Woolworths has invested more than $2 million in grants to 24 dairy farms across Australia to support innovation, efficiency and seasonal resilience.
The inaugural round of the Woolworths Dairy Innovation Fund has awarded grants up to $100,000 to farmers for future-focused projects, including solar-powered desalination, milk sensor technology, enhanced bushfire protection, herd monitoring technology and dairy automation.
With this season delivering the best conditions many dairy regions have seen in recent years, the projects to be funded show a concerted focus on investments that will shore-up farms to withstand future seasonal challenges.
Close to 500 applications were received from farmers, spanning dairy regions, supply relationships and a wide array of projects.
Queensland farmer Peter Garratt received $100,000 to introduce an automatic grain batching system, which will support a balanced diet for his herd by ensuring an accurate mix of the right grains that can be tailored as needed.
He will also use his grant to reduce feed loss with improved fodder storage, build an effluent recycling system and boost cow health and comfort with additions to the herd’s summertime shelter.
Mr Garratt’s herd produces 2.6 million litres of milk annually on the Darling Downs property that has belonged to his family for 95 years.
He and his young family live on the farm, which he runs in partnership with his parents.
“We are really excited to have the opportunity to make some of our dreams a reality,” Mr Garratt said.
“The installation of automated grain batching will ensure our cows receive a correctly balanced diet and save us valuable time.
“We will also be providing motion-detecting comfort brushes and a ventilation system to keep our herd healthy and happy all year round.”
Victorian farmer Jason Riley has received $80,000 from the fund to build a new milking shed, which will integrate automation, in-line milk sensors and solar power, replacing his existing 50-year-old milking shed.
A first-generation dairy farmer, Mr Riley purchased his first herd of cows when he was just 18 years old, to farm on the South Gippsland property of two dairy farmers who mentored him during his early interest in dairy.
Now in his early 20s, he has grown his business to milk up to 230 cows daily and purchased his first piece of land in Dumbalk earlier this year.
Other recipients include Manning Valley dairy farmer Julian Biega, who will use a $100,000 grant to install a new solar-powered desalination system that will deliver greater water efficiency and conserve fresh water for nearby communities.
Mr Biega supplies Woolworths with milk for its Farmers’ Own range.
He and his wife live on a property on the NSW mid-north coast, that’s been producing milk since the 1890s, and have 335 cows on 260 ha.
Although surrounded by water, Mr Biega's unique position at the mouth of the Manning River means saltwater is in abundance, while clean drinking water for the region can be in short supply during periods of drought, like those endured 18 months ago.
He’ll be developing a more efficient water system, recycling the desalinated water and using it in three different parts of his farm.
In the dairy, it will be used to cool fresh milk in a heat exchange unit, then wash down the dairy yards and finally it will be funnelled into irrigation across 12 ha of pasture. It will also provide daily drinking water for the cows.
South Australia's Samantha Martin will use a $90,000 grant to modernise her farm with new digital herd monitoring technology.
A fourth-generation farmer, Ms Martin lives on the dairy farm in Myponga that her family has owned since the 1930s.
The project will allow each cow to be monitored individually, tracking how much they eat and their activity, to improve overall animal welfare and manage the herd over time to increase the lifespan of the cows.
These special collars will alert Ms Martin and the dairy team when cows are unwell, sooner than they would normally be able to detect issues so their vet and nutritionist can deliver more targeted treatment.
The collars will also improve reproduction rates by allowing the team to better pinpoint peak fertility.
Woolworths director of buying Paul Harker said the grant applications showed Australian dairy farmers had their eyes firmly fixed on the sustainable future of the industry and were keen to invest in new technology and infrastructure to build thriving farms for generations to come.
“The first round of the fund comes in a promising dairy season, with favourable operating conditions,” Mr Harker said.
“This makes it a particularly good time to invest because it will help set these dairies up to prosper through the seasonal challenges that have always been a part of Australian farming.”
The fund was designed in consultation with peak industry groups Australian Dairy Farmers, Dairy Australia, National Farmers’ Federation, Premium Milk Ltd and the NSW Farmers’ Association Dairy Committee.
The second round of the Dairy Innovation Fund will open later this year.
For more information, visit: woolworths.com.au/dairyinnovationfund