A DAIRY industry drive to recruit the next generation has paid off.
Dairy Australia's industry, people and capability group manager Shane Hellwege said there had been a trend of more young people entering the industry, particularly evident in Young Dairy Networks found in dairy regions across the country.
"The network has probably doubled in size in the past 18 months," Mr Hellwege said.
He said Dairy Australia had placed an emphasis on attracting youth to the industry through several programs, given many older farmers were looking to step back from the trade.
Mr Hellwege said the programs were creating a sense of excitement among youngsters.
"Previously they thought dairies were a $4-5 million investment to buy and they were never going to get that," he said.
"Now they have mechanisms where they can see a chance."
He said initiatives such as Stepping Stones, which shared case studies of people at different stages within the industry, were generating interest.
"We showcase a lot of local people in the industry, what their story is and how they got there," Mr Hellwege said.
"It gives people an idea of what they can do."
Another program being rolled out is the Dairy Industry Code of Practice for sharefarming.
"It takes people through different tools to understand whether sharefarming is right for them," Mr Hellwege said.
Another initiative, still in draft form, will look at tools for farm leasing, joint ventures and shared equity.
Mr Hellwege said there were pathways other than farm ownership to contribute to the dairy industry.
With an increasing number of larger farms, even corporate farms, there were positions for highly skilled managers.
He said this meant an emphasis on training.
Mr Hellwege said SA, through the partnership between tafeSA and the National Dairy Education Centre, was one of the nation's leaders in training.