Agricultural economist Professor Ross Kingwell will reveal the top farm performance factors at BCG’s Main Field Day at Nullawil on Wednesday 11 September.
After tracking the financial performance of 250 farms over ten years Professor Kingwell said there were factors farmers might not expect:
“Farming is not a nine-to-five job and it can’t be. You have to commit to that lifestyle to be successful. You do have to put in 70 hour weeks at various times of the year.
“In contrast the most successful farms are not the workaholic businesses. Rather those that spent more time focusing on planning: farmers who are OK with more office and phone time rather than the doing—the cab or maintenance time for example.”
The research also showed strong social networks and personal development were key performance indicators.
“While social supports within the businesses proved positive, those outside the organisation, including networking with advisers and researchers also boosted farm performance,” Professor Kingwell said.
“Success in farming is about getting the big decisions right, but it’s also about the one percenters; doing the smaller things at the right time in the right way,” Professor Kingwell said.
Farm expansion and machinery investment were also key performance factors which Professor Kingwell will expand upon at the event targeted and farmers and advisers across the Wimmera Mallee and North Central.
Grain supply chains
Professor Kingwell will also deliver a critical message to growers regarding the importance of understanding and lobbying for protection and improvement of their grain supply chains.
“Victorian farmers can’t change the world price of grain. Supply grain costs beyond the farm-gate get taken off that world grain price to create farm-gate returns for farmers.
“To boost the farm-gate price, farmers need their supply chains to be effective and cost-efficient. But individual farmers can’t easily alter the cost of supply chains in their region. As a group however through their political lobby groups, farmers can advocate for investment and improved management of the supply chains on which they rely.”
Professor Kingwell is in the School of Agriculture and Environment at the University of Western Australia and is chief economist in the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. He believes strategic action is needed in Victoria as its grain production continues to trend upwards:
“Unlike other main grain export states like WA or SA, Victoria’s grain supply chains need to be multidirectional and highly flexible. Its grain exports need to flow to container and bulk ports, or flow interstate when drought hits NSW and Qld. The wide range of domestic users of grain also need to be serviced.”
Other topics at BCG’s Main Field Day include: nitrogen management, high yielding wheat, fatigue management with farmer Mark Modra, pulse diseases and varieties, vetch varieties and end use, canola establishment, disease management, National Variety Trial cereal results and a herbicide matrix.
Details
The BCG Main Field Day will be held on Wednesday the 11th of September at 196 Nullawil North Road, Nullawil. Register at www.bcg.org.au/events.
The event will run from 8am to 4pm (breakfast provided). The event is free for BCG members and $50 for non-members. Sign up to become a member by visiting bcg.org.au/memberships/ or calling (03) 5492 2787.
Meals can also be pre-booked on the website. For biosecurity reasons please ensure all footwear and vehicles are free of soil before visiting the site.
This event was part funded through the BCG managed North West Broadacre node of the Victoria Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub, which is supported by the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.
