feed.FIBRE.future
In this project Harris Park Group was asked to quickly devise, develop, implement, report and evaluate in an area of immediate concern to the dairy industry. To achieve this, we worked in conjunction with two main stakeholders - Dairy Australia and the federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
feed.FIBRE.future was an urgent response to a nation-wide shortage of fodder, particularly fibre sources. It was an unprecedented situation where the needs of the national dairy and beef herds could not be met from reserves anywhere in Australia, and there was no opportunity to import hay. Harris Park Group was well positioned to draw on its expertise and track record to respond immediately and effectively to this urgent need. The key elements of the feed.FIBRE.future campaign were to develop and disseminate technical and planning messages about nutrition, animal health and the relative profitability of feeding options (many of which involved unconventional approaches) during the fibre shortage. feed.FIBRE.future made a potentially dire situation manageable by clarifying the situation and available options for those involved.	Fact file: feed.FIBRE.future Is an initiative of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and Dairy Australia.   Program objective: To provide dairy farmers and beef producers with information and advice on dealing with the food fibre shortage that dominated the feeding decisions of their businesses during the winter of 2007. Started: May 2007 Status: Completed October 2007 (Resources continue to be used through the Grains2Milk project) Highlight: $13m in economic benefits to farmers and industry from a $1m investment Website: www.dairyaustralia.com.au Program Leader: Steve Little
Our challenges This project posed several challenges: Extremely short timeframe to collate/create materials and to bring different organisations and people on-board. Widespread uncertainty about the technical messages related to some of the alternative feeds Generally tired and discouraged state of farmers, producers and service providers alike from the drought of the previous five years. Differences in the infrastructures available to deliver information to dairy farmers and beef producers   . Our approach Messages were delivered through print and broadcast media, direct mail, service providers’ interactions with clients and at workshops, field days and 1-on-1 consultations for farmers. Service provider briefings held in regions kept farm advisers and other service providers informed about the messages and local activities. They were encouraged to ‘refer’ clients to appropriate feed.FIBRE.future activities. This was made easy by supplying service providers with referral post cards, flyers and newsletter articles. All farmers attending workshops received a technical pack of Fact Sheets. This pack was also mailed to all dairy farmers. Producers and farmers had the opportunity to attend 46 workshops and field days run locally; and to discuss their specific farm situation during a free, 1-on-1 consultation with an experienced nutrition and business management specialist. More than 700 farmers and producers participated in workshops, field days and consultations. Evaluation showed participants felt significantly more in control of management in this area after their involvement with feed.FIBRE.future.