The dairy industry has lost one of its shining lights with the death of Brad Collins following an ATV accident in early February.
Brad, who farmed at Dixie, south of Terang in south-west Victoria, was a driving force in Dairy Farmers Victoria which shared the news of his passing on social media on February 7.
In a Facebook post, Dairy Farmers Victoria said Brad would be remembered as a valued member of the industry and a much-loved part of the local farming community.
“On behalf of Dairy Farmers Victoria and its members, we extend our deepest condolences to Brad’s family, friends and everyone in our community who knew and respected him.
“We know this news will be felt deeply by many.”
Brad had been airlifted to hospital in Melbourne after the February 2 accident.
“Brad’s injuries were significant, but in the days immediately after the accident there were some encouraging signs that he might recover,” the Dairy Farmers Victoria post said.
“Sadly, over the last couple of days everything caught up with him, and he died with his family close by.”
WestVic Dairy said it was deeply saddened to acknowledge the passing of Brad, describing him as a passionate dairy farmer, industry advocate and former WestVic Dairy board member.
“For those who were fortunate enough to have worked alongside Brad, he was an ambitious thinker, known for bringing fresh perspectives to every conversation. He was respected for his dedication to sustainability, whether environmental, business, or the future of the industry.
“Brad was a wonderful champion of young people in dairy and was very positive about the dairy industry’s future.”
A third-generation farmer, Brad, 51, and his wife Tammy took over the family farm at Dixie from his parents Jeff and Barb about seven years ago.
In an interview with Dairy News Australia, he described it as the best farming land in Australia and he outlined how he adopted a simpler, sustainable farming system with less cows and less reliance on grain, labour and inputs.
“It’s going back to simple is best; running the farm myself, rolling my sleeves up and doing the work,” he said.
“We’re farmers; we should work and be proud of what we do. I had to change my mentality to be proud of what I do.”
Speaking at Dairy Australia’s Grounds for Growth conference in Warrnambool last year, Brad said the reset of his farming system had worked and reignited his passion for farming.
“I love being a dairy farmer again,” Brad told the conference.
“The cows are healthier, happier and easier to work with. We’re still focussing on production and profit but in a more sustainable way.”
Brad adopted practices to support optimum soil diversity and health by planting multi-species pastures and being regenerative.
Brad farmed for most of his life, including stints in northern Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia before returning to the family farm. He also served as a director of WestVic Dairy.