Farm business planning

Farm business planning is not just for when the chips are down. It can also be a great tool to set out your vision for your farm, how you plan to reach your goals and drive farm profitability and sustainability.

Farmers face a number of challenges such as seasonal conditions and market volatility and it’s important that a farm business plan supports you to make decisions through these challenging times. A business plan should include worst case scenarios with the hope that they never happen.

Your business plan should also include a timeline for your retirement, family succession or eventual sale of the farm. For long-term planning to result in successful and achievable outcomes, discussions should involve all members of the family who are part of the farm business. There is no point planning for a member of the next generation to take over the farming business if they are not interested in doing so.

Making a farm business plan can be complex and daunting, but there are many highly trained professionals, such as your accountant, solicitor, agricultural consultants, financial advisors, planners to help guide your decisions. It may also be worth talking to trusted friends or neighbours about your plans and see whether they can recommend someone in particular.

A business plan should help minimise stress, however, if you find yourself in a crisis situation don’t avoid making decisions. Reach out for help with personal problems and for business advice and available support services.

Fast facts:

• Many farms are a business, and every business needs a plan to set goals and help guide it through good and challenging times.
• Seek professional help to develop a sustainable plan for your farm. You may be eligible for assistance from a free financial counsellor.
• Don’t despair if you are in a crisis, contact support services for help and advice.

Parsnip rash

Parsnip rash – also called phytophotodermatitis (PPD) – is a skin condition caused by contact with juice or sap from a causative plant (such as parsnip, celery, lime juice), from which the condition gets its common name.

The combination of plant chemicals and ultraviolet (UV) light leads to a skin reaction, which can range from mild redness and irritation to severe blistering and peeling. Vegetable pickers, gardeners and even bartenders (as lime juice can also cause PPD) are at risk.  

Causative plants contain compounds (furanocoumarins) which may cause skin irritation in some people and make the skin very sensitive to sunlight (UVA). This can lead to severe burning. Parsnip rash can also occur after eating large amounts of furocoumarin-containing foods. 

Symptoms

• Rash.
• Skin blistering.
• Skin discolouring (dark red, purple or brown) which may last for several years.

Treatment

The rash will usually clear up without treatment if you avoid contact with the plant that caused it. Treatment options include:

• Wash the affected area and cover the rash with a cool, wet cloth or bandage to reduce swelling.
• Steroid creams can be used sparingly (see your doctor or pharmacist) if the rash is severe.
• Protect the affected area from sunlight with clothing, gloves and footwear.
• Topical antiseptics can be used to help prevent infection.

Prevention

• Avoid skin contact and ingestion of large amounts of plants likely to cause parsnip rash (phytophotodermatitis). 
• If you come into contact with plants likely to cause parsnip rash, wash the area and cover the skin immediately to prevent contact with sunlight.
• If you need to pull up parsnip, or other plants that may cause problems, wear gloves and a long sleeved shirt.

Fast facts:

• Parsnip rash – also called phytophotodermatitis (PPD) – is a skin condition caused by contact or ingestion with certain plants.
• Parsnip rash can cause painful blistering and long-lasting skin discolouration.
• If you come into contact with plants likely to cause parsnip rash, wash the area and cover the skin immediately.

2017-03-15: Miranda: Find out what farm women really want – The Weekly Times

by GENEVIEVE BARLOW

I HAVE always been a supporter of the Victorian Women on Farms Gathering.

This event, held every two years, traditionally closes with the organising baton passing to the next town or community to host it.

It’s always been a gentle affair and perhaps weighs heavily towards self-care for women, not so much on farm or business skills.

But honestly if you’re going to spend one day, let alone the full three, at a gathering you want to know there’s something in it for you, right?

So what do farm women want?

According to this year’s program to be held at Harrow in southwest Victoria on March 24-26, they want glamping (Luxe and Wanderlust glamping or vintage caravans available), fitness, free health checks from the National Centre for Farmer Health, and drinks and dinner on the banks of the Glenelg River.

They also want tips on how to reverse a trailer or fix a broken down car, and about social media, climate forecasting, sheep classing, ram buying, sheep genetics and the carbon footprint of grain marketing.

Read more: 2017-03-15: Miranda: Find out what farm women really want – The Weekly Times

2017-01-30: ABC Mental Health interview with Tom Dawkins

Discussing rural mental health initiatives ‘Look Over The Farm Gate’ and ‘The Ripple Effect’ on ABC South East SA radio.

Listen here: 2017-01-30: ABC Mental Health interview with Tom Dawkins

2017-03-11: NCFH inspires interest from Indonesia – The Hamilton Spectator

2017-03-10: Farmers welcome health program – The Border Watch

2017-02-28: Beyond Silence – The Hamilton Spectator

Farmer Health eNews March 2017

Find out all the latest from the National Centre for Farmer Health

• Looking forward to seeing you back at Wimmera Machinery Field Days 7-9th March 2017 Site D27-28
• Don’t dawdle…have your say about rural suicide!
• Nuffield Scholar visits NCFH
• Wellness Wednesday Topics

View the March 2017 e-News

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2017-02-21: Farm safety is goal of Nuffield Scholar Jim Chapman who lost arm in tractor accident – ABC Rural

In 2005 British farmer Jim Chapman lost his left arm after he got too close to an unguarded tractor shaft.  

“It was like [in] a matter of seconds, it grabbed hold of my jumper, wound me in and I went over the top of the shaft and landed on the floor without my left arm,” he said.

Mr Chapman is visiting Australia from the United Kingdom as part of the Nuffield Farming Scholarship he was awarded last year.

His goal is to explore methods of reversing what he calls the “appalling safety record in agriculture”.

Life after farming accident

For 12 months Mr Chapman struggled to deal with the aftermath of the accident that left him without his arm.

Eventually, his friends dragged him out of the house and he became involved in a young farmer’s organisation and was later asked to be part of a farm safety campaign.

“They wanted a disabled farmer who didn’t mind telling their story about having an accident on the farm and how it affects your life,” he said.

Mr Chapman now goes around telling his story to other farmers in the hope he can change attitudes to farm safety.

“My aim really is to make safety sexy once again,” he said.

“I say that for a bit of a laugh and it gets people in a bit of a smile but really it’s about changing that attitude.”

Taking a look at Australian farms

Mr Chapman stopped by Jigsaw Farms near Hamilton, in south-west Victoria where he was impressed by owner Mark Wootton’s approach to safety.

“The guy’s a fantastic farmer,” he said.

Read more: 2017-02-21: Farm safety is goal of Nuffield Scholar Jim Chapman who lost arm in tractor accident – ABC Rural

2017-02-09: Suicide is real, it’s time to talk – Hamilton Spectator

By Tara Fry

2017-02-07: Sungold Field Days renews itself again – The Standard

by Everard Himmelreich

Sungold Field Days chairman Tony Rea doesn’t like to highlight new things at the event too much because “every exhibitor has something new.”

“That is the wonderful thing farmers like about the field days,” Mr Rea said.

“They can see so much equipment in the one spot at the one time,” he said.

Mr Rea said the 11.5 hectare site was fully booked with all 260 exhibitor sites taken.

“Some exhibitors wanted extra space but we haven’t been able to accommodate them,” he said.

Exhibitors have come from throughout Victoria, NSW, South Australia and New Zealand.

Mr Rea said good spring and summer rains and recovering milk prices had given dairy farmers more optimism than last year.

About 30 millimetres of rain fell on the Allansford site on Sunday afternoon to leave the site looking green.

Mr Rea has been involved with the event’s management for 36 years and as chairman for the past 31.

He has found it a great source of new technology and innovation, not just in equipment but also in techniques.

Among the innovations on show this year are new ryegrass varieties that grow longer in winter and stay green later into the summer.

Event coordinator Emma Kavanagh said the event catered to the whole community with lifestyle exhibits as well as those for dairy and other agricultural industries.

Entertainment this year includes demonstrations by whip cracking virtuoso Nathan Griggs, wood chopping, cooking demonstrations and performances by musicians Kayla Dwyer, Cooper Lane and Mitch Power.

A parade of vintage tractors and other vintage farm machinery at 11am each day will be led by a massive 1910 Chas Burrell steam traction engine.

The National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) will again be providing free health assessments, measuring body mass index, cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose levels. Eyesight testing and diabetes assessment will also be available.

View Article: 2017-02-07: Sungold Field Days renews itself again – The Standard

Farmer Health eNews February 2017

Find out all the latest from the National Centre for Farmer Health

• Sungold Field Days 8 – 10th February 2017 Site N36
• Spread the Ripple
• Keep in touch with NCFH – stay social!
• Wellness Wednesday Topics

View the February 2017 e-News

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