Woolworths gives 24 dairy farmers innovation fund grants

Young dairy farmer Jason Riley, of Dumbalk, will use his funds for a building project that aims to improve herd health and cow comfort.

Dumbalk dairy farmers Jason Riley and Meagan Faltum with their milking herd. Jason has received one of 24 grants awarded through the first round of Woolworths' Dairy Innovation Fund.

MORE than $2m in grants have been awarded to 24 dairy farmers across the nation, in the first-round allocations of Woolworths’ Dairy Innovation Fund.

First-generation farmer Jason Riley, who milks 230 cows at Dumbalk, is one of the recipients. He will use a $80,000 grant to build a new milking shed, complete with in-line milk metering, solar power and individual cow stalls.

The 23-year-old said his aim was to replace the farm’s 50-year-old existing shed with one better equipped to increase overall herd health and cow comfort, while improving efficiency and milk quality.

The Woolworths grant helped him get the $500,000 building project started.

“It is a huge help … It has probably moved the project a least 12 months forward,” said Jason, who supplies Saputo.

“I think it is fantastic that they are trying to push farmers to get into more technology. There is so much out there, we may as well be taking advantage of it. It makes life easier.”

Jason bought his first milking herd at the age of 18, entering the industry at a time of upheaval just after the 2016 clawback.

He farms with his partner, Meagan Faltum, on a total of 163ha, with 101ha leased from a retired dairy farmer, who had been a mentor to Jason since he was a teen, and 62ha that the couple bought this May. His parents, Julie and Stephen, also work on farm.

Programs, such as the Dairy Innovation Fund, were a great way to encourage farmers to increase efficiency and productivity, Jason said.

The inaugural round of the fund received nearly 500 applications, and has awarded grants up to $100,000 each to farmers for future-focused projects, including solar-powered desalination and milk sensor technology.

“The applications show Australian dairy farmers have their eyes firmly fixed on the sustainable future of the industry and are keen to invest in new technology and infrastructure to build thriving farms for generations to come,” said Woolworths director of buying Paul Harker.

The second round of the fund will open later this year, with plans to invest $5m in about 60 businesses over the next three years.

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