Last week’s ANZAC Day rainfall brought mixed fortunes across our region.
Falls varied significantly, from 0mm in parts of the Wimmera to up to 60mm in the eastern and northern Mallee. For many, particularly those in the north and east, the rain delivered a promising start. However, farmers in much of the southern Mallee and Wimmera are still waiting, comforted by the knowledge that, historically, the long-term average break doesn’t occur until mid-May.
Whilst we wait for the next rain, the hours spent on the seeder — or feeding sheep, fixing or shifting machinery, or updating records — can become moments to re-focus and think ahead. Whether you’re behind the wheel or behind the scenes, these moments provide a chance to reset and consider what’s next. In the words of Rudyard Kipling:
“If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run…”
Every job, every moment, every effort matters. Even in the waiting, there’s momentum — and often, that’s when the clearest thinking and biggest ideas quietly begin to form.
A few weeks ago, the entire BCG team visited the Ferrier farm to hear about their farm business priorities for the year ahead. One key project they are in the midst of preparing for, is the reconfiguration of their farmyard to create a more efficient and safer chemical storage area. Such planning reminds us that good preparation goes beyond paddock decisions: setting the whole business up for success is important.
Over Easter, I also had the opportunity to travel north and witness water flowing into Lake Menindee. It was fascinating to see how agriculture in this part of the world navigates a unique mix of landscape, soil, and climatic pressures. Conversations with some Menindee locals about the decline of the region’s table grape industry over the past 20 years served as a powerful reminder: while every farming operation faces its own set of challenges, the need for forward planning and an adaptable business model is universal.
Warm soil temperatures mean crops sown now are emerging quickly, and effective sowing dates are stretching back to mid-April for some.
As always, BCG is here to support you with timely research, insights, and discussion. Here’s to a strong start (at least for some) and an even stronger year ahead.
Fiona Best, CEO
