WOODS Point dairy farmer Kate Bartlett has been identified as a potential state-level industry leader through the 2014 Developing Dairy Leaders Program.
Developed by Australian Dairy Farmers and Dairy Australia, the program aims to build the leadership skills of people who are committed to the future of the industry.
In February, Mrs Bartlett joined 15 other potential leaders from across Australia – including farmers, farm managers and service providers – for the program’s commencement.
The participants spent five days in Melbourne and were given the opportunity to converse with state and national industry leaders.
«We went through the basics of dairy,» Mrs Bartlett said.
«We looked at how all the dairy components link together, from the farm to the consumer.
«To know something and to understand something are two different things.»
As part of the program each potential leader is expected to run a regionally-based project on issues surrounding the industry.
Running a 200 holstein friesian dairy farm with her husband Kym, Mrs Bartlett knows just how important advocacy is and will base her research on it, providing evidence on reasons why people should join state bodies.
«I think each industry needs to have an advocacy group that speaks up on behalf of its members and dairy farmers should understand what happens to their product after the farm gate,» she said.
«People need to speak with one voice, and that voice needs to be professional.»
The program will conclude in June when Mrs Bartlett will spend four days in Canberra, with the other aspiring dairy industry leaders, where she will learn more about advocacy and policy development at a national level.
All participants will be required to make a 10-minute presentation and hand in a written report on the work undertaken.
«Stepping up and speaking up is certainly not a route I thought I would take when I became involved in the dairy industry,» Mrs Bartlett said.
Once completing the program participants will gain competencies towards an Advanced Diploma of Agri-business Management-Leadership stream.
Source: The Murray Valley Standard