NSW DPI’s new dairy podcast creates a farm business management conversation

1 Jun 2021

To coincide with World Milk Day, NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) today launched a new podcast that will help foster a stronger farm business management culture amongst NSW dairy farmers and service providers.

The Business of Dairy podcast, an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit with support from the Hunter Local Land Services, aims to generate industry-wide conversation about different aspects of business management both inside and outside the farm gate.

NSW DPI Development Officer, Dairy Farm Business Management, Sheena Carter will speak with industry farmers and service providers every month about a range of business management topics to share best practice and drive strong business growth that will ensure a profitable, resilient, and sustainable NSW dairy industry in the future.

“The podcast will give farmers all over NSW the important skills, information and knowledge they need to run a successful dairy business,” Sheena Carter said.

“By talking about business management in terms that are relatable to listeners, we hope farmers are encouraged to think about their business more critically, improve decision making, and seek further information when required – especially following the past few years of drought, fire, flood and pandemic.

“We are asking for anyone with a connection to the dairy industry to share this podcast with farmers, friends and colleagues so they know that business support is available, and to contact us with comments and suggestions for future topics.”

The podcast can be downloaded from your favourite podcast channels or accessed via the NSW DPI Dairy web page at The Business of Dairy Podcast.

The first episode features Matthew Brett, Dairy Manager of Tocal College Dairy (Tocal Dairy) in NSW’s Hunter Valley region. Tocal College has been training dairy industry employees since 1980 when the NSW Dairy Apprenticeship Scheme was first introduced.

Matthew gives an overview of the dairy industry, which produces approximately 2.5 million litres of milk annually from 280-300 milkers, its operating system and resources, and the partnership with Tocal College (a registered training organisation).

The episode also talks about the value of measuring business performance via participation in the NSW Dairy Farm Monitor Project. The listener is introduced to the monthly Tocal Dairy Business Report, designed to be used as a quick snapshot to assess whether the performance of the dairy is on track, with a particular focus on margin over feed cost and monthly production figures.

Find more information about Tocal Dairy and the Tocal Dairy Business Report.

Find more information about the NSW Dairy Farm Monitor Project and NSW dairy industry.

Media contact: (02) 6391 3686