Case Studies

Since 2000, Gardiner Foundation has invested in a wide range of initiatives to help build a vibrant and resilient dairy future for Victoria.

As the industry has evolved, so too have the areas where support is most needed. This page showcases examples of past projects funded across our focus area: Research & Innovation, Community Development, People in Dairy and Industry Support.

The milk price drop in April 2016 challenged the dairy community at all levels.

The industry needed to respond. As an independent and flexible supporter of the dairy industry, Gardiner Foundation were able to move quickly to be the first organisation to answer the call, by contributing $1.4m to the state-wide, collaborative industry response package that ultimately reached $11.4m.

Gardiner’s funding is making important programs including Taking Stock and Feeding Pasture for Profit accessible to all Victorian dairy farmers, helping facilitate the roll-out of Dairy Australia’s Tactics for Tight Times.

Of our total $1.4m contribution, $900k was used to help support Taking Stock. This allowed Victorian dairy farmers to have a one-on-one consultation to work through a financial budget, as well as a feed budget, free of charge. This was critical information for making a plan to get through the season.

Gardiner Foundation also contributed $280k to Feeding Pastures For Profit (FPFP). FPFP has been estimated to benefit farmers who participate by $43k per annum. Gardiner funding supported Victorian dairy farmers to participate, free of charge, in a one-day course and enabled an update of the course material.

The Australian Dairy Leadership Alumni (ADLA) was established by Gardiner Foundation in 2014 to bring together the graduates of five executive leadership programs

It aimed to continue building their leadership capability and harness their intellectual capacity, energy and drive to improve the performance of the Australian dairy industry. Alumni are graduates of the Australian Rural Leadership Program, Nuffield Scholarship, Institute of Business Owners, Australian Owner Manager Program TM, Rabobank Executive Leadership Program and Horizon 2020 program.

This People Development initiative formed part of Gardiner Foundation’s commitment to invest in emerging leaders and industry practices. ADLA enabled the dairy industry to build on its investment in these graduates by providing a platform for higher order thinking that will benefit their local community and the industry.

Strategic importance to the industry

The dairy industry has consistently invested in developing its future leaders. Approximately 80-90 people from the industry have been involved in leadership programs over the past 20 years. The knowledge and experience that recipients have gained through their learning and in the period since graduation is significant. Many alumni hold leadership positions within industry, agriculture, politics or the community, while others are on a clear path to take on these roles.

Our involvement

Gardiner partnered with Dairy Australia and the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources to form the ADLA which ran an annual summit to bring alumni members together up until 2018.

The summit provided participants with a unique opportunity to meet as a group, be inspired, build networks and strengthen their entrepreneurial and leadership spirits. It incorporated a series of events, forums and activities and provided an opportunity for the next generation of leaders to connect with the trailblazers from both inside and outside of the agricultural industry.

Attracting and retaining skilled people to the diary sector is crucial to maintaining the development of dairy manufacturer’s engineering and other capabilities.

This skill gap has been identified as an impediment to the future productivity and competitiveness of the industry.

Gardiner Foundation has taken a proactive approach to overcome this challenge by investing in the Monash University Team Initiative (MITI). This program forms part of Gardiner’s commitment to strengthen dairy communities, through our People Development portfolio.

The initiative places small multi-disciplinary teams of students with a dairy manufacturer to solve a specific company challenge over a 12 week period, during the university summer break.

MITI offers a unique opportunity for participating industry manufacturers to put forward a specific challenge in commercial confidence. Monash University and the manufacturer decide on a multi-disciplinary team of students at differing stages in their studies, who are embedded into the company and try to find a solution to this real world challenge.

Since it began in 2014, over 266 students have been exposed to the dairy industry through 81 projects with leading companies like the Bega Group, Lactalis Australia, Saputo Dairy Australia and Fonterra. These students have gained invaluable exposure to relevant learning opportunities that relate specifically to their studies while at the same time, acquiring hands-on practical experience.