It’s Ewe Time Event Coordination

Summary

It's ewe time! forums aim to increase producers' awareness of the principles and capabilities that drive highly profitable and productive sheep enterprises.

MLA and Australian Wool Innovation jointly funded 23 It's ewe time! forums in all states (except for Tasmania) from August 2017 to April 2019.

The forums were a successful tool to drive improved productivity, with the majority of the 1,113 producers who attended the forums planning to make changes to their business and seek more information or training as a result of attending.

Objectives

A coordinator was engaged to lead the planning and delivery of at least 17 It's ewe time! forums between 2017 and 2019. The It's ewe time! National Coordinator was responsible for:

• consulting and engaging with community
• developing the program
• engaging speakers
• engaging with event partners
• managing venue, catering and logistics.

Key findings

• The It's ewe time! forums were overwhelmingly successful, with all attendees giving very positive feedback; 22 of the 23 forums had satisfaction ratings of more than 8 out of 10.
• The forums reached 1,113 sheep producers and service providers.
• 60% of attendees indicated that they intended to make a change to their business as a result of attending the forum and 68% indicated that they would seek further information on subjects raised at the forums.
• 48 speakers were engaged across the series
• Most of the content of each forum was specific to the region; although there was a common theme on all programs around optimising ewe and weaner management and flock health.

Benefits to industry

The It's Ewe Time! events are highly valued by the sheep industry as they lead to on-farm practice change and stimulate desire for further learning and improved business productivity and profitability. Participants in smaller communities appreciated the ability to access a quality event in their area.

MLA action

MLA has taken the fundamental principles of the It's Ewe Time! forums and merged them with content from pasture and beef forums to create the new MeatUp forums; an all-encompassing awareness program that covers cattle, sheep and goats across southern Australia.

MeatUp forums will begin in May 2020. For further information contact amorelli@mla.com.au.

Future research

It is recommended that these forums are held again in the future.

Areas that could be improved include:

• ensure all speakers provide the event coordinator with a preview of their presentation before delivery
• allow at least five months to plan each event.
• provide speakers with more feedback on presentations, content and style between forums
• ensure speakers consistently emphasise opportunities for attendees to follow up with reading or training opportunities, including referring people to the forum booklet.