In this new era of farming in Australia, and indeed right across the globe, the tireless work of women in agriculture is celebrated more than ever before.
And what better time than on International Women's Day to highlight the accomplishments of women in dairy.
Two leading female dairy farmers and a veterinarian offer their insights on this increasingly diversified industry, what they have to say to young women and girls considering a career in farming and debunk common misconceptions around animal welfare and sustainability.
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Lucy Collins, Victoria
Veterinarian and Nuffield Scholar Lucy Collins works on a dairy farm with her husband Matt at Dixie, Victoria.
She grew up in South Gippsland on a hobby farm and fell in love with dairying at a young age.
"I had really good exposure to agriculture from quite a young age, but I wasn't fortunate enough to have my own family farm to return to," Lucy said.
"I was always particularly interested in the livestock side of farming, so I decided to pursue a career in veterinary science."
Where possible, Lucy focused on veterinary placements in dairy, eventually moving to Victoria's western districts where her husband's family farm is located.
"I guess I'm finally realising that dream of farming," she said.
"I'm very lucky that their family dynamic is such that his parents are super supportive of Matt in his management role now on the farm, and me coming in to have input where I can."
It's hard work and it's honest work, but I think the best thing young women can do if they're interested in farming is just surround themselves with good role models.
- Lucy Collins, Dixie, Victoria
The family is transitioning towards a mixed herd in an effort to maintain their farmland.
Lucy says the crossbred cows are "lighter on the paddock" which helps in their efforts to caretake the land and environment.
"I look at everything on the farm through a health and animal welfare lens," she said.
"Animal welfare is one of my personal interests, and I'm hoping to have a positive impact on not only our farm but also the wider industry."
Lucy is nearing the end of a master's degree at Melbourne University, where she is focusing her research on improving public perceptions of welfare in dairy.
Lucy and Matt are also constantly looking at improving their farm design and infrastructure to manage climate and calf health, which is a big part of their business's overall sustainability goals.
They have invested in extended feed pads to improve feeding efficiency and reduce cow competition for feed, which not only helps the environment but has a flow-on effect on animal health.
Currently, they are in the process of reviewing and upgrading their effluent management.
"Welfare in dairy is a topic lots of people are passionate about," she said.
"The focus for my Nuffield scholarship is again very welfare centric and will be looking at international models for welfare benchmarking and auditing programs.
"Welfare in farming is constantly evolving, it's a conversation where we as an industry need to own more of the space.
"We're not perfect but we're trying.
"We recognise that it is a process and we're continually striving to improve."
Lucy also believes farmers have the ability to steer public perceptions and challenge misconceptions that consumers may have by simply being transparent and proud of the industry.
"Australia has an amazing dairy industry and we're really fortunate that we do have quite a high level of public trust," she said.
"This is something that we not only need to preserve but interact with and take advantage of.
"We need to challenge those stereotypes and preconceived ideas and have those educated conversations."
For women entertaining a career in farming, Lucy says "go out there and do it".
And she says there are many women, particularly in the dairy industry, who are more than willing to offer their advice and support.
"That's something I've really found in south-west Victoria, it blows me away how much women will support other women in this industry - it's phenomenal," she said.
"The enthusiasm, engagement, empowerment and education that comes from women in this industry is incredible.
"It's hard work and it's honest work, but I think the best thing young women can do if they're interested in farming is just surround themselves with good role models."
Shaelyn Van Brecht, Tasmania
Fifth-generation farmer Shaelyn Van Brecht, works on her family's 500-cow farm in Ringarooma, Tasmania.
When she was 16-years-old, Shaelyn headed off the college, announcing to her parents that she would "never milk a cow again!"
And that was the case for two years.
It wasn't until she was 21 when she left university dissatisfied with her course, that her parents offered her a casual role on the family farm.
They gave her the option to leave after a year to pursue other endeavours - eight years later, she is still working alongside her parents.
"I'm very lucky to work with mum and dad," she said.
Shaelyn has a son Max, 2, and twin stepsons Dusty and Jody, 10.
She envisages one day passing on the farming legacy to her children, the twins are on the farm every weekend driving tractors, feeding the cows, and riding their motorbikes, while Max has been in the dairy since he was four months old.
"The boys love farming as much as we do," Shaelyn said.
"Family farming is a very special thing because it doesn't always work out this way.
"This has been the first summer the twins have been paid to do work around the farm.
"Mum and Dad did that with us, we were always paid to milk and there were jobs you did because you lived on a family farm, but that's how we all paid for our first car.
"We've been very lucky in that sense that Mum and Dad have rewarded us with either a new magazine or a movie, or they paid us for our work.
"And we're now doing the same with the twins and Max - passing on traditions and implementing financial incentives to work."
Yes, it's very hard some days and you have cracked, sore hands from milking cows, or picking up calves out of the mud, or whatever it may be, but I'm very lucky to be surrounded by such great support.
- Shaelyn Van Brecht, Tasmania
Shaelyn gets a great deal of satisfaction from educating people about farm practices and how they take care of their cows.
"I really do think that we're at a very good point in the dairy industry now where people are starting to realise the benefits of having milk in their diet every day," she said.
"There's now a lot of education about how we get milk to the supermarket.
"We are quite open to people visiting the farm and we want to educate people about what we do, and there are lots of other farms in Tasmania and Australia that operate in a similar way to us."
Shaelyn also had words of wisdom for women curious about pursuing a career in the dairy industry.
"Don't be shy, just ask for help, because if one farmer can't help you, they might ask someone who can," she said.
"We are all trying to look after each other within the farming community.
"Have a good support network behind you as well and this will help you go a long way - reach out to fellow members in the community or dairy industry."
Reflecting upon the significant female figures within her community, Shaelyn said she was surrounded by incredible farming women who have been role models to her.
"My mum is one of them, she's phenomenal and our local vet Colleen is another significant female for me, she knows cows and she's an amazing vet," she said.
"Yes, it's very hard some days and you have cracked, sore hands from milking cows, or picking up calves out of the mud, or whatever it may be, but I'm very lucky to be surrounded by such great support."
Amy Cosby, Gippsland, Victoria
In 2018, Amy Cosby, together with her husband, purchased their first farm in Leongatha South, Victoria.
They have two young sons, Oscar,2, and a four-month-old, and before their arrival, Amy milked every morning.
"The boys love the farm, especially Oscar, so I still milk with them when I can," Amy said.
"Oscar is very happy to sit there and watch while we're doing anything with the cattle."
Amy has now taken on the important role of feeding calves, in addition to her off-farm job as a research lead at a university, where she aims to attract young people into the industry and upskill farmers on digital technology.
"We're lucky in that I work from home, so whenever there's something that needs to be done, I can help," she said.
"We are a pretty good team, my husband works full time in his job, but we work on lots of things together, so it's a really nice dynamic.
"I'm lucky in that my professional life is really closely linked to what I do at home as well."
Amy's work focuses on the variety of important on-farm roles.
"Whilst having on-farm experience and being involved in the industry from that perspective is really good, you don't have to be a dairy farmer to work in dairy," she said.
"You could be a researcher, you could work for any of the major processing companies, even if you're an accountant in a regional area or an area with lots of dairies, there are lots of amazing opportunities out there.
"Being a farmer is a great career, but it's not the only career available in dairy."
Like Lucy and Shaelyn, Amy likes encouraging women into dairying.
"I think that it's really important to encourage women in farming because women bring different perspectives and different strengths and skills," she said.
"There are lots of great women in the industry to learn from, but I've found the blokes are really good to learn from as well.
"You can be respected in dairy, by men as well as women."
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