Reboot your farming family
Keen to reboot your family farming business? A new free three-day event at Armidale will give farming families the chance to improve their critical decision making and teamwork skills.
SQNNSW Innovation Hub Armidale Node Manager Lu Hogan, from the University of New England’s SMART Region Incubator, said collaboration was often the key to success, but was especially critical within family businesses.
“When you are part of a family-run livestock, cropping or mixed enterprise, being able to work together is critical to not just the success of the business but the family as well,” she said.
“The Farming Family Reboot workshop (Armidale, September 27-29), is a chance for people to take some time out from the daily work of the farm, to think, plan, review their goals and build some new skills that will help in managing future climate business challenges.”
This free event includes accommodation, meals and childcare, thanks to the support of Rural Aid, the University of New England and the SQNNSW Innovation Hub, through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.
“We encourage multiple members of the family to attend this workshop, so that the whole family can benefit from the experience and the skills development,” Ms Hogan said.
Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said it was hoped this would be the first of many such opportunities for farming families.
“Rural Aid provides critical support to farmers affected by natural disaster through financial, wellbeing and fodder assistance, and our community programs help create more robust and vibrant communities,” he said.
“Hopefully families are now in a position to consider the practice changes that are required to help them better manage the next dry spell when it comes, and the Farming Family Reboot helps in shaping those responses.”
The three day program covers: the way decisions are made on the farm; understanding and using critical decision points and weather forecasts in the livestock and cropping cycle to better manage climate challenges; matching stocking rate to feed supply; supplementary feeding of livestock to meet production goals; considering investment in new infrastructure to better manage drought and other climate challenges; relationships within the family and making better decisions as a family; and research and development at UNE SMART Farms.
The Farming Family Reboot will be held at the University of New England, Armidale on September 27-29, and all accommodation, meals and childcare is included. To express your interest in attending (places are limited), visit the website or email contact@ruralaid.org.au for more information.