We recently caught up with Bill Lee, a member of BCG’s Young Farmer Network and passionate fourth-generation farmer from Narraport, Victoria.
Can you share a bit about your background and journey in farming?
I was born and raised in Narraport, just 8km East of Birchip and did my schooling years at Birchip P-12. After graduating high school, I took a gap year where I spent half the year working on- farm, and half the year landscaping. It was through this experience that I discovered I enjoyed the farming side more and went on to study a Bachelor of Agriculture at Melbourne University, where I specialised in Plant and Soil Science.
I have always been interested in low rainfall farming and how farmers can overcome less or more variable rainfall and was fortunate enough to explore the agricultural industry more at depth through a GRDC sponsored Agrifutures Horizon Scholarship.
Prior to returning to my family farm this year, I did a 12-month stint on a cattle station 700kms South-West of Katherine, NT. In the near future, I am looking forward to becoming more involved in my family farm and contributing to the decision-making, as well as maintaining a work-life balance where I can still travel.
Outside of work, I love playing footy, exercising and always having a project on the go, whether it’s out in the garden or building something. I recently got a new pup, so I’m currently in the process of building a kennel for him and will be spending a lot of time training him.
Could you describe your farm and its operations?
I farm on my family farm, which is a mixed enterprise of sheep and cropping. We predominantly grow barley, lentils, wheat, vetch and occasionally canola. In 2021 we invested in trucks to cart grain.
My Dad (Andrew), brother (Jack) and myself are the primary operational workers on our family farm. We employee a full-time farmhand, Tison, a full-time truck driver, and typically a seasonal worker over the harvest period.
On our farm, everyone does a bit of everything, but Tison does a lot of the spraying and Jack, Dad and I primarily handle the sheep.
What challenges do you anticipate for the next generation of farmers, and how are you preparing to meet them?
I believe a major challenge will be the scale of management for the next generation. Smaller farms are becoming a thing of the past, and so when going through succession and transitioning the next generation to management, there is a lot to wrap your head around.
This is actually why I chose to join the Cultivating Futures in Farming Mentor Program that BCG are hosting. There’s always lots of agronomic advice on offer, so finding a program focused on the financial and business side of a farm-business has been a great opportunity.
What is a key innovation you have implemented in innovation a key focus in your farming approach?
Since Jack and I have become more involved in the farm business, a priority for us has been to gain clarity around the numbers to make more informed decisions. To support this, we have started using an app for our livestock called Mobble that has helped with record keeping. Since our experience with Mobble has been so great, we’re looking at implementing a system like AgWorld for the cropping side of our business.
What does drought preparedness mean to you? How do you mitigate drought years?
I am fortunate to have not experienced a severe drought year. However, Dad (Andrew) has, so we always ensure that our farm business is well-diversified to mitigate the risks.
We have always kept the cropping and sheep, and more recently in 2021 brought trucks into the business. This can be a headache logistically, but is good for cashflow.
Who do you rely on for advice?
We’ve always had an agronomist and use Bruce Adrian from Nutrien for all agronomic advice. More recently, we have brought in a farm business advisor who’s been excellent. Similarly with implementing Mobble for our livestock management, the intention behind this was just to get more clarity around our decisions and decision-making. Our advisor has provided clarity around many things for us and helped implement structure in some parts of our business which has been a great process to have been a part of. Dad (Andrew) has the knowledge from years of farming experience, so this move is more so for the benefit of my brother Jack and I. That way, we can optimise the handover process and get clarity around numbers and benchmarking.
How is the season looking for you this year?
It’s not looking too bad… we need a rain in the next two weeks!
What are you most looking forward to at the BCG Main Field Day?
The session I am most excited for at the BCG Main Field Day is ‘The Potential of Long Coleoptile Wheats: A Grower and Researcher Perspective’, presented by Brooke Bennett (BCG), Callum Wesley (WA Farmer) & Dr Greg Rebetzke (CSIRO).
I’ve heard a lot about long coleoptile wheats being used in Western Australia, so it will be great to hear how they could potentially fit into our environment and farming system. They could be perfect in a year like 2024 where there’s subsoil moisture that could be accessed by sowing deeper- so I’m keen to learn more!
The Victoria Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub is a state-wide collaboration of 10 organisations.
Led by the University of Melbourne and with headquarters at UM’s Dookie Campus, the Vic Hub is a Partnership between five farming organisations (Birchip Cropping Group, Food & Fibre Gippsland, Mallee Regional Innovation Centre, Riverine Plains and Southern Farming Systems), four universities (UM, Deakin, Federation and La Trobe), and the State Government (through Agriculture Victoria).
One of eight hubs established nationally under the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund (FDF), the Vic Hub works to enhance the drought preparedness and resilience of Victoria’s agricultural industries, the environment and regional communities, encompassing broader agricultural innovation. Engaging with a range of industry and community stakeholders, the Vic Hub links research with community needs for sustainable outcomes.
