“Some 22 per cent of dairy farmers were also unable to fill vacant positions within three months, with 40 per cent losing at least one or more workers,” Dairy Australia’s Verity Ingham said.
To help tackle the problem, Dairy Australia is launching a new national marketing campaign to promote the benefits of working in dairy farming and encouraging Australians to explore a job in dairy.
Featuring dairy ambassador Aussie rules legend Jonathan Brown and seven dairy farmers, the campaign showcases why working in dairy matters, highlighting factors that have shown to motivate people to consider a job in dairy.
These factors include working with animals, working outdoors, career progression, job variety and training, job security and the contribution Australian dairy makes to the community through production of a highly nutritious food.
Farmers will be encouraged to take advantage of an increased interest in jobs on dairy farms, and tap into information on attracting and retaining new workers.
Ms Ingham said the aim of the campaign was to bring people into the industry — and keep them.
“Competition for jobseekers in regional areas is fierce, so finding good, reliable people is a priority for dairy farmers. Keeping them is just as important,” she said.
Dedicated Dairy Australia staff in dairy regions will also provide employment support and will help connect farmers seeking workers with jobseeker networks.
Dairy farmers can contact their Dairy Australia regional team or visit https://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/people for more information.
