Challenge inspires next gen to advance

Ebony King, Hope Forrest, and Steph Walker, Mosquito Hill, were announced as the inaugural winners at the DairySA Innovation Day dinner on Thursday.

Ms King said the challenge was a good way to showcase some of the young people working in dairy.

“You hear a lot of farmers say there is no one coming up, so this was a good chance to promote us and what we’re already doing in the industry,” she said.

She entered the challenge to learn about pathways into the herd improvement industry – an interest of hers.

“What got me into the dairy industry was seeing my uncle show cows and the breeding,” she said.

Through the challenge she has networked, met more people working in the sector and has some work experience lined up.

She said even the chance to attend the state’s two major dairy conferences was enlightening.

“I went to the conference in Hahndorf (in March) and maybe knew five people, by the Innovation Day, I knew 30,” she said.

Ms Walker has just established a calf-rearing business with her partner and used the challenge to gain more confidence in public speaking and networking.

“I am much more confident and I’ve made some new friends,” she said.