'There’s no better time to make a change than the present, whatever your age or circumstances.'

Lynne Strong is a proud sixth-generation farmer who was drawn to dairying after a career as a pharmacist. She is co-owner/operator, with husband Michael and son Nicholas, of multi-award-winning Clover Hill Dairies at Jamberoo on the NSW South Coast. Lynne is actively involved in the day-to-day running of their two dairy farms, which produce five million litres of milk per year from the 400 cows milked three times daily. Clover Hill Dairies is the 2010 NSW Landcare Heroes Primary Producer Award winner and the National Landcare Woolworths Primary Producer of the Year. Lynne is passionate about sustainable agriculture and recognises a pressing need for primary producers to reconnect with consumers to build a strong appreciation of the importance of farming. She initiated Dairy Youth Australia Inc. and the innovative ‘Art4Agriculture’ programs including Picasso Cows and the Archibull Prize, which use art and multimedia to engage thousands of students in learning about the valuable role farmers play in Australia’s future. She is now working on establishing a network of ‘agricultural champions’. She aims to recruit farming men and women who can sell the message that agriculture is a legitimate and responsible user of natural resources and that you can have a thriving career working in the agricultural sphere. Lynne is also involved in many boards and committees.

What gave you the motivation/inspiration to follow your dream?

The best part of what I do is meeting inspirational people every day. They light my fire, feed my soul and challenge me to be my very best. It means I am living a life that makes me happy and allows me to share my gifts and make a unique contribution to agriculture and the community.

At what point did you realise that your dream was actually possible and what was it that made you think you could really do it?

When people stopped telling me to focus and started to share my vision, and when Government and large corporate companies showed they shared my ideals and offered financial and practical support.

When you were a child, what did you want to ‘be’ when you grew up?

I wanted to be loved and be happy in a job that would support my lifestyle – in that order.

How did your childhood influence you in later life?

I learned how to be successful, and that you must not believe in regret but rather learn from past experiences and use them to become stronger. I learned the importance of having a resilient social conscience and a sense of individual responsibility. I also learned to seek out people I want to learn from and surround myself with them.

Who are your role models?

Growing up I admired my grandmother on my father’s side. She was a true lady, had a bright mind, was a great cook and someone who always believed in me and supported me. In the last 10 years there have been many knowledgeable and stimulating people who have influenced me in a positive way. They have taught me that true leaders encourage and shape future leaders, not followers. They have helped foster the way I am in the present and what I will be in the future. They are people I can look to for advice in the ‘sticky’ times and the good times. They give me words of wisdom, a shoulder to cry on and a swift kick if I need it!

What does success mean to you?

Success is the ability to change what I am doing to match my passion, yet never losing a sense of wonder and the ability to make a difference in the process. While you might have more freedom to change direction when you're younger, you might feel more driven in later life. If you're in the middle of inescapable circumstances or commitments, start with whatever you can do now and plan for the long term. Your success should be measured by what is meaningful to you, not to your family or society.

What has been one of the biggest barriers you have had to face, what happened, and how did you overcome it?

All my projects have relied on winning competitive grants and attracting corporate sponsorship. Juggling the thousands of voluntary hours on top of my on-farm activities is an ongoing challenge. Along the way I have learned these things:

1. Individuals driving change need to be prepared to face criticism, cynicism and scepticism from within their own industry. This is often more challenging than external scrutiny.
2. Not only do farmers have to be delivering best farming practices; farmers today have to be out in their communities, committed to ‘walking the talk’. To change ‘grass roots’ perceptions we need ‘grass roots’ action; and finding these rural champions has proved to be more challenging than I had hoped – but we are getting there.
3. There is a lack of advisors and experts with combined skills sets who understand both the reality and needs of modern agriculture, the social and environmental responsibilities, and the requirements of agriculture in the future.

To overcome some of these difficulties, I seek outside skills if required and have built strong partnerships to help deliver projects; for example, the Dairy Youth Australia Inc. team have been a great resource for ensuring that Art4Agriculture is well targeted to younger audiences.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years time? What is your vision for the future?

My vision for the future isn’t too difficult; it just requires a different way of thinking. I believe a profitable and sustainable healthy future for the farming sector is achievable – the health and welfare of all Australians and many people around the world depends on it.

To drive the process of change requires champions and leaders. But to change grass roots perceptions, we need grass roots action. Farmers care about the country, their livestock and the people they provide with food and fibre. Beyond best farming practices, farmers have to be out in communities, walking the talk – from paddock to plate, from cow to consumer – and building trust between rural and urban communities. I want farming men and women to go out and sell the message that feeding and clothing the world is an awesome responsibility and a noble profession, and that it offers great careers. Just imagine if we could achieve my vision of an Australia-wide network of trained, passionate farmers talking directly with the communities they supply!

What would you like to say to other women who may be just starting out on a daring to dream journey?

• Be brave, and be proud of who you are and what you can do.
• Never let anyone tell you that you cannot be (or do) anything you dream to be.
• There’s no better time to make a change than the present, whatever your age or circumstances.