As a Scottish national working with an Irish family, Gregor Mews has come to learn a lot about the Australian dairy industry.
Apart from his on-the-job experience, Mr Mews was sponsored by the DemoDAIRY Foundation to participate on the Don Campbell Young Dairy Network Gippsland study tour to Tasmania.
Sam Loveday was also funded by the DemoDAIRY Foundation to take part in the tour, which included attending the Australian Dairy Conference and visits to various dairy farms.
Mr Mews said the tour had helped him to build on his knowledge and understanding of the business of dairying and enabled him to contribute more to the dairy industry in the region.
He is employed by Harper and Oonagh Kilpatrick on their Nine Mile Creek farm at Koroit, working on a 482 Visa and hopes to become a permanent resident.
Mr Mews, who hails from Fort William on the west coast of Scotland, decided in November 2019 to pursue an Australian adventure.
Trained as a chef, it was relatively easy to secure a position in the hospitality industry in Melbourne but when COVID lockdowns occurred, Mr Mews moved to rural work under the terms of his working holiday visa, reawakening his passion for dairy farming.
“I don’t think I’d go back to being a chef,” he said. “I get far too much enjoyment out of dairy farming. It’s rewarding to look after and maintain your livestock in optimum health and to know you’re part of a team producing a product that is so nutritious in its original state and has health benefits that can help athletes achieve outstanding results and feed people from cradle to grave.”
He does have dairying in his blood. “My father’s family were in dairying. He tells me it was a sad day for him and the family when the hard decision was taken to sell. As a teenager in Scotland, I gravitated to working with schoolfriends on their dairy farms during school holidays.
Since joining the Kilpatrick team, Mr Mews has been encouraged to learn and develop his passion. He has undertaken several courses, including Cups on Cups Off, Pastures for Profits, AI (Breeding Betsy), Nutrition Fundamentals, Chemical Users Course and Chainsaw Course.
“I’m very keen to expand and build on my knowledge and to develop and improve my skillsets,” he said.
Mr Mews said the tour helped him to understand more about the real issues facing the dairy industry.
“We got to hear many different aspects of the dairy industry, including about farmers’ mental health and legal matters,” he said. “There’s a lot to it; it’s not just milking cows.”
Mr Mews said the tour would lead to ongoing benefits and relationships. “We’re all keeping in touch,” he said. “There are definitely networking benefits and we can learn from one another.”
“I thank the DemoDAIRY Foundation for giving me this opportunity.”
Mr Mews will be working for new owners after the Kilpatrick family sold one their farms. “I will be moving on to the new owners but I cannot thank Oonagh and Harper enough for the experience and what they have taught me,” he said.
Having decided to make south-west Victoria his home, Mr Mews, 24, aims to progress to dairy farm management and then possibly dairy farm ownership.