Former St. Kilda star to speak at dairy expo

IT’S back! The Strzelecki Lions Club’s South Gippsland Dairy and Farming Expo will be back at the Korumburra Recreation Reserve for the first time in three years on Wednesday, September 7 and Thursday, September 8.

And despite missing two physical events in 2020 (virtual expo) and 2021, the expo will celebrate more than 21 years of providing the local dairying community with an event showcasing the latest innovations, products, and services available to the dairy industry.

Organisers expect the usual spread of exhibitors and supporters, and will be offering visitors plenty of incentive to come back

There will be the chance to win $5000 in the Udder Truth show bag competition, which is sponsored by South East Organic Fertiliser.

The rules are simple — collect a show bag at the gate, answer 17 of the 20 questions and request your card to be stamped by the corresponding exhibitor.

The first card drawn with 17 correct answers, with the exhibitor stamps, will win $3000 (first prize). Second prize is $1500 and third prize is $500.

Participants must be farmers and over 18 years of age. The prize winners will be announced at 2.30pm on Thursday, September 8.

There will be 200 show bags available during the event's two days.

Participating companies include: GippsDairy, Farm Mapping Services, Jantec Systems, Notman Pasture Seeds, Boehringer Ingelheim, Nutrien Harcourts, Pioneer Seeds, Easy Dairy Automation Systems, Rural Financial Counselling Service Gippsland, Reid Stockfeeds, Victorian Hoofcare Services, Lely Center Gippsland, Need for Feed, MaxCare, Elders Insurance, HiTech, ProDairy, Ridley, Zoetis and Burra Foods.

Bigger and better than ever

One of the organisers of the event, Deanne Kennedy, said the response to the return of the expo had been very encouraging.

“We are looking forward to making our big return to Korumburra in September. The committee is looking forward to renewing its core objective to provide our local farming community with a one-stop shop for them to enable them to conduct their business and see the latest in services and technology,” said Deanne.

“We’re also excited to announce the involvement of Westpac as our major sponsor.”

Ms Kennedy said this year’s expo would provide broader appeal to the farming community of Gippsland.

“The committee has added the word ‘Farming’ to the South Gippsland Dairy Expo this year. This addition is to reassure other agricultural enterprises that we have plenty of exhibitors who not only service the dairy industry.”

There has already been a big response from exhibitors.

“The committee has received a fantastic response from sponsors and exhibitors; with the current allocation of sites almost complete, the committee will look at opening up additional locations.”

So, the expo is set to pick up from where the 2019 expo left off.

“Bring it on, as Graeme Lancey, an inaugural committee member says, bigger and better than ever.

“We’d expect that there will be upwards of 120 exhibitors.”

$600,000 raised so far

Funds raised from the dairy expo have helped the Strzelecki Lions Club distribute more than $600,000 back into the community and Lions projects.

Planning for the expo starts in January each year, and the committee meets monthly until the last week before the event to ensure all the plans are in place.

Organisers acknowledge the event's new major sponsor, Westpac, and celebrate the long-term platinum partnership with Reid Stockfeeds.

They also acknowledge the support of their gold sponsors: Easy Dairy Automation System, Ross Chapman Cartage & Earthmoving Contractors, ProDairy, Entegra, GippsDairy, Burra Foods, Rabobank, ProviCo Rural, Ridley, Farm Mapping Services, Evans Petroleum, Nutrien Harcourts, Saputo Dairy Australia, GEA Farm Technologies Australia and Metalform Ag.

Feature event

Matt Harms from OnFarm is also back again, hosting a session called ‘Are you seen as an employer of Formula One standard?’

Matt will be presenting on Wednesday, September 7 at 11am.

Many people know the formula for what makes a great employee; this is an opportunity to come along to learn the formula to make you an employer of choice.

Panel members include: Andrew Perry, dairy farmer, Kongwak; Jasmine Kneebone, farm employee, Denison; Lachlan Harms, farm manager, Leongatha; Tamara Loughridge, farm employee, Poowong North; and Matt Taylor, farm employee, Kongwak.

They will share their ideas on what makes a great employer and what they seek from a career in the dairy industry — Is your farm up to speed? Where do you sit on the starting grid, and how do you make you and your farm business stand out from the crowd?

South Gippsland Shire Council is the sponsor of this session.

What’s on?

· Keynote presentation: On Thursday, September 8 at 11am, Nathan Burke will speak — a former champion with St Kilda Football Club and current coach of the AFL Women's Western Bulldogs team. He will share his experiences about ‘Achieving your goals and relying on other people to deliver’. Reid Stockfeeds and the National Australia Bank are sponsoring this session.

· Airy Fairy Fun & Faces: Bring the kids along and share an opportunity to bring colour and fun to their faces.

· The Gumboot Gift: On Wednesday, September 7 at 1pm, the prestigious 120-metre gumboot footrace will take place. It is a must-see and do event, with male and female sections and a prize pool of $4000. The event is sponsored by: Countrywide Clothing, Jefferis Livestock Transport, Farm Depot Warragul, Korumburra Plumbers & Pumps, Walker Electrical, Lardner Cattle Scales, Levey Engineering, Ag-Crete Industries, Nacas Truck N'Ag, J.J's Waste & Recycling, Nutrien Ag Solutions – South Gippsland Livestock, Devin Hance – Agricultural Engineering, Carringtons Loch, Lectaire Auto Electrics & Air Conditioning, Fisher's Timber & Hardware, South Gippsland Hire, Manks Contracting and Furness Livestock.

South Gippsland Dairy & Farming Expo opening hours are 10am to 3.30pm daily, and the cost is $15 (free admission for under 16s). For more information, phone Deanne Kennedy on 0419 878 055 or email: dairyexpo@jaydee.net.au