Supporting businesses today, tomorrow, and into the future

Imagine a phone call or chance encounter at an event or workshop turning into the building of a dam, a pipeline, a new irrigation system, or an on-farm commercial kitchen.

These are some of the realities horticultural growers across the state have achieved through working with Growcom’s Farm Business Resilience Program (FBRP).

Not only does the team work one-on-one at the kitchen table with growers, they also host workshops and attend events to share information around strategic business planning; whole farm risk analysis; decision-making and climate forecasting; natural resource management; and personal resilience.  

Working with the FBRP team not only gives growers food for thought about their business now and into the future, it also is a gateway to accessing funding through QRIDA to turn plans into reality.

In the state’s north, Karen George worked closely with Maria Lorenzo of Lakeland Produce. In prioritising how she wants to develop her organic papaya farm and value add products, Maria has worked strategically to access all avenues of support.

Not only has Maria developed her on-farm risk assessment and farm business resilience plan with Karen’s support; she has also accessed advice through the Queensland Food Incubator, the Rural Financial Counselling Service North Queensland (RFCS NQ), as well as secured funding through QRIDA.

Longevity, however, isn’t just about the grower themselves and the operations they run today, or tomorrow. Looking after growers and farm businesses is also about ensuring a smooth transition when someone chooses, or needs, to leave the farm.

Central Queensland Facilitator John Targett worked with the Cranny family in Bungundarra as father, Mick handed over the reins to his son, John. John Cranny was successful in his application for QRIDA funding to finalise the transition.

Targett said that working with families on succession planning highlighted that in this kind of planning, the conversations had, and the relationships looked after, were in some ways more important than the financial aspect.

“Securing Farm business resilience isn’t just about numbers, there is a very important component to business resilience and longevity, and that is family.”

To start your farm business resilience journey, visit: www.growcom.com.au/fbrp

This program is jointly funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and the Queensland Government’s Drought and Climate Adaptation Program.