A big year for young Vic Illawarra breeder Jason Smith who is the chair of the publicity committee for the Victorian Illawarras.

After just 18 months of running his own property after previously working for Tony Hayes at Llandovery and prior to that alongside the Coburns of Winganna on a large corporate farm in Victoria’s south-west, Jason has settled back into his home town of Gunbower where he and his partner run Baromi Jersey and Illawarra Stud as well as 150 pigs and a small beef herd.

2011 has been very busy for Jason and included him being:
• a state finalist in the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria’s Rural Ambassador Award;
• starting his Advanced Diploma in Rural Business via correspondence;
• being one of three National finalists for the Koninon group / ABC Rural Young Farmer of the Year where he was flown to Sydney for the awards night;
• winning a $10,000 scholarship to be part of the National Developing Dairy Leaders course run by Dairy Australia where he was flown to Canberra for a week-long residential course;
• winning the Murray Dairy Youth Scholarship to attend the National Dairy Conference in Busselton,WA;
• being appointed as the youngest member of the Murray Dairy Industry Steering Group;
and finally,
• winning a scholarship to go on a study tour of New Zealand in January next year sponsored and organised by the National Centre of Dairy Education and the Victorian Farmers Federation.

The study tour starts on the 29th of January, however Jason has organised to fly over a week earlier and stay with some members of the New Zealand Milking Shorthorn Society, helping them at the New Zealand Dairy Event, the NZ equivalent of Australia's International Dairy Week, after which he will stay on-farm with some of the Milking Shorthorn Society members.  Another great experience for him.  Congratulations Jason.

Below:  Jason gets some special attention from his favourite animals.