on a few of the projects and the implications they have for farmers. Joining us in conversation is Juan Gargiulo one of my DPI dairy colleagues who plays a leading role in several DairyUP projects.Useful resources related to this podcast:DairyUP websiteSubscribe to DairyUP e-newsletterRegister to attend the DairyUP South Coast Road Trip (21st & 22nd June 2033)Register for the 2023 DRF Symposium (7 - 8th November 2023)­­This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Silage is used to varying degrees and in different ways on NSW and Australian dairy farms, depending on the type of feeding system the farm has. It can be an important component of your herd's diet and given that producing it comes with additional costs compared to directly grazed pasture, it is important to make sure you do it well to make it economical.My guest this month is Neil Griffiths, a well-known agronomist who worked for many years with the NSW Dept of Primary Industries as a Pasture Production Technical Specialist and has been heavily involved with the development and delivery of the nationally recognised TopFodder program which aims to develop your skills in successful silage making, storing and feeding. In this episode we discuss some of the key areas that drive profitable silage making.Useful resources related to this podcast:Register for Hunter Local Land Services 3 day TopFodder workshop with Neil Griffiths (starts 29/05/2023)Wrapping Your Own Silage: The Hidden Costs of Owning and Operating Machinery (extensionAus article by Sam Henty includes worksheet and example)NSW DPI Guide to Machinery Costs and Contract Rates (PrimeFact 2009)Dairy Australia - Making SilageThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript here Produced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Guests Bill Fulkerson and Ken Bryant speak with Zita Ritchie about a new cultivar of kikuyu which has shown resistance to fungal infections, particularly kikuyu yellows. Key management strategies are also discussed for kikuyu. Bill is a well know dairy researcher with many years of experience, particularly supporting farmers on the Far North Coast of NSW. Ken is a dairy farmer at Bexhill near Lismore and a director of the Norco Board and has been involved in the development of the new cultivar as part of the local Dairy Industry Development Group on the Far North Coast.Useful resources related to this podcast:Nathan Jennings (North Coast Local Land Services) nathan.jennings@lls.nsw.gov.auThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript here Produced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

It is coming up to a key time of the year for many of our dairy businesses, that being the autumn sowing period. There are many things to consider now to get the best outcome for your pasture production in the winter and spring period ahead. My guest this month is agronomist Josh Hack from Ag Farming Systems. Josh recently spoke at an autumn pasture and seasonal update day held on farm near Taree on the Mid North Coast of NSW which was organised by the Hunter Local Lands Services.In this session Josh discusses the 5 key things he thinks every farmer needs to get right before sowing is considered and reinforces the need to be prepared and ready to sow when good conditions present themselves. We also touch on some of the challenges that farmers have faced with pastures over an unusually cool summer period for much of NSW. Useful resources related to this podcast:Drought and Supplementary Feed Cost Calculator appFeed Cost CalculatorDairy Australia's Feed Budgeting ToolThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript here Produced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Genomics - to some farmers this is an amazing innovation that they have embraced with open arms. For others, it may be a bit of a scientific mystery but according to Rob Cooper, my guest this month it is actually very simple to use and a powerful tool that he is passionate about and would like to see more people in the industry adopt.Rob is well known to many in dairying. He was a successful dairy farmer for many years always open to new ideas, reading and travelling widely to increase his knowledge and then implementing this into his business. He first started using genomics in 2013 and since selling the dairy business he has been involved in many industry programs and groups, including board membership on Subtropical Dairy, DairyBio and Dairy FeedBase as well as current Chair of NSW's Dairy Action Plan Implementation Panel.Rob shares with us the benefits and opportunities of genomics from his experience in a very practical sense today. Useful resources related to this podcast:To contact Rob Cooper robacooper@bigpond.com DataGene website Dairy Australia Cow and Heifer Genomics | Dairy Australia“Genomics at a Glance” webinar with Peter Williams (DataGene) and Rob Cooper.This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

NSW Dairy Farm Monitor results were recently released for the 21/22FY. Analysis of the performance of the 36 farms involved in the project showed a wide range in profitability. All farms experienced above average rainfall for the year - many of them subject to significant flooding and prolonged wet conditions which impacted on performance. However, despite the impact of the incredibly wet year and higher input costs, strong milk prices and livestock trading conditions enabled the second highest average profit position in 11 years of DFMP in NSW at an average of $1.71/kgMS. Useful resources related to this podcast:NSW Dairy Farm Monitor Annual Report and resourcesNSW DFMP Interactive ReportThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

NSW dairy farmers have been faced with some incredibly challenging seasonal conditions over the last 2 years which has seen one in one-hundred-year floods, repeated floods and prolonged wet conditions on many coastal farms and now our inland farms as well. These conditions are not limited to NSW, most states on the eastern seaboard have been affected by the impact of la Nina. Apart from the immediate and devastating impacts of floods on dairy farms, the flooding in inland grain and hay growing regions is creating a future feed shortage for the industry.  Neil Moss, consultant with Scibus highlights key things to focus on in times of flood, how to manage wet conditions well and strategies to deal with the coming shortage of spring hay supplies. Useful resources related to this podcast:Farming ForecasterThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterEpisode TranscriptProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

This month, Zita Ritchie interviews Paula Gray. Paula is a farmer form Rolland's Plains on the Mid North Coast of NSW who farms with her husband Mick. The Gray's have been the NSW case study farm for a project called Dairy Businesses for Future Climates which enables farmers to understand the likely impacts of climate on their farm and help them prepare to better manage the risks or changes.It is the first time this project has been run in NSW with previous work having been done in dairying regions in Victoria, South Aust and Tasmania.This project has been funded through the large R,D&E program DairyUP and Dairy Australia and facilitated by the NSW DPI. Useful resources related to this podcast:DairyUPDairyUP clip of “Gray's Focus Farm” Dairy Businesses for Future Climates (Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania)This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

This month our focus is on technology and my guest is Dr Nicolas Lyons, who is Leader Dairy with the NSW DPI dairy team. Nico has had a career shaped by his involvement with dairy farm technology, both in research and on farm implementation.Technology used on dairy farms and agriculture in general is ever evolving and, if suited to the farm and farmer's business it can help improve on-farm productivity by making tasks easier and labour more efficient, providing the manager with information to help them make more effective and timely decisions in areas such as herd and pasture management. In this episode we touch on some of the technology developments within Australia in recent years and hear from Nico about his involvement with the International Precision Dairy Farming Association based in the Netherlands and his recent attendance at their conference in Vienna.  Useful resources related to this podcast:NSW DPI Dairy website (look for Precision Dairy Farming)Precision Dairy Farming AssociationPodcast 6 - Are AMS systems profitable in Australia?DairyBioThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript here Produced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Kevin and Brodie Game with their young family, dairy at Bemboka on the far south coast of NSW and have worked hard at achieving their goals over the last 12 years. From small beginnings they have grown into a large and profitable business, with the inevitable ups and downs along the way. They have also just reached the end of their first year as the NSW Focus Farm which has provided them with great support and guidance, so along with Kevin and Brodie, I am joined by Justin Walsh who is facilitating their Focus Farm project. We often hear that it is too hard for young people to get into dairying and ultimately own their own farm, unless they are fortunate enough to already be part of a family-owned generational business.Today we hear how a dream such as this can become a reality through good planning, management and being able to make the most of opportunities when they present themselves. Useful resources related to this podcast:Leasing dairy assets resource packDairy NSW facebook pageThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

In this episode we take a look at features of the Top 25% of NSW Dairy Farm Monitor Farms in terms of their profitability and productivity over the last 10 years.Funding from the NSW Farm Business Resilience Program enabled this project to happen. It has highlighted key physical and financial traits of the top performers such as herd size, usable land area, production, stocking rate, cow and labour efficiency and cost of production.Farmers and industry are always keen to understand features of profitable dairy businesses under different conditions. In Australia we are fortunate to have a national program led by Dairy Australia called the Dairy Farm Monitor Project that enables us to do this across the different dairying regions with the support of generous anonymous dairy farmers who provide their time and information. This supports individual businesses understand their performance but also provides us with insight into farm performance during the course of a year and trends over time. Useful resources related to this podcast:NSW Dairy Farm Monitor Annual ReportsNSW DPI Dairy Breakfast (webinar) recording This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript Produced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Clear, simple systems to help you manage tasks and people on your farm can help with business efficiency and productivity.An aspect that is commonly spoken about in the dairy industry is the cost and efficiency of labour, not to mention availability, of skilled labour.In NSW labour total costs (paid and owner operator or imputed labour) on average, make up around 25% of farm operating costs according to our NSW DFMP data. This represents a cost of around $2.10/kgMS. In terms of efficiency, we are looking at, on average around just under 40,000kgMS/FTE. Obviously, there are farms that are much more efficient than this and those that are less efficient. And there are many factors that drive this.Today my guest is James McRae, a farmer who has adopted a system or style of management on his farm that helps him address time and resource efficiency. It is called Lean Management.   Useful resources related to this podcast:Raelands Farm Facebook page2 Second Lean (Paul Akers)GembaDocs app - for creating SOP's & Kanban cards. It saves a lot of time!  YouTube:AME - Yellotools tourUpflip - Fastcap pt  1Upflip - Fastcap pt 2Books:The Lean Dairy Farm - Jana & Mat HockenLean in Agriculture - Nielsen & Pejstrup 2 Second Lean - Paul AkersThe Toyota Way - Jeffrey Liker This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscriptProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

It's the 1st June - an important date in the Australian dairy calendar. Most listeners will know that under the dairy Mandatory Code of Conduct, processors are now required to announce their minimum farm gate milk price today in their milk supply agreements.My guest this episode is Janine Waller, Executive Director of Australian Dairy Products Federation or ADPF - the nations peak body for dairy processors, marketers and traders. Janine has a history spanning more than 20 yrs working in the food industry, consulting to market leading clients such as Dons Smallgoods and also working with Lion Dairy and Drinks for 13 yrs. We discuss some of the domestic and international drivers behind the milk prices being announced and the current challenges being experienced across the nation by farmers with inflationary impacts on input costs. We also highlight the Milk Value Portal that aims to provide transparency behind milk pricing in Australia. The MVP is a web-based portal that houses some excellent resources and tools to help understand the complexity of milk pricing in Australia. It provides links to processor milk supply agreements with minimum pricing and enables farmers and others to understand pricing in their own region. Useful resources related to this podcast:Milk Value PortalFarmgate Milk Value ToolProcessor Milk Supply Agreements (MVP)Processor Milk Supply Agreements (NSW specific)The ‘What-if' impact on value This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript Produced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

This month we take a look at business planning – getting clarity on what your business is about, what you are trying to achieve and how you are going to get there.A report by the UK's Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) in 2018 identified 8 factors that characterised their top performing farms, one of which is ‘setting goals and budgets'. Their findings showed that (quote) “Farms that write a formal long-term business plan are more profitable than others. Writing your ambitions down is one of the most successful ways to visualise in your mind what you want to do and therefore for it to happen,…”Greg Duncan leads a national program developed by Dairy Australia called Our Farm Our Plan that aims to support and guide farm businesses through their own business planning. He will explain this program to us today.Sarah Wake is involved in the family farm near Singleton in the Hunter Valley and shares with us her experiences in the program thus far.Useful resources related to this podcast:Our Farm, Our Plan landing page on the Dairy Australia Website.Farm Business SnapshotFarm Fitness ChecklistFarmers can also call the Our Farm, Our Plan team on 1800 548 073 This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterEpisode transcriptProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Farm profits will be interesting this financial year with strong milk prices and milder seasons being in our favour but then on the other side of the scales we have pricing pressures on key inputs such as fertiliser and wet weather and severe flooding impacting many dairy businesses on the east coast of Australia. Whether you are looking at a profit or a loss for your dairy business, we are now in the final quarter of the financial year and if you don't already, you should really be looking at tax planning with your accountant to manage your tax position as effectively as you can.Our guests this month are two enthusiastic and experienced accountants from Boyce Chartered Accountants who discuss strategies to help dairy farmers with the art of tax planning. Kate Garrett and Dan Medway have a very good understanding of agricultural businesses and have dairy clients they work with throughout NSW. Useful resources related to this podcast:Dairy Australia – Farm Business Management training optionsThe Dairy Standard Chart of AccountsBoyce Chartered AccountantsThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

The potential for reduced yields and fodder quality in corn and sorghum crops is something that now has to be proactively managed by farmers as a result of detection of fall armyworm in Australia. It is a plant pest that first appeared in QLD in February 2020 and also the NT and norther parts of WA.  It has subsequently been found throughout the eastern seaboard as far as Tasmania. Being a new pest, we are still learning how to best manage it and this month we hear from Ross Warren, Senior Dairy Extension Officer with QDAF who has seen the impact across many farms in the subtropical region of NSW and QLD and how dairy farmers are managing it. Also joining us is Jason Bake, who runs a family dairy operation near Coffs Harbour in northern NSW. Corn silage is a large component of his herds diet and we hear how they have managed it on farm, as well as why Jason views corn as “the only crop that improves in value over time”!Useful resources related to this podcast:Subtropical Dairy/QLD Department of Ag and Fisheries – Fall Army Worm Update WebinarNSW DPI Fall Armyworm resource pageDairy Australia Fall Armyworm resource pageThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available hereIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Covid-19 continues to impact how we live and operate as individuals, communities and businesses. This month we look at the impact it is having on farm input pricing and the supply chain from the perspective of a rural produce store and a farmer. Troy Higgins, manager at Gloucester Rural Supplies, shares his perspective on how he is managing the challenges of securing supply of products in the year ahead and gives us some insight into current and future pricing and availability of products. Chris Maslin is a third-generation dairy farmer who manages a herd of 700 cows in a family dairy business near Gloucester and he explains some of the things he has done to plan ahead in his business given supply issue challenges.Useful resources related to this podcast:For current Covid-19 recommendations and health alerts please visit the State Government website relevant to your business. Covid-19 – Dairy Australia Resources web page (including CovidSafe Plan templates)This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – visit for further information and resources.It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

This year marks the tenth year of the Dairy Farm Monitor Project in NSW and the most profitable we have seen in that period with an average operating profit or Earnings Before Interest and Tax of $2.07/kgMS which translated into a 4.9% RoTA. This project involves a detailed physical and financial analysis of dairying businesses in NSW and saw 41 farms participate this year, the highest number to date. Participating farms are anonymous and receive an individual farm report.The Department of Primary Industries manage this project in NSW with funding and support from Dairy Australia and this month we see Sheena in the hot seat being interviewed about some of the drivers behind the results by colleague Zita Ritchie who is a Dairy Development Officer based at Wollongbar in Northern NSW.Useful resources related to this podcast:NSW Dairy Farm Monitor Annual ReportsNSW DFMP Interactive ReportThe dairy business Report – Tocal DairyThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – visit for further information and resources.It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Nitrogen fertiliser is a key input for pasture and fodder production in dairy businesses. In the last eight months we have seen urea prices increase on farm by around 80%. Is it too costly to keep applying with urea prices over $1000 per tonne? This month we are joined by Neil Moss, director and Senior Consultant with Scibus who consults to dairy and beef producers in NSW and interstate. We touch on some of the factors affecting pricing and availability of fertiliser and look at how the numbers stack up for applying urea to your pastures and maize crops. We also talk about some alternative sources of nutrients and provide some food for thought on future nitrogen use and pasture species to be considered on farm.Useful resources related to this podcast:Podcast - RaboResearch Food and Agribusiness – Buy Nitrogen Now or Wait? A Global View for those that are keen to understand more on drivers of the drivers behind the current fertiliser supply and demand situation.Dairy Australia's Fert$mart Nitrogen Pocket GuideFertiliser for Pastures 2021 (Local Land Services publication) containing nutrient analysis of synthetic and organic material such as poultry litter, dairy effluent and dairy manure.The dairy business Report – Tocal Dairy. This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript here Produced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Commercially operating automatic milking systems (AMS) have been in Australia since 2001. While this system currently makes up less than 1% of the Australian dairy industry, positivity in the industry is currently seeing many farmers consider AMS as part of future investment in their businesses, with a number of farms installing them in the coming 12- 18mths. This month we speaking with two of the “Milking Edge” project team (Juan Gargiulo and Jessica Bell)  who have done excellent research into the profitability of AMS systems compared to conventional milking systems in our Australian pasture based environment and developed world leading, freely available learning modules and decision support tools for interested farmers and industry players to help them in their consideration, understanding and investment process.Useful resources related to this podcast:Online training modules and AMS Integrated Management Model (IMM) Register for the AMS Farm Showcase.This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterAccess the show transcriptProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Breeding and reproduction targets in a year-round calving system are the focus this month. Matt Brett from Tocal Dairy joins us again to talk about the breeding program at Tocal, looking at their strategy, the systems they have in place to manage and monitor herd reproductive performance and their use of sexed semen.Dr Luke Ingenhoff, veterinarian from Sydney University visits Tocal on a monthly basis and compiles an invaluable report which is used by the Tocal team to monitor the herd reproductive performance and pick up any early issues before they become a costly problem to the business. Luke explains what occurs during a monthly visit and gives us an excellent outline on some of the key targets to monitor in year-round calving systems.Useful resources related to this podcast:Tocal Dairy Monthly Business ReportThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterAccess the episode transcript here Produced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

What is over-capitalisation, what does it look like on a dairy farm and how does it impact your business performance? It is important to be aware of how over-capitalisation can add to your business's cost of production – adding to both cash and non-cash costs.This month, Jake Musson (Data Analyst – Dairy Australia) describes over-capitalisation in a dairy business, the impact it can have and the risk it can create, particularly in times of volatility, if not managed well. Useful resources related to this podcast:·       Jake Musson (Dairy Australia) – NSW System Performance presentation (~19:20 minute mark for ‘Plant and equipment vs. Depreciation)·       Tower of Resilience (John Mulvany)·       Farm Business Snapshot calculator ·       NSW Dairy Farm Monitor reportsThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available hereIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Growing high quality feed and utilising it in the Spring period is a key opportunity to lower your total feed costs across the year. Agronomists, Josh Hack and Peter Beale talk about the importance of getting your ryegrass management right coming into the Spring period, the importance of nitrogen in growing this feed source and principles of good grazing management to capture your Spring surplus.Nitrogen is a key profit driver for milk production in a pasture based dairy system and even though we are currently seeing urea prices increase dramatically, Josh works through an example to show that it can still be cost effective to apply with typical dry matter response rates at this time of year and the price of alternate feed sources.Useful resources related to this podcast:·       Peter Beale's article in the Hunter LLS Winter newsletter.·       Professor Richard Eckard's, Dairy Australia YouTube clips o   Efficiency of Nitrogeno   Nitrogen grown pasture versus purchased feed o   Timing of Nitrogen Application ·       Josh Hack's Grazing Management YouTube PlaylistA link to the FertSmart Nitrogen Pocket Guide on the Dairy Australia website.  This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available hereIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page DPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterAccess a transcript of this episode here Produced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

In this episode, we talk to dairy farmer Justin Walsh about his business structure, resources and goals and how he uses his Dairy Farm Monitor Report to measure and monitor the farm's annual physical and financial performance. Justin also talks about the importance of getting the daily decisions right on farm by calculating metrics like his margin over supplementary feed cost as ultimately it is good daily decisions that drive a profitable business performance at the end of the year.Justin, his wife Libby and their family have developed a strong profile in the NSW dairy industry in recent years having been a very successful Focus Farm with Dairy NSW. He talks about making sure that the business is set up to optimise the use of resources available to it – in their case, matching their calving pattern to their pasture growth curve, improving pasture utilisation on their dryland farm and the importance of this in a pasture based system more generally. This and other decisions on farm have improved pasture utilisation on the milking platform by 2 tonnes of dry matter per hectare over the last 4 years which is a great result on a dryland farm through some tough drought conditions. There has also been an improvement in cow efficiency with the herd now producing 1 kg milk solids per kilo of cow liveweight.The business has improved its profitability over the last 4 years from around $1.00/kgMS to over an impressive $3.50/kgMS in the 2019/20 financial year which translates to a Return on Total Assets Managed of over 6%. This is despite some incredibly high feed prices as a result of the recent drought conditions with their concentrate prices averaging $530/tDM for the 2019/20 financial year.A keen participant in the NSW Dairy Farm Monitor Project, we talk through some of the numbers in their business over the last 4 years, and also the other value that the report provides, such as enabling a strong and robust conversation with financiers and financial planners.Access the transcript of this episode hereTake a look at the NSW Dairy Farm Monitor Project and see past performance of the NSW dairy industry.For more info on the Tocal dairy and the business report visit the Tocal dairy's Monthly Business ReportWatch Justin's Dairy Research Foundation presentation “On Farm Settings to Control Risk and Drive Profit” from 2020.This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via the following email address: thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice.

Matthew Brett, Manager of Tocal College's dairy in the Hunter Valley region of NSW, talks about margin over feed costs, nitrogen feriliser use, and monthly milk production among other things. Learn about the dairy, its goals, the role it plays in educating the next generation of people who have a passion for and want to work within the dairy industry and be introduced to the Tocal Monthly Business Report.Tocal College has been training future generations of dairy industry employees every year since 1980 when the NSW Dairy Apprenticeship Scheme was originally introduced. It has developed and grown in an effort to be as representative as possible of a ‘typical' NSW dairy business. Currently, approximately 2.5 million litres are produced annually from 280 – 300 milkers. The herd is mainly comprised of Holstein Friesians with some Aussie Reds and crossbreds, calving year-round in a pasture-based system.Matt Brett has been involved in dairying all his life having been raised on a dairy farm in northern NSW, share-farmed and managed large herd dairies before taking on the Dairy Manager role at Tocal 3 years ago. He gives an overview of the dairy, its operating system and resources and explains its key and important role as part of Tocal College, a registered training organisation.The value in measuring the performance of the business through participation in the NSW Dairy Farm Monitor Project is discussed and we introduce you to the monthly ‘Tocal Dairy Business report', compiled by the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit in conjunction with the Tocal Dairy Team. The report presents DAILY Margin Over Feed Cost and a summary of some key MONTHLY information using information that is readily available within most dairy businesses.The ‘Business Report' is designed to be used as a quick snapshot to assess that the performance of the business is on track – are the farm goals being met and are there any challenges or opportunities that need to be addressed in a timely manner? It is a report that we would encourage other businesses to generate regularly for their own management purposes.Access a transcript of this episode hereFor more info on the Tocal dairy and the business report visit the Tocal dairy's Monthly Business ReportTake a look at the NSW Dairy Farm Monitor Project and see past performance of the NSW dairy industry.This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via the following email address: thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice.