Dairy Australia has created meaningful and long-lasting partnerships in key export markets through a technical training course, known as the Dairy Australia Scholarship Program.
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The program is core to taking a long-term, strategic approach to strengthening Australian dairy's customer base in globally.
Dairy Australia's Scholarship Program is celebrating its 25th year in China and Japan this year, which is a unique achievement across Australian agriculture.
For 25 years, it has created an extensive network of dairy professionals and strong partnerships, and these relationships support valuable trade opportunities for the industry.
Each year, targeted groups of dairy professionals, mostly mid-level managers, visit Australia from China, Japan and south-east Asia as part of the program.
Activities include classroom-style lectures, practical workshops and visits to farm and processing facilities.
Delegates learn about Australian dairy-farming practices and, importantly, meet our dairy farmers and processors to better understand how we produce quality product.
The value of the program is well recognised by the Victorian state government, which has regularly supported it with funding over the years and was instrumental in getting the SE Asian Scholarship off the ground.
While designed as a technical training program, there are no grants or support paid for delegates' education.
The success has relied on our trade partners' recognising the value of the program to continue to send participants across.
This program wouldn't be able to take place if it wasn't for the support of Australian dairy farmers.
Farmers host scholarship delegates
Geoff Akers is one of the farmers who hosts scholarship delegations when they come to visit his dairy farm, located at Tallygaroopna in northern Victoria.
A former chair of Dairy Australia, Mr Akers has been involved in the program for about 10 years and seen positive results.
"When I was Dairy Australia chair, the real benefit came when you went overseas and you saw people that had been part of the program were in senior management positions in their home countries," Mr Akers said.
"Once they had finished the program, they'd worked up from middle management and were in charge - and they gave us a great opportunity when we were trying to export our product to their country and get those companies to take Australian product.
"They had that personable relationship with our industry. We saw it time and time and again and it really gave great value."
Another northern Victorian dairy farmer Rick Cross also witnessed the benefits of being involved in the program.
"It's great to have international visitors come in," Mr Cross said.
"We need to get their input into our markets. We need to get the inputs into what they want. And as you all know, we're passionate about dairy.
"The world needs our food and our product, and we can provide that. We need to form relationships with people from other countries to open markets, diversify into new products and innovate into what they want."
At the end of the Dairy Australia Scholarship, delegates are welcomed into the alumni network.
There are currently more than 900 alumni who are now influential dairy industry representatives in their respective markets.
DA continues to offer alumni tailored information and learning opportunities, as well as social and networking opportunities each year. This keeps the relationships with Australia's dairy industry and international partners strong.
To find out more about how Dairy Australia supports international trade, visit dairyaustralia.com.au/international-dairy-markets.
