FROM being led along the path as a child by calves keen to get a feed, to leading Victoria’s dairy industry, Kerry Callow has seen dairy from inside and out.
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And despite a few bumps along the way, the Macarthur farmer remains committed to the industry.
Ms Callow, a former United Dairyfarmers of Victoria (UDV) president, is the latest inductee to the WestVic Dairy honour board.
Ms Callow was raised on her parents’ soldier settler farm near Macarthur. Her parents, Ted and Nance Nunn, were always involved in their community and the industry and Kerry naturally felt the need to follow in their inspirational footsteps.
“I think it’s just part of farming to understand what happens beyond your farm gate, and not just in your local area,” she said.
Ms Callow’s first brush with the industry was when her father co-opted her as the Macarthur Artificial Breeders Cooperative secretary.
She joined the UDV when she turned 18 – her father was chairman at that time - and 40 years later remains a dedicated member.
Kerry was elected UDV president in 2010 and held the position for more than two years. She cites as a highlight her work with former president Chris Griffin to bring the UDV back to financial viability and to focus the policy council on the “nuts and bolts issues”.
She was also involved with setting up DemoDAIRY, the Herd Test Association and WestVic Dairy’s ‘Down the Track’ project.
“I never sought out positions, they tended to evolve,” Ms Callow said.
While understanding farming was more pressured today, she said farmers would benefit more if they got more involved in the UDV and Dairy Australia programs.
“Dairy Australia runs some brilliant programs that offer great tools to young people coming into the industry, and Legendairy is a direct response to farmers asking Dairy Australia to do more to promote the industry,” she said.
Ms Callow remains a committed dairy farmer but admitted to being “pretty gutted” by the recent retrospective milk price cuts. But she plans to stick it out and said the long-term future of the industry remained positive.
