Farm smarter is good advice
THE economics of on-farm grain storage, employee recruitment and the key to successful manufacturer grower relationships were some of the key topics covered at the Grains Research and Development Corporation’s Farm Business Update in Toowoomba recently.
Grain growers, advisers and industry stakeholders from across the Darling Downs attended the annual update, which was one of three held across Queensland and New South Wales delivering business management information and recommendations to inform grower decision-making this season
GRDC north grower relations manager Susan McDonnell said the annual updates played a pivotal role in equipping the state’s grain growers with relevant, practical information and strategies from expert consultants and researchers for effective farm business management.
“This year’s updates had a ‘Farm for Profit’ theme and were developed to help grain growers farm smarter rather than harder in order to remain profitable in environments with increasing climate variability,” Mrs McDonnell said.
“Some of the most popular topics on the agenda focused on grain storage and how growers assess what would be the most economical option for their operation, along with best management practices.
“Growers were also particularly interested in the presentation by motivational speaker and nationally renowned expert Ken Solly, who shared his personal story about overcoming adversity and offered real-life strategies for making farm businesses more resilient.”
Toowoomba-based food processor Peter Brodie, who owns PB Agrifood, was another key speaker whose presentation generated significant interest from the audience.
Mr Brodie, whose business specialises in supplying high-quality products like maize, soybean and linseed to the food industry, spoke about the importance of developing long-term relationships with grain growers to ensure supply.
He said the quality of on-farm grain storage facilities and hygiene practices was a key determining factor for successful grower manufacturer relationships when the focus was on delivering food-quality product.
Other topics presented at the 2019 Farm Business Updates included:
■ On-farm grain storage investment and marketing – the planning, management and economics.
■ Positive impacts of human resource best practice on staff recruitment, retention and training.
■ Creating a prosperous farming future – building business and personal resilience.
■ Developing a more resilient farm business and managing the risks associated with a variable climate through farming systems, financial management, on-farm operations and decision-making.
More than 150 growers and farm advisers attended the Farm Business Updates held in Dubbo, Moree and Goondiwindi.