In return, the state’s tight-knit communities - resilient and passionate about dairy farming - are at the heart of the Australian dairy industry’s success.

That’s why Dairy Australia, in association with the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR), is calling on people to nominate their town as Australia’s Legendairy Capital.

Nominating is easy.

Head online at legendairy.com.au/capital and complete the short nomination form before June 12.

Nominations need to address criteria including how the town fosters positive community spirit and community connectedness; how the town demonstrates innovation, resilience and adaptability when overcoming challenges or embracing opportunities; and how the community would benefit from a nominated eligible community-driven project.

One town from NSW will be named the state dairy region’s successful Legendairy town and will receive a $2500 community grant for a worthy local project.

The town will then progress to the next stage, going up against seven Legendairy towns from Australia’s other dairy regions, in a bid to be crowned Australia’s Legendairy Capital 2015, and ultimately receiving an additional $7500 for its nominated community project.

The grants will be administered by FRRR on behalf of Dairy Australia.

Dairy NSW executive officer, Roxanne Cooley, said the Legendairy Capital initiative will put regional towns on the map and bring stories of the nation’s most vibrant and robust regional towns to a wider audience, showcasing the importance of the dairy industry to both regional and urban communities.

“New South Wales has many dairy communities, farmers and businesses that are continually working to support each other, and that benefits everyone in the region,” Ms Cooley said.

“There are towns in NSW that have close-knit and passionate dairy communities that will have a strong chance of being named Australia’s Legendairy Capital 2015.

“I encourage anyone who thinks their town is an example of how communities and the dairy sector can work together for shared benefits to submit a nomination and gain financial support for an important community initiative.”

Nominations will be assessed and towns selected by independent members of various dairy farmer representative groups and industry bodies in each state.

FRRR chief executive Alexandra Gartmann said the initiative was a great way to recognise the hard work of many regional communities in seeing their towns through tough and challenging times and fostering strong bonds among residents.

“Often people talk of the economic benefits farming brings to country towns, but here the focus is really on how dairy farmers contribute to the social fabric of where they live, and celebrate their value as people, in addition to highly skilled primary producers,” she said.

For more information on nominating a Legendairy town, visit www.legendairy.com.au/capital.