“I spend a lot of time on the phone! My family will tell me that I spend way too much time on the phone but I see it as important to spend the time to get the right advice and build upon those networks to get good advice when you need it,” newly appointed BCG Board Member Brett Hosking tells me [over the phone] when I interviewed the Quambatook mixed farmer recently. He had squeezed in the meeting between balancing summer spraying, fixing fences damaged by the late December downpour (Brett’s farm received over 140mm from Christmas), farm planning and making time for his family, wife Jane and four daughters Grace 22, Lily 20, Isabelle 17, and Amelia 12.
“Like all farmers we struggle with work/life balance, there is always something else to do on the farm or at home coupled with the demand of community. To maintain the same number of opportunities, more of us are working harder. I had a season in my life where I was away a lot and had to get very good at driving out the gate and dealing with it when I returned, knowing I had full time staff, family and a network supporting me. Part of it is knowing you have to make a choice to put your family first sometimes to go skiing or whatever it is you all enjoy… and that’s ok, we get there in the end.”
Balance it all he does, carefully weaving his roles over the years as Chair of Grain Growers, VFF Grains Group President, Director of Farmers for Climate action and now BCG Board Member into farm life where Brett and his family produce merino ewes and grow canola wheat, barley, lentils and opportunistically, vetch hay on soils ranging from red loam, rising ground and flood plains with heavy self-mulching clay. “I also have 25 breeder Herford cattle running round at the moment as bit of a hobby,” the 50-year-old says with a laugh.
BCG Board
The involvement in such groups is no coincidence. Brett’s passion for the agricultural industry and growth is evident in the enthusiasm in which he speaks on the topic: “The opportunity to become a BCG Board Member is a chance to contribute using the skills I’ve acquired over the years. We all contribute to our community where we are able and with extensive board experience, I hope to add value at board level.”
“What I like about BCG is that it is community led, locally led and community oriented. Over time that community has expanded but it’s that grass roots approach that has always appealed to me in groups I’ve been involved with.”
Brett sees the need for growers to have good and trustworthy advice as critical given the number of variables growers deal with in their businesses. “Modern farmers need to be more adaptable than ever. On any given day a farmer may perform the role of mechanic, international commodity trader, or any other role which needs to be picked up on that day. Having good advice from groups such as BCG is vital to support them to grow and prosper.
“BCG’s extension and engagement supports this required growth well. Farmers need often complex information communicated efficiently so that it can be practically applied on farm. BCG is a conduit between academia and practical application, recognising the skills and knowledge that farmers already have and building areas of passion and areas that can make their farms more profitable,” Brett explains.
Growth
As a member of the BCG Board, Brett’s focus will be to ensure BCG continues to find new ways to engage with farmers in new areas of interest: “Farmers are fast learners and adopters of technology that is proven. Remaining ahead of the curve, that’s the challenge BCG has.
“I’d also like to support BCG’s delivery of tailored events. There is a lot on and farmers are required to be selective in which events they attend. The number of attendees may be less but that does not mean these events are any less valuable.”
Challenges
Brett’s passion to contribute is fed by challenges farmers are facing today: “A big challenge is rising input costs, the other is climate change. It’s not as sorely felt when years are good but in the future we need to be more engaged around our emissions footprint and providing credible information to society.
“Growers who aren’t engaged could be taken advantage of or will have the world decided for them. Growers understand their areas, their own properties, their farming environment. They understand their capacity to change, adapt and make a difference. It’s critical they are at the forefront of the conversation.
“Our farmers have the challenge of climate change in two areas: how we reduce emissions—for a city person they can catch a tram—that looks different to us and secondly, we are affected due to the change that has already occurred to the environment and landscape. We need to adapt to the significant change in our environment and our bottom lines due to climate,” Brett elaborates.
Drought proofing
The Hoskings are constantly working towards building a business that can withstand the harshness of drought. “The way we manage summer weeds, crop rotations etc as well as having other income streams such as livestock in our business hopefully add diversity, allowing us to rely less heavily on cropping. Sheep are a lower costs part of the business and are maybe not as time-intensive as people think,” Brett explains.
“We don’t know what the future looks like for our farm succession yet but we aim to support all our girls in their passions and their dreams, whatever they might be.”
Advice
Not surprisingly Brett has large network to draw advice: “I regularly talk with my local agronomist, financial planner and accountant. I also have a number of independent machinery mechanics who I ask advice from before buying equipment, what they are spending their hours on and what they’re not.
“I have had the opportunity to travel across Australia and have built up a personal network of people I trust, people I know that I can ask advice or I have a whine to, understanding that farmers are the same everywhere,” Brett laughed.
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.
