General News
20 April, 2023
Scholarship inspires passion
A LIFELONG passion for the agricultural industry, inspired by a former Nuffield Scholar, has guided Dixie’s Lucy Collins down a similar path.
A LIFELONG passion for the agricultural industry, inspired by a former Nuffield Scholar, has guided Dixie’s Lucy Collins down a similar path.
When she was just five years old, the late Max Jelbart OAM, a Nuffield Farming Scholar and member of the Nuffield Australia Investment Committee, gave Ms Collins her first calf.
All these years later, Lucy is now a Nuffield Scholar herself.
“I’m really proud to be part of something that Max was a part of. He gave me my first dairy calf that I named Barbie after his brilliant wife Barbe,” she said.
“The way he and Barbe gave back to the dairy community was humbling.
“I’ve always known what Nuffield was because of him, and thought it must be something pretty special if he’s a part of it.”
Lucy grew up in South Gippsland where her parents own an agricultural contracting business. She now lives in Dixie, working alongside her husband Matthew on the family’s 750-head dairy farm.
She is also putting the finishing touches on a Masters in Veterinary Science (Dairy) at Melbourne University, focusing on public perceptions and welfare enhancement in the Australian dairy industry.
“I had clients in northern Victoria that were supplying milk to a processor who required annual welfare audits,” Mrs Collins said.
“The welfare assessment program that was being used wasn’t fit for purpose in a pasture-based dairy system, and the farmers were discouraged.
“Once I looked into it, I realised that these assurance programs are very common overseas. It made me want to investigate better options for Australia, which then led me to my Master’s degree and Nuffield.”
The Nuffield scholarship provides an opportunity for a farmer to investigate an agricultural topic of their choice and to innovate on their own farms.
Successful applicants spend a total of 14 weeks travelling the world over two years.
During her scholarship, which was funded by Gardiner Foundation, Mrs Collins spent time in the United Kingdom, the European Union, the United States, Canada and Singapore.
“Travelling with Nuffield was a really fascinating and eye-opening experience,” she said.
“Singapore formed part of my group’s global focus program. It was amazing to experience a country that manages its food security so differently.”
The experiences during her travels not only opened her eyes to all the possibilities of the dairy industry, but also on how other countries handle the same challenges as Australia.
“We saw everything from micro to mega dairies, from 12 to 40,000 cows,” Mrs Collins said.
“But no matter the size of the business, there were a lot of similarities across countries. Labour shortages, public perception, climate volatility, input costs and access to water were challenges almost everywhere, for example.”
One of the things which resonated the most was farmers operating businesses that reflected their beliefs seemed to be the most fulfilled, successful, and sustainable in every country.
“The core values differed from farm to farm, but wherever we went, those were the farmers that stood out,” Ms Collins said.
“They were also conscious of the expectations the community had of them, like being a good employer and treating their animals right.”
An aspect of the experience which Mrs Collins found rewarding was receiving a warm welcome wherever she went.
“It didn’t matter where we went, they happily gave up their thoughts, time, beds and food,” she said.
Creating relationships and building important connections was an invaluable aspect of Nuffield to her.
“The network you end up with and lifelong friendships are amazing. I’m now connected to so many farmers around the world, it’s amazing,” Mrs Collins said.
Once Mrs Collins started the program, her expectations and goals changed with her experiences during her travels.
“Because of the nature of the program, you become a part of a global community and have a lot of opportunities for leadership and advocacy,” she said.
“I now have a stronger drive to have a crack at some of those opportunities closer to home.
“I feel a certain responsibility to help represent and give back to the dairy industry which has invested in me.”
Mrs Collins has recently begun work as animal health and welfare manager for Fonterra, a role which directly stemmed from her participation in Nuffield.
She has since encouraged anyone interested in Nuffield to apply.
“There’s no perfect time to do it. If you’re thinking about the scholarship but you’re coming up with reasons why it’s maybe not the right time, I’d challenge you to really stretch yourself and go for it.
You won’t regret it,” Mrs Collins said.
“I’m exceptionally grateful to Gardiner who supported and invested in me.
“I have come away from the experience realising how important it is to invest in developing people and leaders in our dairy communities.”
Applications are currently open. For more information and to apply visit www.gardinerfoundation.com.au/nuffield.