Lisa Dwyer, Dairy Farmer, Chair & Non Executive Director on building resilient businesses and communities

Lisa Dwyer is a dairy farmer and is actively involved in #governanceroles with a number of #agricultural and #communitybasedorganisations.

She started life in the #Victorianthoroughbredracingindustry before (her own words) 'being ambushed' into the #dairyindustry via a marriage proposal. She learned about dairy quickly and together they now run an 850 acre #dairyproperty in #southwestvictoria

In our discussion Lisa talks about;

• the call she got on her honeymoon from her mother-in-law that catapulted her and her husband into their own dairy business
• how with limited capital they got started
• their first #multiculturalherd
• surviving the #GlobalFinancialCrisis, #drought,  #disease
• taking on roles as;

1. #Nonexecutivedirector at the @AustralianlivestockexportCorporation
2. #nonexecutivedirector at @murraygoulburn
3. Chair of the @victoriastategovernment #RegionalPartnership for the #GreatSouthCoastregion

• her approach to and philosophy on managing it all;
  • no compromises
  • being willing to accept that responsibility and doing all that you possibly can to deliver on what you are responsible for
• the relationship with their animals from an agricultural perspective - and having this real sense of responsibility for their #animalwellbeing
• crucible moments, in particular with the implosion of @MurrayGoulburn (noting she joined the board after all that occurred) - and the responsibility to make the best of the ruins of what was a 60 year old farmer-owned company, and being able to deliver back to the farmers, the investment that they had made quite often over decades was probably one of the things that I am most proud of
• The unlimited opportunities in #agriculture - as the world's population continues to grow, and the desire for safe, #highquality #sustainablyproduced #food and #fiber, which is exactly what we do here in Australia
• the perennial challenges of #globaltrade which we're seeing playing out in the media now
• the challenges of climate change
• her frustration with the ongoing negative discussions about agriculture and the link to why (unsuprisingly) young people don't want to pursue agriculture as a career -
• the new era for #Australianagriculture 
• how #agtechtechnology and new capital streams will deliver a much more highly sophisticated ag sector that will attract the best and brightest talent
• the objectives of the state government regional partnership for the Great South Coast region (the greatest region in Victoria!!);
  • helping government understand what's required in the regions
  • ensuring that the people of the regions feel as though they're being heard
• #digitalconnectivity
• getting a more equitable voice for #rural and #regionalVictorians, and particularly for the #disadvantaged, and also for the #youth and #women.
• #digitalliteracy
• #digitalaffordability
• #satellite 
• #reliableconnectivity
• #digitalnow initiative
• movement into the region - from #Hamilton, #Portland, #Warrnambool #Camperdown #Kerang
• the significant natural tourism attractions e.g. #GreatOceanRoad, #12apostles #BudjBim (#indigenousagriculture) #GrampiansNationalPark and #visitoreconomy
• #preeminence from an agricultural perspective
• #renewableenergy (already produced more than 50% of the of the state's wind energy)
• why there shouldn't be any limitation on the ways in which you can get involved in your local community, and her advice to;
  • start with very modest, expectations
  • do your homework and you must go to every meeting prepared, and
  • listen to the views of others and make considered contributions
  • always look for the #silverlining because nothing will be achieved, out of a negative perspective

www.kerrcapital.com.au

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Reach out to Michael Kerr via the website if you need personal assistance or advice for your small business.

michael.kerr@kerrcapital.com.au

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