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28/10/2024
Alistair and Caitlin Harris
Refusing to remain at the mercy of annual milk price changes, seasons, or input costs, Larpent dairy farmers Alistair and Caitlin Harris are building strength and resilience in their business, executing a highly considered vision bolstering their bottom line, and the environment.
An intergenerational legacy of innovation
Alistair is quick to acknowledge the robust legacy he’s fortunate to continue, with his grandparents, Phil and Muriel, and parents, Phillip and Kate, all keen adopters of technology and innovation.
“As dairy farmers, we’re vulnerable to the variability of prices which can change our gross margin significantly, and in our family, we’ve always tended to embrace new technologies to be profitable and sustainable,” Alistair said.
It’s now Alistair and Caitlin’s turn to leave their mark as they invest in additional infrastructure upgrades for further efficiency gains.
A new 64-stand rotary dairy was built in 2022, replacing a 33-year-old 40-bale facility, facilitating increased numbers, whilst simultaneously decreasing their labour component.
“At peak, the new dairy saves us four hours of milking a day, which reduces electricity use, and equally as importantly, improves staff attraction and retention.
Currently milking 800 Holsteins, with a projected milk production of seven million litres, or five hundred thousand kilograms of milk solids, the dairy employs six full-time staff, plus Alistair, Caitlin, and Phillip.
“Our focus on sustainability extends to our team, the health and wellbeing of our staff is important to us, and thanks to the new dairy we have a much more enjoyable workplace, we’ve improved staff morale and retention.”
This also affords Alistair additional precious family time – hours previously dedicated to training new staff can now be spent at home with Caitlin and their four young children, Windsor, seven, Jack, five, Digby, three, and Clover, eight months.
Improved water use efficiency has been another on-farm priority, achieved thanks to a recent effluent management and drainage program.
Alistair on farm
“We recycle our effluent wastewater so no water is wasted, it all gets a second use – either washing down the yards or irrigating our paddock pastures, maize, and brassica crops – so there’s full circularity,” Alistair explains.
Environmentally sustainable farming a winner
The shared intergenerational vision recently earned the Harris family the Natural Resource Management and Sustainability Award at the 2024 Great South West Dairy Awards.
Having attended a Rabobank Carbon Training Workshop in Warrnambool in 2023, Caitlin found the opportunity “incredibly insightful”.
“We’re actively interested in environmentally sustainable farming – we propagate a large portion of plants, and engage a plantation contractor to plant tree lines around every paddock, grow improved pastures, and have a focus on increasing growth rates – so we’re working towards having a more carbon neutral business, yet how this can be achieved is not straightforward,” Caitlin said.
“It’s not just about planting a tree, I believe there’s so much more research that is needed to move forward, and the Rabobank Carbon Training Workshop really highlighted the holes in our knowledge.”
The importance of investing in yourself
Alistair and Caitlin, both Dookie Agricultural College graduates, value good people, knowledge, and opportunities to upskill and learn, and believe a large part of their success is thanks to a strong network of advisors, staff, and friends.
From local farm discussion groups, to benchmarking, farm consultants, and nutritionists, Alistair surrounds himself with expert advice and knowledge.
One of his pivotal opportunities for personal and professional growth was through Rabobank’s agri Executive Development Program (EDP) in 2017/18, on a Gardiner Foundation scholarship.
Rabobank’s Pete Evans, Alistair, Ben Turner and Hamish Murray during the EDP
“I was the youngest in the group and in amongst some significant national enterprise owners, so I felt like a small fish in a large ocean, yet it was quickly apparent that regardless of scale or experience, we were all there for the same reason, and that was to learn.”
Participating in the program so new to the family business helped establish a direction for the enterprise, and Alistair admits his EDP experience is even more impressive in hindsight.
“I didn’t quite appreciate how much I took in from the EDP at the time, yet when I look back on what I learned and how I’ve been able to apply those learnings to our business in the years since, its value is enormous.”
Currently transitioned to purchasing the farm, Alistair believes the EDP helped “speed up” the family’s succession planning.
“Mum and Dad have been proactive with their succession planning, and after my renewed energy and direction for the farm, and some gentle encouragement, it gave them additional confidence that we could take the businesses forward.”
Alistair has also built a strong network thanks to the EDP.
“It’s incredibly inspiring to be surrounded by like-minded, supportive people all feeding off each other’s motivation, enthusiasm, and ideas, and to this day these discussions continue.”
“Never be afraid to ask for an opinion of someone you can trust, then make that decision with the information you have gathered and back yourself.”
Rabobank by their side
A firm believer that strong business and personal relationships help make a successful business, Alistair is grateful to consider his Rabobank rural manager, Michael Williams, both a manager and a friend.
“Michael is honest and transparent, and he understands our business and our vision,” Alistair said.
“He’s been extremely supportive of my parents in our succession planning transition, and he’s been fantastic for Caitlin and me – his knowledge on lending, market pricing, business growth and opportunity has been hugely advantageous.”
“Michael has a great team who work with him, and can get things done in a quick timeframe, and alternatively, he’s also upfront if an idea or project is not realistic.”
Alistair and Rabobank’s Michael Williams
The Harris family has had a long association with Rabobank – Alistair’s parents were Primary Industries Bank of Australia (PIBA) clients when the branch first opened in Colac in 2007, later transferring when PIBA was taken over by Rabobank.
“During all these years we’ve maintained excellent relationships with all our Rabobank managers – and the fact that we’ve only had a few speaks volumes about the longevity and retention of Rabo staff.”
“Rabobank has been on the journey with us for decades, and with a new generation now on the ground and evolving technology and innovation, it’s an exciting future ahead.”