WAFarmers Dairy Conference: Jacqui Biddulph recognised for extensive contributions to State’s dairy industry

Cowaramup dairy farmer Jacqui Biddulph has won the prestigious WAFarmers Dairy Council Milk Bottle Award in recognition of her extensive industry contributions. Mrs Biddulph, who is now retired, received the award from Dairy Council president Ian Noakes at the annual WAFarmers Dairy Conference at Abbey Beach Resort in Busselton on August 7. Mr Noakes said the award was presented each year to recognise someone who had “made an outstanding contribution to the WA dairy industry”. He said it was a “great pleasure” to bestow the award on someone who was a “real driver” for change within industry. “Jackie was always somebody that got things done,” he said. “She has great vision for identifying issues, working out solutions and taking action.” For more than 40 years, Mrs Biddulph dedicated herself to being progressive and data driven. She was a board member of Challenge Dairy Co-operative — a co-operative owned by dairy farmers, with joint venture company Challenge Australia Dairy, before it went into receivership in November 2010 — and board member and chair of Western Dairy. She has also been actively involved with the WAFarmers Dairy Pavilion at the Perth Royal Show, the Australian Dairy Sustainability Framework and was behind the push for all WA dairy farmers to do a carbon baseline. “You were an industry leader — these contributions are a part of your legacy and we are very grateful,” Mr Noakes said. Mrs Biddulph said it was a “great surprise” to have received the award. “It’s been an absolute privilege to work with dairy farmers,” she said. “You are the enormously important backbone in feeding this country and the world and you just won’t get a bunch of people who are more practical problem solvers. “Unfortunately, we don’t always recognise that. . . but once you start to mix with other industries, it’s clear how good we are and the contribution we make to our communities.” Mrs Biddulph took the opportunity to thank her husband, Bob, who has farmed more than 400 cows with her at their 475ha landholding — Kerridge Farm — near Margaret River for more than 30 years. “Quite frankly, if he wasn’t at home keeping the farm and business running, and, at times, keeping the kids under control, I wouldn’t have been able to do half the things on that list,” she said. And in a show of commitment to industry, the highly conscientious industry stalwart also took the opportunity to touch on the ADSF, which she is still active in. “Dairy was the first ag industry in this country to put together a sustainability framework about 12 years ago, and it was an externally focused program,” she said. “It is a protective mechanism that we can prove to anybody out there that we are a good community partner. “It’s a very important part of dairy, and it’s actually an illustration of how proactive dairy is compared to many other industries.”