Glen is a former truck driver, who was seeking a “farm change” so he could spend more time with his young family.
However, to become a farmer in WA, most people either inherit the family farm, or need significant capital to be able to buy a farm.
Glen and a friend are jointly leasing the 162ha Capel farm from an elderly couple, who are still living in the traditional farmhouse on the property.
“I grew up in Boyanup and used to have a job feeding calves before school,” Glen said.
“This gave me a love of farming, and until we came to this leasing arrangement I didn’t think it would be possible to manage a working farm.”
Brownes Dairy said it was delighted to welcome a new entrant into the dairy industry, which is under threat from its ageing demographic of suppliers.
“If the next generation doesn’t want to take over the farm, it’s often sold or the dairy operation is wound down,” Brownes CEO Natalie Sarich-Dayton said.
“We are very pleased to see new business models and new approaches to succession keeping WA’s dairy industry thriving.”
Glen is now arriving at the Capel farm at 4.30am in the morning to milk the cows, and finishing at about 1.30pm. He is supplying 2500 litres of milk/day to Brownes.
“I’m loving the farm life, and my family is loving having me back closer to home,” he said.
“Being a truck driver is hard work, long hours and time away from the family.
“The ‘farm change’ has been the best decision I’ve ever made in my life.”
Brownes Dairy is Western Australia’s oldest dairy company, established in 1886.
Brownes Dairy operates out of its main site in Balcatta with a second site in Brunswick, collecting about 150 million litres of milk each year from more than 50 dairy farms located in WA’s South West.
The company has a diverse portfolio of dairy and other products including milk, cream, yoghurt, flavoured milk, juice and desserts, and has been innovating in dairy across product, packaging and sustainability.
It was named as one of the country’s most innovative companies as part of the Australian Financial Review’s 2020 BOSS annual awards, and was also the only dairy company to make the list.
More recently, Brownes Dairy was awarded Best Sustainability/CSR Initiative by the World Dairy Innovation Awards in 2022.
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