Dairy farmgate prices: Terang dairy farmer Wayne Johnstone says 2023 best year yet

Garvoc farmer Wayne Johnstone has seen ups and downs in the industry, and says this year is the best in his 38-year career.

Dairy farmer Wayne Johnstone on his farm at Garvoc. Picture: Nicole Cleary

Like Wayne Johnstone’s rotary milking platform, life as a dairy farmer has a habit of careering around like a carousel.

Five years ago, the St Patrick’s Day bushfires scorched 70 to 80 per cent of the Johnstone farm at Garvoc, near Terang in southwest Victoria.

Now spinning into a new season, Mr Johnstone considers 2023 one of his best years in dairy since he got into farming in the mid 1980s.

“The bad years in dairy farming can be really bad and the good years can be great,” he said.

“I’d say the past couple of years have been the best to be a dairy farmer since I started on my own in 1985. The prices are strong and the season is better than average.

“The worst would have to be the year of the St Patrick’s Day fires. We consider ourselves lucky because we managed to save the stock on the night. We didn’t lose too much infrastructure, mainly fences.”

Dairy farmer Wayne Johnstone. Picture: Nicole Cleary

Along with wife Bonnie, the Johnstones currently milk 800 cows in a 60 unit rotary dairy.

They began supplying Union Dairy Company four years ago.

Mr Johnstone said he signed up with UDC because his links to founder Colin McKenna dated back to his teenage years.

“I’ve known Colin for a long time - we worked at the saleyards selling cattle when I was 15, so we’ve known each other many years,” he said.

UDC director Dean McKenna said the Johnstone family were a great example of agriculture’s quiet achievers.

“Colin has known Wayne and Bonnie for a long time and holds them in very high regard,” he said. “They’ve achieved a lot with their operations, especially considering some major challenges for their farm in recent times.

“Colin’s words were they are top operators as they are always a step ahead.”