Sallie Jones and Steve Ronalds were inspired to start Gippsland Jersey, an independent, farmer-owned milk brand, out of a desire to honour the work and lives of their hard-working, dairy-farming families. In this episode, you'll hear how Sallie was spurred on after a personal crisis that saw her father Michael end his life tragically in 2016, followed by a crash in the dairy industry, during which major milk producers slashed the prices paid to farmers, leaving them in debt and despair. Gippsland Jersey was created to be more than simply a milk brand. By returning a portion of its profits to the Gippsland farming community, it's a powerful platform for advocacy that helps Sallie and Steve raise awareness of the importance of community connections, fair pay in the dairy industry and support for dairy farmers suffering mental health issues. As a farmer-owned brand, Gippsland Dairy bypasses the major milk producers and provides, not only a fair price for farmers, but also a means for consumers to make an act of support when choosing which milk brand to buy. It encourages us all to make a more meaningful choice that helps local dairy farmers, rather than simply finding the lowest price on shelf. And judging by the overwhelming wave of support and endorsement from consumers, local businesses and other institutions, it's a cause that is truly touching people's hearts and minds. Plus in this episode, you'll learn about the power of the golden circle, and why people don't buy what you do or make, but the underlying reason of why you do it. *If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health concerns, please seek help via organisations such as Beyond Blue, the Ripple Effect or Lifeline. You can learn more about Gippsland Jersey, buy a Gippsland Jersey calendar and connect with Sallie on:https://www.gippslandjersey.com.au/#gippsland-jersey-titlehttps://www.facebook.com/GippslandJersey/https://www.instagram.com/gippslandjersey/ To learn more about Simon Sinek and the golden circle that starts with 'why', go to: https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action Many thanks to this episode's sponsor, Rocket Seeder, a food and agribusiness accelerator working with the Monash Food Innovation Centre. Find out how they could help your business start-up and scale up at: https://www.rocketseeder.com This episode photo of Sallie Jones is courtesy of the invisiblefarmer.net.au: https://invisiblefarmer.net.au/blog/2017/4/28/sallie-jones-of-gippsland-jersey-west-gippsland