Shifting Gears in Dairy: Training for Ag Extension Professionals

Shifting Gears in Dairy is a practical, peer-based workshop series designed for those who support dairy farmers with decision making, such as ag extension officers, agronomists, Landcare and NRM officers, consultants and educators.

Over five sessions, you’ll build confidence, sharpen your toolkit, and explore what it takes to guide regenerative practice change and build soil health in dairy farming communities. The sessions feature a diverse group of experienced agricultural extension professionals and specialists including David Hardwick, Les Robinson, Tanya Massy, Tony Evans, Emily House, Dom Walker and the Soils for Life team. You’ll explore proven strategies for adult learning and practice change, learn from your peers’ experiences, and walk away with a new or improved workshop or program designed by you, for your dairy farming community.

Session dates:

• Tuesday 9th June 10am-12pm

• Monday 15th June, 12-2pm

• Monday 22nd June, 12-2pm

• Monday 29th June, 12-2pm

• 5th session date TBC

Cost: 

$50 per person, includes all five sessions and access to a peer network of like-minded professionals. Participation is limited to 15 people who are currently working in ag extension or similar in Dairy communities.

What to expect

This is an opportunity to learn from your peers and from a diverse group of experienced trainers, and skill up in ag extension and capacity building, so you can support dairy farmers in your region to reach their goals, make decisions with confidence, and build healthier soils. Sessions are held online.

Session 1 - Extension 101 and soil health foundations with David Hardwick from Soil Land Food

Session 2, part 1 - How to deliver irresistibly engaging events and programs with Les Robinson from Enabling Change

Session 2, part 2 - Low hanging fruit for dairy farmers and systems thinking with Tony Evans 

Session 3, part 1 - Facilitating change through discussion and group learning with Courtney Young and Kim Deans from Soils for Life

Session 3, part 2 - Money matters in transition with Dom Walker from RCS

Session 4, part 1 - Coaching the best out of farmers and collecting warm data with Tanya Massy, farmer and Integrity Soils coach

Session 4, part 2 - Understanding the full spectrum of pasture health with Emily House from DietDecoder

Session 5- Show and tell- share your extension plans and receive feedback from your peers, facilitated by Soils for Life

Bios coming soon...

This project is jointly funded through Soils for Life and the Australian Government through funding from the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program under the Natural Heritage Trust.