Scholarship refreshes farm thinking for Gillian
GILLIAN Hayman will investigate opportunities for efficiencies on the farm she manages with her husband at Hoddle after receiving a scholarship from the Gardiner Dairy Foundation.
Ms Hayman was one of two dairy farmers in Gippsland to receive a scholarship under the Farm Business Management Program, managed and funded by the foundation in partnership with Victorian Regional Development Programs.
The program aims to develop the business management and leadership skills of Victorian dairy farmers. The other recipient was Alex McArthur of Maffra.
The Rabobank Executive Development Program scholarship took Ms Hayman to Sydney for a week recently, where she met with 35 other agricultural business managers from around Australia and New Zealand to discuss strategic business planning, business management and marketing.
Scholars are required to develop their own project and Ms Hayman will consider efficiencies within her business, which she runs with husband Graeme Nicoll near Fish Creek.
“It’s really valuable to have a closer look at the business after having our heads down for 15 years,” she said.
Ms Hayman said there was more to running a farm than some people thought. Her operation alone uses the services of many local contractors and while running a 300 cow milking herd, they do so with the health of the environment, employees and the herd at the forefront of their operation.
Foundation chief executive Mary Harney said the scholarships provide recipients with valuable development opportunities that would benefit the Victorian dairy industry.
“It is essential for farmers to be equipped with the skills required to manage their own businesses and take control of their future,” she said.
Each scholar will also join the Australian Dairy Leadership Alumni, which will provide extensive opportunities for further collaboration and personal development.
Always improving: Hoddle dairy farmer Gillian Hayman received a scholarship from the Gardiner Dairy Foundation.
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Posted by Sarah Vella on Aug 30 2017. Filed under Rural News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
