Category: Projects

Maleny Dairies

Maleny Dairies

Transition to a Sustainable Dairy Industry

Maleny Dairies – Pilot Project

A Sunshine Coast Regional Project based at Maleny Dairies. The project goal is to demonstrate how, the transitioning to regenerative agricultural practice, in an industry in decline could achieve outstanding productivity and product far exceeding current quality standards.

Starting With Conventional Pasture & Soil

An unbalanced conventional soil sample. Very low Phosphorus, Silicon, Boron, Manganese. High Nitrate N and excessive Hydrogen(acid pH)
30cm hard compacted layer

The Transition

A Sustainable Nutrient Source

Australian Dairy Farm: Milk protein trial results from cows grazed on Rural Boss treated pastures. Improved performance was identified in animal health, pasture quality and pasture dry matter production.

Milk protien increase with RuralBoss

Multi Species Pasture

Why a Multi Species Pasture?

Maleny block Planted 24 March 2020 Flail mulched to set kikuyu back 8 plant species with different varieties

1st Grazing 29 April 2020 : 3000kg feed 35 days from planting

Glomalin on roots
The biological aerator 45 days
60cm 60 day
Aeration, infiltration

Soil Life Is The New Fertilizer And Machinery

Infiltration on multi species block 2min58s. Next door 8min 33s for 25mm

Add water

The Results of this 120 day Project

What could this do for the local region and then further afield ?

The Sustainable Dairy Circle

The Sustainable Dairy Circle

AN INVITATION TO COLLABORATE
ON PROJECTS THAT CREATE A BETTER DAIRY FUTURE

Our project mission is to mobilise a collaborative team of farmers, processors, innovators and system thinkers to pioneer a sustainable dairy value-chain for the Sunshine Coast.

 

The last 20 years have presented the Australian dairy industry with new challenges making it difficult to farm profitably, attract and retain skilled people or introduce new innovations. The dairy industry is under pressure, however there can be a better way, with collaboration comes positive change. According to the Australian Dairy Plan’s Situation Analysis (May 2019), the following challenges were identified:

  • Farmers input costs have increased and profit margins have diminished, farming methodologies have become more complex, large investments are questioned and confidence in farm investing continues to fall. Additionally, Australia’s climate volatility adds to production uncertainty and strong import competition means domestic producers are competing.
  • Processors have invested heavily, however they’re now struggling to fill their  plants. Processors are transporting milk to fill regional shortfalls.Consumers are increasingly questioning the attributes of their food.
  • Consumers also have changing preferences with milk alternatives becoming more popular. Consumers increasingly care about people, communities and our planet.

The path to a better future will require concerted and sustained collective industry action.

This is why, an open and collaborative group is forming – The Sustainable Diary Circle of the Sunshine Coast.

This is why the initiators on the Sustainable Dairy Circle are openly inviting you to join a collaborative team to solve these challenges.

The Sustainable Dairy Circle is an open, inclusive collaboration of farmers, processors, innovators and systems thinkers who want to create a better future together for the Australian Dairy Industry, starting with the Sunshine Coast.

Our Goals

TRANSITION TO VALUE CHAIN

Transform a broken supply chain into a prosperous value chain by removing pain points such as red tape hurdles and  innovating for export markets.

IMPROVE NATURAL CAPITAL

By measuring and valuing our natural assets; soil, water and biology, we can optimise yield and quality sustainably.

CREATE A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Transition from a linear to circular system by designing out waste, keeping non-renewable materials in longer use and embracing regenerative farming practices.

ADOPT NEW DIGITAL TOOLS

Through improved data automation and transparency, reduce regulatory intervention, improve food safety and commercial, provenance assurance.

SHARE KNOWLEDGE

Promote data and knowledge sharing to avoid duplication of effort and to accelerate winning ideas. Share stories with consumers bridging the gap between city and regional living.

CONNECT WITH CONSUMERS

Create new and engaging ways to forge closer connections and build empathy between  consumers, farmers, processors and distributors across the value chain.

Our Approach

CREATE BETTER

The purpose of the Sustainable Dairy Circle collaboration is to fix a broken dairy supply chain. The Sustainable Innovation Co. will be guiding us through a 4-step innovation process that uses Design Thinking tools and a sustainability framework.

 

Observe: Put stakeholders at the centre of our observations:
producers, processors, distributors and consumers, so we can
deeply understand.
Define the Problem: We analyse our observations to succinctly
define and frame our stakeholders problems.
Ideate to Solve: We use creativity tools to generate as many
solution ideas as possible.
Test and Experiment: Finally, we test our ideas early and often
so we can adjust as we learn.

Our Sustainable Innovation Path

1 ~ Info Session

Please join a Livecast Session via ZOOM (details provided after registration) on Wednesday April 15th to learn and decide if you would like to be a collaborator.

2 ~ Discovery Workshop

Participate in a discovery exercise to identify the key problems across the dairy supply chain with a focus on the Sunshine Coast.

3 ~ Creating Ideas Workshop

Together, with industry peers develop solutions to create a dairy value chain from soil to consumer.

4 ~ Impact Workshop

Decide and align on 2 or 3 impactful and collaborative projects, define the scope of work for each, explore funding and research options.

5 ~ Action

Decide and align on 2 or 3 impactful and collaborative projects, define the scope of work for each, explore funding and research options. Prepare pitches for funding.

Due to COVID-19 these workshop may need to be held virtually, or outdoors for health and safety reasons.

Openly Inviting

Openly Inviting

All Farmers, Processors, Innovators, Policy Makers and
System Thinkers to collaborate.

 

Date: Wednesday, 15th April 2020
Time: 10am to 11:30am
Where: Livecast Session via ZOOM (details provided after registration)

 

To collaborate register your interest today.

Sustainable Dairy Circle Initiators

JACQUELINE WILSON-SMITH

Sustainable Innovation Co.

Design-Led Innovator | Collaborator | Global

Strategist Food Agility

Non-Executive Director Co-Founder of FAN

Immediate past Chair APCO Circularity Panel

QLD Manufacturing Ministerial Committee

2017 Rural Woman’s Award Recipient.

jws@sustainableinnovationco.com

www.sustainableinnovationco.com

0408 997 437

JOHN MOOR

GrowMoor Biological

Biological farmer | Mentor | Consultant

 

Dairy farm owner Rural

Family Succession planner and facilitator

Strategic change strategist and innovator

Bachelor degree in Agricultural production

Certificate courses in Nutrition Farming

 john@growmoorbiological.com.au

www.growmoorbiological.com.au

 0449 887 875

TERRY STOKES

Centre for Growing Sustainability

Founding Director of NFP

Centre for Growing Sustainability

CAO / Principal Training Coordinator GBI

Sustainable Futures Innovator

Certified Personal Development Coach

Certified Business Development Coach

 treasurer@centreforgrowingsustainability.org

www.centreforgrowingsustainability.org

 0449 887 875

DANNY HOOD

Global Boss International

Founder & CEO Global Boss International

Biological Farming Innovator

5th Generation Farmer

Sustainable Farming Educator

 danny@bossaust.com

www.globalbossinternational.com

0418 795 531