Mike Weise: review has exceeded expectations.
BETTER commercial branding, research facilities and water access have been listed as key priorities by south-west dairy industry figures following a conference held on the weekend.
About 80 dairy farmers, service industry, processor and government representatives took part in the review spearheaded by WestVic Dairy.
Twenty-one priorities identified at the workshop at Glenormiston College will now be considered and ratified for action by the Driving Down the Track management committee.
The proposed development of a south-west interactive dairy centre and milk harvesting facility at Terang’s DemoDairy were also supported at the forum.
Project organiser Karen Wales said the priorities were part of a vision for the future of the region’s dairy industry.
She said a regional reference group for animal welfare, reproductive management plans for farms and increasing participation in herd testing were identified as options for boosting production.
“There are obviously benefits in having a plan which can feed the dairy industry’s priorities into local and state government and position dairying at the centre of the region’s economy,” Ms Wales said.
WestVic Dairy executive officer Mike Weise said the review process had exceeded expectations in bringing together regional players and highlighting measures that would drive industry expansion.