SOUTH East dairyfarming couple Angela and Ben Tweddle were recognised for their service to the industry at the recent South Australian Dairy Industry Association of Australia awards.
Named the inaugural Young Farmer award winners, judges said the couple “reflect that passion for doing dairy right, stand as beacons to others in the dairy industry and reflect the reality that there is a future in dairy farming in our great state”.
Reflecting on the win, Ms Tweddle said the accolade was unexpected.
“It was not something we had entered so we were a bit shocked when we got a call asking us to go to the awards night,” she said.
“Obviously it is the first time this award has been handed out and we knew nothing about it, but we were really excited to have won.
“We do not think we are doing anything better than anyone else or doing much differently, but it is definitely nice to be recognised.”
Both coming from dairyfarming families, the couple has overseen their own operation for 13 years.
During their time together, the Tweddles have leased different farms around the region before leasing and eventually purchasing Angela’s parent’s property around three years ago.
They said dairyfarming was a rewarding career path, despite the challenges of starting their own operation.
“It is such a different lifestyle to your average career,” Angela said.
“You are your own boss, you set your own hours and have a lot of freedom.
“Obviously it is hard work but I think it is so rewarding.
“I get to do things during the day with my kids and live and work on a beautiful property surrounded by cows.
“I could not ask for much more – I love it.”
In recent years the dairy industry has experienced a downturn due to low milk prices and difficult conditions.
Although the sector has been tough, Angela said there had been a change of pace over the past 12 months.
SADA recently introduced its dairy plan for the state and Dairy Australia has followed suit.
“I think it is really important to have things like the dairy plan put in place,” Angela said.
“There has been a bit of a negative light shined on dairying over the years, but having a more transparent industry has gone a long way towards rectifying that.
“I am hopeful these kind of plans can bring to light all the great things about dairying and educate the public more about what actually goes into their dairy products and why farmers deserve a higher price point for the work they do.”
Looking to the future, the Tweddles have no plans to change their operation and will continue to advocate for the industry wherever possible.
“For right now we do not have any big plans, just the usual things we do every year,” Angela said.
“I will be off to the show with our kids, Shae and Connor, this week with a few of our heifers which will be exciting.
“It is something we do as much as possible and the kids love getting involved.
“We are just focused on helping build a solid, well-represented industry for generations to come.”
