Monitoring & Evaluation
The Dairy Australia evaluation framework was first introduced in January 2018 and was a significant step in developing a robust performance management process.
This approach provided a methodology for performance measurement at the project level which was monitored quarterly and reported externally at the end of each financial year.
As we embark on our new five-year strategy, we are also evolving our monitoring and evaluation framework which will incorporate learnings from previous years to include:
- Alignment with our new portfolio structure to allow better strategic focus
- Metrics that cascade to be able to monitor from priority down to individual projects
- Metrics that matter, with a greater focus on outcomes and lesser focus on activities
- Further transparency, including quarterly publication of our performance summary.
The new monitoring and evaluation framework will be published as a separate document.
Key indicators of success
| Strategic outcome | Success indicator | Unit | Baseline 2020/21 |
Target 2024/25 |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. More resilient farm businesses | |||||||||
a. Business planning that leads to better decisions and sustained success |
Dairy farm businesses perform systematic, periodic business reviews at least annually |
% of farms |
69% |
80% |
|||||
Dairy farm businesses make key decisions using a documented business plan |
% of farms |
49% |
80% |
||||||
b. Clear and understood drivers of dairy farm profitability and productivity |
Farm decision makers can accurately state the profit metrics for their farm |
% of farms |
15% |
60% |
|||||
Farm decision makers can accurately state the productivity drivers for their farm |
% of farms |
81% |
60% |
||||||
| c. Expanded range of risk management tools for price and cost volatility | Farm businesses are actively using risk management tools to manage exposure to price and cost volatility |
% of farms |
57% |
80% |
|||||
Farm owners and managers’ specific business needs are met through the range of risk management initiatives available |
% of farms using or considered using risk mitigation initiatives |
23% |
80% |
||||||
| d. Innovation in finance that increases access to capital for expansion and new entrants | Farm owners and managers have the opportunity to access capital to meet their requirements |
% of farms that had no problems accessing finance for capital investment when attempting to do so |
78% |
80% |
|||||
| A new mechanism is developed, supported and commercially available that recognises dairy specifically and allows access to capital for expansion and new entry into dairy farming | New from baseline |
0 |
1 |
||||||
| Strategic outcome | Success indicator | Unit | Baseline 2020/21 |
Target 2024/25 |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2. Attract and develop great people for dairy | |||||||||
a. Greater awareness of Australian dairy as an attractive industry with rewarding careers |
Dairy farm employers can describe why dairy is rewarding to work in |
% of employers |
75% |
80% |
|||||
Australians would consider working on a dairy farm |
% of community |
20% |
30% |
||||||
All dairy farms implement good safety practices |
% of farm employees |
85% |
100% |
||||||
b. Clear and supported skill development and career pathways |
Employees have clear, logical and supported development pathways in dairy |
% of farmers who are building their career in dairy |
54% |
70% |
|||||
Employers have clear, logical and supported development pathways for themselves |
% of employers |
52% |
70% |
||||||
Employers have clear, logical and supported development pathways for their employees |
% of employers |
65% | 70% | ||||||
| c. Access to capable and skilled farm employees and service providers | Dairy farm businesses agree they have sufficient access to skilled service providers to meet their needs |
% of farm businesses |
69% |
85% |
|||||
| Employers report that the time taken to find a new employee was less than one month | % of employers that employed someone in the last 12 months |
69% |
80% |
||||||
Employers were able find an employee with the right capability for the role in the past 12 months |
% of employers that employed someone in the past 12 months |
70% |
80% |
||||||
| d. Support farm businesses and their service providers to get the basics right | Farm businesses have access to the information and tools they need to get the fundamentals right on farm |
% of farm businesses |
63% |
80% |
|||||
| Service providers have access to the information and tools that they need to get the fundamentals right on farm | % of service providers | 65% | 80% | ||||||
| Strategic outcome | Success indicator | Unit | Baseline 2020/21 |
Target 2024/25 |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3. Strong community support for dairy | |||||||||
a. The Australian dairy industry is trusted and accepted by the community |
The community trusts the dairy industry |
% of community |
75% |
79% |
|||||
Farmers that actively promote the industry |
% of farmers |
31% |
60% |
||||||
Consumers prefer to buy Australian made or locally produced dairy products wherever possible |
% of consumers |
81% |
85% |
||||||
Consumers agree dairy farmers do a good job caring for the environment |
% of consumers |
64% |
75% |
||||||
The Sustainability Framework is recognised, supported and trusted as providing evidence of industry’s commitment to sustainable dairy practice |
% of community representatives on the consultative forum |
70% |
80% |
||||||
b. Australian dairy is valued for superior health and nutrition benefits |
The community trusts dairy as a wholesome and healthy food |
% of community |
83% |
87% |
|||||
Consumers hear positive health messages about dairy foods from health professionals |
% of consumers |
86% |
86% |
||||||
| Consumers make an effort to consume dairy every day | % of consumers |
49% |
55% |
||||||
| c. The Australian dairy industry is trusted for its commitment to animal wellbeing | The community believes the dairy industry meets their expectations in doing the right thing |
% of consumers |
73% |
77% |
|||||
The community agrees that dairy farmers do a good job caring for their animals |
% of community |
74% |
80% |
||||||
| Strategic outcome | Success indicator | Unit | Baseline 2020/21 |
Target 2024/25 |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4. Thrive in a changing environment | |||||||||
a. Greater ability to adapt to changes in the environment |
Farmers have access to enough information to understand the impact of changes in the environment |
% of farmers |
74% |
90% |
|||||
Farmers have the right information and skills to thrive in increasingly volatile climatic conditions |
% of farmers |
84% |
95% |
||||||
b. Efficient and profitable use of land, water, carbon and energy resources which nurtures and sustains the natural environment |
Dairy farm businesses have adopted new technologies and management practices to achieve land, water, carbon and energy efficiency |
% of farmers |
66% |
70% |
|||||
| c. Proactive action to reduce global warming and greenhouse gas emissions | Dairy farm businesses generating renewable energy |
% of farmers |
61% |
85% |
|||||
| Dairy farm businesses have access to and have adopted commercial solutions for reducing on farm emissions | % of farmers |
17% |
40% |
||||||
Dairy farm businesses understand their carbon footprint |
% of farmers |
18% |
60% |
||||||
| Strategic outcome | Success indicator | Unit | Baseline 2020/21 |
Target 2024/25 |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5. Success in domestic and overseas markets | |||||||||
a. Australian dairy is valued around the world for its premium products |
Australian dairy products are nominated as preferred status by customers in the key markets of Japan, Greater China and Southeast Asia |
% of surveyed customers: |
|||||||
• Japan |
50% |
70% |
|||||||
• Greater China |
40% |
60% |
|||||||
• SE Asia |
62% |
60% |
|||||||
Australian dairy makes tangible market access gains in all completed trade negotiations involving Australia |
New from baseline |
100% |
100% |
||||||
b. A favourable policy and regulatory environment |
Industry and government stakeholders that use policy related services value the work of Dairy Australia to inform policy discussions | % of stakeholders |
100% |
100% |
|||||
| Stakeholders that use market access related services value the work of Dairy Australia to help ensure access to markets | % of stakeholders |
81% |
90% |
||||||
| c. Access to trusted market insights that inform decision-making | Dairy Australia is considered by industry stakeholders as the most trusted and credible source of information to inform decisions related to dairy markets |
% of stakeholders |
81% |
85% |
|||||
Dairy Australia’s market information is widely utilised by industry and government stakeholders |
% of stakeholders utilising Dairy Australia market analysis or data |
86% |
90% |
||||||
| Dairy Australia is considered as the most trusted and credible source of dairy market information by the media | Number of annual dairy market related media articles referencing Dairy Australia analysis or data |
153 |
200% |
||||||
| Dairy Australia maintains and grows its access to industry milk production data to inform market analysis. | % of milk production | 92% | 95% | ||||||
Dairy Australia maintains and grows its access to industry domestic sales data to inform market analysis. |
% of domestic market sales (Liquid milk, cheese, butter and yoghurt) |
81% |
90% |
||||||
| Dairy Australia maintains and grows its access to industry manufacturing production data to inform market analysis. | % of manufacturing production data |
82% |
90% |
||||||
| Strategic outcome | Success indicator | Unit | Baseline 2020/21 |
Target 2024/25 |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6. Technology and data-enabled dairy farms | |||||||||
a. Accelerated genetic progress in feedbase and animal breeding |
The rate genetic gain in pasture species |
% Genetic gain |
<1% |
>2% |
|||||
| Usage of Forage Value Index to select grass pasture | % of farmers using the Forage Value Index | 9% | 25% | ||||||
The rate of genetic gain for sires of cows in BPI units |
Annual increase of BPI |
$24/year |
$30/year |
||||||
The rate of genetic gain of cows in BPI units as a result of heifer genomic testing |
Annual increase of BPI |
$18/year |
$25/year |
||||||
b. More flexible and agile dairy production systems |
Development of new feedbase options that increase flexibility and agility |
New from baseline |
0 |
20 |
|||||
| Development of new non-feedbase system options that increase flexibility and agility | New from baseline |
0 |
10 |
||||||
| Dairy farm businesses have access to the information and tools that they need to run their chosen farm system | % of farms |
65% |
75% |
||||||
| c. Greater use of high-value technology on farm | Farm businesses have successfully adopted technology that provides new insights for farm operations |
% of farm businesses |
48% |
80% |
|||||
| d. Connected dairy production systems utilising multiple data sources to enhance decision-making | New methods of collecting or analysing multiple sources of physical data on farm |
New from baseline |
0 |
5 |
|||||
| Dairy farm businesses are routinely collecting three or more sources of physical performance data for decision making (e.g. herd testing, pasture measurement, lameness scoring) | % of farms |
65% |
80% |
||||||
| Routine management decisions of dairy farm businesses (e.g. sire selection, irrigation scheduling, culling) are informed by multiple data sources | % of farms |
92% |
95% |
||||||
| Strategic outcome | Success indicator | Unit | Baseline 2020/21 |
Target 2024/25 |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7. Innovative and responsive organisation | |||||||||
a. We have a farmer-focused service delivery model |
Farmer-focused service delivery model embedded across all our projects, services, infrastructure, communications and processes |
% embedded in projects, services, infrastructure, comms and processes |
10% |
100% |
|||||
| Farm businesses feel Dairy Australia has an effective relationship management model | % of farmers | 53% | 80% | ||||||
b. Our culture of learning and innovation, values and ways of working deliver success |
Employee engagement score increases |
Employee survey score |
66% |
80% |
|||||
| Dairy Australia values are known by employees | % of employees | 93% | 100% | ||||||
Dairy Australia values are well understood by employees |
% of employees |
91% |
100% |
||||||
| Dairy Australia employees demonstrate commitment to our values | % of employees | 70% | 90% | ||||||
Farm businesses value Dairy Australia for our ability to be innovative |
% of farmers |
54% |
80% |
||||||
| c. Our infrastructure, resources and processes allow us to be informed, agile and responsive | Dairy Australia’s employees have the right tools and infrastructure to deliver the best service to levy payers |
% of employees |
88% |
90% |
|||||
| Dairy Australia processes allow for agility and responsiveness | % of employees |
66% |
75% |
||||||
Dairy Australia is responsive to major industry events impacting the industry |
% of farmers |
57% |
80% |
||||||
Dairy Australia is decisive and effective in its actions |
% of employees |
46% |
80% |
||||||
| d. We have effective and transparent management of resources | Levy payers are satisfied they are well-informed about how Dairy Australia invests levy |
% of farmers |
47% |
80% |
|||||
| Levy payers are satisfied that Dairy Australia is investing levies appropriately | Average employee response |
5.6/10 |
8/10 |
||||||
| Dairy Australia’s investments align with the strategic plan and deliver value to levy payers | % of farmers |
55% |
80% |
||||||
