Four dairy farmers and a range of processors were recognised at the South Australian Dairy Awards Gala Dinner sell-out event, in front of a crowd of 280 people.
The dairy award winners were announced ahead of the Royal Adelaide Show dairy competition.
The best relationship with a processor award went to Sam Martin, Wall Flat, SA,while the most innovative farmer award went to David Altmann, Murray Bridge, SA.
Mr Altmann said they had been a full total mixed rations system for the past 18 years.
"Everyone said we were going to fail," he said.
"Australia was purely a grass-based system back then like New Zealand and there were very few of us doing TMR.
"But it's recognised around the world, and I knew I could make it work.
"There is no right or wrong way of doing cows in this country - whatever system you do, you have got to do well."
He said he believed the TMR system was "one mechanism of actually gaining a lot of production in the country and lifting the litres Australia wide".
"This is probably the toughest agricultural industry to be in," he said.
"(The next generation) need to be rewarded for what they do."
The young farmer award went to Ben Walker, Mount Shank, SA, and the inaugural Foodland sustainability award went to Warren Jacobs, Mount Compass, SA,.
Mr Walker milks 900 cows on land, which he leases and share farms with aspirations to own his own dairy in 10 years.
He has a grass-comes-first approach while running different stocking rates.
Mr Jacobs supplies La Casa Del Formaggio and shows a dedication to drive change when necessary and demonstrate a whole of industry approach.
"It's great to acknowledge those who are striving to be sustainable," he said.
"We talk about perennial pastures, which is what we try to do, rotational grazing, nutrition in cows, recycling our waste and some even encouraging dung beetles, which bury the manure under the soil so it yields that organic matter.
"Some of our perennial pastures are now 12 years old; we also look at things like solar power, strategic fertiliser use and cow genetics.
"My next step is to understand my carbon baseline and just how my farm works and where the issues are."
Udder Delights were recognised as the most outstanding bovine dairy exhibit and the judges' choice while earlier in the night they were awarded the Dairysafe food safety culture award.
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Kiara Stacey
Journalist for Stock Journal. Kiara was in classified sales at Stock Journal before joining the editorial team in 2021. Kiara completed a Bachelor of Communication (journalism) at Deakin University the year prior.
Journalist for Stock Journal. Kiara was in classified sales at Stock Journal before joining the editorial team in 2021. Kiara completed a Bachelor of Communication (journalism) at Deakin University the year prior.
