Community
31 July, 2025
WestVic chair prepares for retirement
AFTER nearly ten years of dedicated service to the south west dairy industry, regional manager for Dairy Australia and executive officer to the WestVic Dairy board Lindsay Ferguson will retire at the end of July.
Mr Ferguson joined the team in early 2016, after many years managing teams in agricultural education and training at college and universities, in state and regional development and in food sector investment and trade.
Along with board experience, the role was a perfect fit, combining all his areas of expertise.
“Over my time in the agricultural industry I’d seen WestVic Dairy commence and develop as I worked alongside it,” Mr Ferguson said.
“In short, having respect for its vision, I thought I could help make a difference in the industry in the south west through extension.”
Throughout his time at WestVic Dairy, Mr Ferguson supported the dairy industry and dairy farmers through numerous challenges.
“We had the price downturn and clawback in 2016, bushfires and dry seasons in 2018, Covid in 2020 and for the last two years, the worst drought on record,” he said.
“Overcoming all these challenges required great flexibility in our service delivery plans.
“We needed to keep well informed on the situation and collaborate with the rest of the industry.
“Getting through these things as well as we did was only through the guidance of the board, the support of Dairy Australia and the hard work and dedication of our team.”
Mr Ferguson said there were also lots of memorable moments.
“There have been some quite dramatic moments during different crises over the years,” he said.
“But that aside, random things happen, such as fielding a phone call from Peter Russell Clarke who had another idea for dairy industry promotion or when two federal government ministers dropped in on our annual general meeting and it wasn't even an election year.
“Our Dairy Awards is a standout event that encapsulates what we do – in recognising best practise and rewarding it while having some entertainment, a meal and some great networking with the farming community.”
Mr Ferguson said he considered putting together and leading a strong team of highly competent professionals which delivered extension services to the south west one of his greatest accomplishments.
“In 2016, Dairy Australia chose to invest in more extension staff in the regions,” he said.
“With an exceptionally good team, who all have the best interests of the farming community as their goal, I believe that we have been able to really accomplish good things in this region.
“Since then, our team has matured and grown in numbers – doing great work in all areas.
“It’s a pleasure to work with motivated people who are keen to make a difference.”
He said he was proud of the tangible impact of the organisation on dairy farms.
“It’s a privilege being close to the farmers we deal with and seeing how they adapt their businesses to changing circumstances,” Mr Ferguson said.
“It’s rewarding to see them learn about and implement practices that we have shared with them.”
Mr Ferguson said what he will miss most is the people.
“I’ll miss being part of a great team – not just the staff and board at WestVic Dairy but also the wider Dairy Australia team and the even wider team we have of people and organisations that service the regional industry.
“I will miss seeing individuals in these teams play their part as we progress an idea through to a concrete program or event, promote and run it, then see the learnings and benefits flow through to those attending.
“I enjoy that it is a dynamic industry so lots of things change.
“People and organisations change, but there remains wonderful goodwill which results in good industry collaboration.”
Looking ahead, Mr Ferguson said he was excited for retirement.
“I want to go droving – not just to have more adventures with our horses, riding the National Trail, but I use this as a metaphor for slowing down a bit to a regular and more steady pace of life,” he said.
“Hobbies of music and writing, travel and some volunteering – maybe I’ll be just as busy as now.”
Most of all, he said he was looking forward to more time with loved ones.
“I’m most looking forward to spending more time with my long-suffering wife and kids – sharing passions and skills with our nine grandchildren and catching up more with friends,” Mr Ferguson said.
Dairy Australia regional service manager Juanita Paul will lead WestVic Dairy in the interim until a new manager is recruited.
With over 20 years of consulting and project delivery experience across fast moving consumer goods, utilities, banking and finance, and health, Mrs Paul specialises in people and technology delivery and change management.
Her deep-rooted connection to agriculture stems from 14 years as a beef farmer in the Murray Region and being part of a fourth-generation dairy farming family from the Waikato in New Zealand.
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