Young Dairy Network - Regions
The Northern dairy industries Young Dairy Network currently has six regionally operating networks.
Far North Queensland | Sunshine Coast - Qld
South East Queensland | Darling Downs - Qld
Far North Coast - NSW | Mid North Coast - NSW
Groups within the Young Dairy Network (YDN) have been developing in Australia's Northern Dairy Industry since 2006. With 6 groups now operating, the Network is building a critical mass and is moving from being a short term project to an ongoing service provider. The Network has a current member base of 290 and is growing steadily. Membership typically is made up of young innovative farmers who are adopters of change and seekers of information.
The Network provides a link for farmers with similar interests, in an environment where they can share ideas and experiences. Membership typically is made up of young innovative farmers who are adopters of change and seekers of information. The Network is jointly managed by the Subtropical Dairy Program Limited and the Queensland Dairyfarmers Organisation through a Strategic Steering Committee, and is non-profit and non-political.
The key principals of the YDN are to provide professional development and training and opportunities for networking and social interaction for young Dairy Farmers, in order to build community capacity within and across farming communities. This is achieved through a 'ground up' approach to operations which ensure that training is delivered in a timely manner and is relevant to the current and individual needs of each group within the Network.
The Northern Dairy Industry covers a large area from Kempsey in New South Wales to the Atherton Tableland in Queensland. It is comprised of over 800 farms and has 2,700 people employed directly on farms, with an additional 1,925 in the processing sector. Recently there has been significant growth in optimism amongst farmers in the region.
The Young Dairy Network has three aims:
- To provide encouragement, support and opportunities for young farmers to develop the technical knowledge and skills they require to make informed decisions in their business; build the communication and leadership skills they require to fulfil key roles in the dairy industry and community; and communicate and build relationships with key industry, agribusiness and government contacts that can assist them to develop their businesses.
- To create a supportive network environment where young farmers can act autonomously; share challenges and successes; inspire one another to grow and develop their businesses; and boost morale through challenging periods.
- To improve the sustainability of the Northern Dairy Industry and the communities this industry supports through developing future leaders to fulfil key roles in the dairy industry and community; building the critical mass of dairy farmers the industry requires to continue functioning effectively; raising the profile of the dairy industry to other industries, all levels of government, communities and consumers; and sharing available resources across the whole Northern Dairy Industry Region.