Norco, the country’s oldest 100 per cent Australian farmer-owned dairy co-operative, has marked its 130th birthday with a week of celebrations in its local communities.
In its heartland community of Lismore, Norco brought back the famed school milk program, offering free milk for all primary schools and students in the region for one day only — its official birthday on Thursday, June 5.
Amid conversations and advocacy efforts to revive the national school milk program, Norco delivered thousands of milk bottles to participating schools, paying tribute to its heritage and the region where it all began back in 1895.
Norco chief executive officer Michael Hampson said the team at Norco could not think of a better way to honour its history and that of the industry, while giving back to its heartland community and saying thank you for 130 years of support.
He said 130 years was a significant achievement, “so we wanted to celebrate all our farming families, many of whom are multi-generational, that work rain, hail or shine to deliver the best, freshest tasting dairy for our co-operative”.
“To honour the milestone, it felt only natural to give back to the next generation in this way, while at the same time helping to educate about the great health benefits of fresh milk.”
The year Norco was founded (1895) also marks a prominent time in Australian cultural history with the famous bush poet, Banjo Paterson, first composing Waltzing Matilda.
So on the Gold Coast, Norco partnered with Banjo’s namesake school, A.B. Paterson College, in a series of commemorative activities.
While the college choir sang Waltzing Matilda, senior students buried a time capsule on the grounds of Norco’s milk factory in Labrador.
“In taking a walk down memory lane to honour our co-operative’s history, we were thrilled to uncover the shared history and aligned purpose that further connects us with our neighbours at A.B. Paterson College,” Mr Hampson said.
“In planning these celebrations, we thought this was perfect way to truly capture the significance of this milestone, while paying tribute to Norco’s original vision and values.”
Norco was formed when a group of 40 farmers gathered in Clunes near Byron Bay to discuss how they could secure a better future for the farmers of the region.
Honouring this vision, students from A.B. Paterson College were asked to document their own hopes and dreams for their future, thoughts that can be unlocked and reflected upon at Norco’s 150th birthday.
Andrew Wilson, a fourth-generation farmer who has been supplying Norco for almost three decades, said he and his family were proud to be part of the oldest and last operating dairy co-operative in Australia.
“Being a Norco dairy farmer is more than just producing great dairy,” he said.
“It means being part of a 100 per cent farmer-owned co-operative that backs its farmers and supports its local communities.
“It’s a great source of pride for not only me, but my whole family and we truly appreciate anytime someone chooses to buy Norco, because when they do, every cent goes back to support farming families like ours, and for that we are genuinely grateful.”
With 281 active members on 188 dairy farms in northern NSW and south-east Queensland, Norco employs about 800 people across five production facilities, two corporate offices and 25 rural retail stores that operate as far north as Bundaberg In Queensland and as far south as the Hunter region in NSW.