Farmer in Focus – Georgina Warne

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Georgina Warne is part of the next generation of young farmers across the Wimmera and Mallee who have moved home to work side by side with their parents. BCG were excited to catch up to talk about her farming journey. 

Thanks for agreeing to be this month’s Farmer in Focus Georgina. Can you tell us about yourself and your farm? 

I came home at the end of 2017 to farm with my Dad, John Warne, at Culgoa in North West Victoria. We crop approximately 1800ha of wheat, barley, vetch and chickpeas. We occasionally run sheep but not every year. Oaten hay has recently been added to the enterprise mix. (Georgina was desiccating oats at the time of the interview) 

I’ve previously lived and worked in Melbourne in grain logistics, most recently at Flexi-grain. 

Do you have set roles on the farm? How do you manage the farming operation? 

I do the spraying and Dad does the trucking. Everything else is shared. Dad has allowed me to make more and more decisions. We have honest and constructive discussions about everything to keep things moving forward. He’s not averse to taking on new ideas and doesn’t hold me back.  

Where have you found support? 

I have been spoiled in that my farm is ‘bookended’ by four farmers who continue to encourage and support me. Tim and Julie McClelland and Cam and Lisa Warne where in my position ten years ago and have always answered my questions about agronomy, business and inter-generational relationships.  

Do you have any farming priorities you want to focus on? 

To improve on being more precise in what I do and increase profitability. I don’t expect to be great at everything for a start but I expect to know more at the end of each year.  

I try to read a lot and aim to be more sustainable. Oaten hay was recently introduced as an enterprise for sustainability and weed control.  

Was being a full-time farmer what you expected? 

It’s not boring. There is a new challenge all the time. No September has been the same and I’ve seen the best and the worst of the seasons so far. I’m also very aware that I still have a lot to learn and that it’s an ever-changing outlook in this industry, but I’m excited to be able to take on more and more opportunities. 

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