Industry Insight

Working in the dairy sector for over 20 years, I have seen large changes in people arrangements on farms. Once reliant on family members, more farms are employing people.

Although the number of farms is declining, there is demand for new entrants and higher levels of farm management skill. This is occurring when the time available on farm to nurture skills is being squeezed and society's expectations of reasonable working hours, work-life balance and personal and career development have changed.

The success of today’s dairy farm business depends on how people are deployed, managed and developed, not just on how they are attracted and paid. A people approach in dairy farming means taking a hard look at all the people aspects of the farm business. 

Ruth Nettle
Senior Research Fellow
Univerisity of Melbourne