Profitable Farmer

When you wear as many hats as our farming families do, time is one thing you never have enough of. 

From the kitchen table to the paddock, we’re constantly making decisions, solving problems, and figuring out how to do more with less. What if there was a way to take some of that pressure off, without handing over the reins? 

In this episode, I sit down with Dimity Smith, agri-business innovator, event leader, and one of the most refreshingly practical minds when it comes to tech in agriculture. Dimity runs tailored AI training sessions for farming families and small ag teams, helping them get started with tools like ChatGPT and put them to work in your business.  

Together with Sam Johnsson, we dive into how AI is already helping farmers: 

But more than the tools, this is about mindset. Dimity reminds us: AI is your co-pilot, not your competitor. It’s not here to replace your hard-earned wisdom, but to amplify it. And like any tool, it’s only as powerful as how you use it. 

We also explore the fears many have about AI, and how simple curiosity might be the antidote to overwhelm. 

Dimity puts it best, "You don’t have to be great at spelling, you don’t have to be techy, and you don’t need to have it all figured out.” She runs hands-on workshops through GRO Events Group and GRO Rural where she walks through it all slowly, answers your questions, and helps you use AI in a way that makes sense for your farm. 

Join the 2-hour online workshop exclusive for Farm Owners Academy listeners: 

For more information on all the workshop details and options, visit the workshop landing page here.  

To get in touch, connect with Dimity via social media or head to https://www.groevents.com.au/ 

Dimity, thank you for showing us that you don’t need to be a tech expert to start using AI, you just need to be open and willing to learn. And Sam, appreciate the way you bring these conversations to life. 

Here’s to staying curious, having a crack, and using whatever tools we can to make things just a bit easier, one step at a time. 

Keep winning. 

Jeremy Hutchings & The Farm Owners Academy Team 

I really values the constructs that: ‘you cannot solve the problem you have created in the environment in which you created it’… and ‘many minds make for smarter work’.

You don’t need to have it all figured out. It’s about carving out time and space to slow-down, think, question, collaborate, reflect and reset your plan.

What if the future isn’t something to fear but something we can prepare for, shape, and lead into with confidence? 

For Simon Kuestenmacher, understanding what’s ahead isn’t guesswork. It’s grounded in data, demography and deep thinking. As co-founder of The Demographics Group, Simon helps leaders across the country make sense of the big forces shaping our communities, our economies and our businesses. In this conversation, he brings that lens directly to farming. 

This is a full and generous exchange with someone who not only understands the numbers but deeply respects the people behind them. Simon doesn’t just talk about trends, he speaks to what they mean for farm owners, for regional Australia and for the next generation of workers we are all learning to lead. 

And his message is simple. The world is changing fast, but if you are in farming, you are in the right place. The question is - are you setting your business and your people up to thrive in what comes next? 

Specifically during this episode we explore: 

Whether it is about creating better housing options, sharing your values with new staff, or just understanding the long arc of change, this episode will help you see the road ahead with a little more certainty. 

Simon, thank you for grounding the data in real meaning. And for reminding us that leading well today is still our best investment in tomorrow. 

To every farm owner listening - stay curious. Build systems. Invest in people. Keep asking the questions that matter. 

You are farming in the right country, in the right industry. And there is real opportunity ahead for those willing to prepare for it. 

Sincerely, 

What if we treated safety not as a box to tick, but as a culture to lead? 

For Rebecca Fing, this isn’t a theoretical question — it’s the heart of her life’s work. From her base in Goondiwindi, Rebecca and her team at House Paddock Training & Consulting have spent two decades helping farm families lift their game in HR, business strategy, and importantly — work health and safety. 

This episode is a full-bodied conversation with someone who’s been on over 600 farms and seen it all. Rebecca doesn’t just talk compliance — she talks culture. She doesn’t just talk paperwork — she talks people. 

And the urgency is real. Agriculture employs just 3% of Australia’s workforce, yet accounts for 30% of all workplace fatalities. Even more sobering — 75% of those deaths involve machinery. These aren’t just numbers. They’re reminders that safety isn’t something we can afford to “get to later.” Because what’s at stake is far too important. 

In a world where the urgent often crowds out the important, she makes a powerful case for choosing safety not someday, but today. 

We cover: 

Rebecca speaks with the kind of clarity and conviction that only comes from lived experience. Her honesty is refreshing, her passion is contagious, and her message is simple: don’t wait for a crisis to care. 

Whether you're leading a large team or running a family farm, this one will hit home. Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about rules — it’s about responsibility. And creating a farm culture where everyone gets to go home safe. 

Rebecca, thank you for showing us the heart behind the how-to. For reminding us that leading with care is the most powerful form of leadership there is. 

To every farm owner listening: make a start. Sloppy success, as Rebecca says, is far better than perfect procrastination. 

Keep caring. Keep leading. And keep making farms safer. 

Sincerely, 

Jeremy Hutchings & the Farm Owners Academy Team 

Every great innovation starts with a question — Could this be done better? 

For Wayne Perkins, that question came in a wool shed, with a busted back, and a view of shearing that hadn’t changed in a century. He wasn’t looking to build a business. He was looking to fix a problem. 

And in true agri-entrepreneur fashion, what followed was part invention, part persistence — and one heck of a story. 

In this episode, we shine a light on the doers. The tinkerers. The farm-based problem-solvers who aren’t waiting for permission — they’re out there building something better. 

Wayne Perkins is the founder of Perkinz, and the creator of the CrutchMaster and ShearMaster — two breakthrough systems in sheep handling that have become a lifeline for farmers and shearers across Australia and New Zealand. Backed by a background in shearing and solid grounding in farming, Wayne's story is a raw and real account of what it takes to create, adapt, and endure. 

We explore: 

Wayne has been through the wringer — financially, physically, emotionally. And yet, through all of it, he’s held onto a simple, powerful vision: make shearing better. He is one of the most determined, self-made thinkers in our space — and someone who reminds us all that real progress often starts with having a go. 

If you’re an agri-entrepreneur forging your own path, this episode is for you. And if you're looking to reduce the strain and sharpen the system on your own farm, check out the Perkinz CrutchMaster and ShearMaster at perkinz.com.au. 

Wayne — thank you for showing us what it means to stay the course, solve the real problems, and lead with vision (and a bit of good Kiwi cheek). 

Here’s to every farmer and agri-entrepreneur asking that same question: Could this be done better? 

Keep building. Keep asking. And keep believing in better. 

Sincerely, 

Jeremy Hutchings & the Farm Owners Academy Team 

P.S. If you’ve got a spark of something — an idea, a side project, a better way — the challenge is keeping it alive while everything else demands your time. That’s where our planner comes in. In just 10 minutes, it will help farm owners like you, get back in control and keep your good ideas moving forward.

👉 Click here to download your free planner

Succession isn’t just a plan on paper — it’s a living, breathing conversation about legacy, leadership, and what we’re really passing on. And when it’s done well, it can strengthen not just the business, but the family behind it. 

You’ll hear how their children have stepped up to run operations and organise camp drafts, and how strategic grazing lifted their carrying capacity from 1,500 to over 5,000 — all while staying true to their family-first values. 

Now and then, you get the chance to pause, look back, and really take stock. And when that moment rolls around, it can be quietly powerful. 

That’s exactly what this episode is. A milestone. A moment. A celebration. 

This year marks 10 years of Farm Owners Academy, and I wanted to sit down with two people who’ve been there from the start — FOA founder Greg Johnsson and our CEO Sam Johnsson — and reflect not just on where we’ve come from, but where we’re going. 

In this one, we unpack the heart behind FOA, the thinking that shaped the Top Producers Program, and the impact it’s had on farming families across Australia and New Zealand. 

But more than that, we talk about what truly sets top producers apart — and why, now more than ever, mindset, business acumen, and strategic focus are the critical tools for leading through uncertainty. 

Because right now, volatility is the new normal. 

Climate, markets, costs — they’re all shifting. And that means farming families need a stronger compass and clearer tools than ever before. 

In this episode, we explore: 

So wherever you’re at — whether you’re in growth, in a rut, or somewhere in between — this episode is an invitation to step up, get clear, and take charge. 

Our last Top Producers 2-Day Workshop for the year is happening June 23rd and 24th in Melbourne (or online if you can’t be there in person). And I can tell you, it’s two days that could completely change the trajectory of your business. 

This is your chance to step out of the day-to-day and rebuild from the top down—with the same framework the top 20% of farmers are using to outperform, year after year. 

We’ll walk you through how to transform your thinking, optimise your business model, and propel your farm forward—with clarity, purpose, and a clear plan in hand. 

But here’s the truth: you’ve got to choose it. 

Because the best businesses don’t happen by chance—they’re built by people who make time to grow, who lean in when it’s hard, and who say yes when most would sit back. 

Get off the tools. Step out of the chaos. And create space to lead with purpose. 

👉 Early bird tickets are available now — reserve your seat here! 

Greg, Sam — thank you for the wisdom, leadership, and heart you’ve poured into this community. 

And to every FOA member and listener — thank you for backing yourselves and walking this road with us. 

Here’s to the next 10. 

Jeremy Hutchings & the Farm Owners Academy Team 

The markets are rattled. The headlines are loud. And for farmers trying to plan ahead, it’s starting to feel a bit like trying to build a fence in shifting sand.

Let’s be honest - running a farm can feel like a never-ending list of things to do. The sun comes up, and we’re off… chasing the day, solving problems, making it all happen. But here’s the question we’re leaning into on this episode: What if the biggest breakthrough for your business isn’t out there in the paddock… but in here, inside you? 

At Farm Owners Academy, we’ve learned time and again that real transformation - the kind that sticks - starts with mindset. When farmers turn the focus inward and start doing the inner work, everything shifts. And this episode of Profitable Farmer is a powerful reflection of just that. 

We’re unpacking the theme: “Work harder on yourself than you do on your business.” It's a simple idea, but it cuts deep. And it’s at the very heart of what made our recent Tune In, Deep Dive event so special. Over 500 farmers joined us to dive into the mindset, wellbeing, and emotional intelligence tools that don’t just improve your business - they change your life. 

I’m joined by two people I respect deeply - Tracy Secombe, our Head of Wellbeing, and David Westbrook (Westy), one of our most loved coaches and a farmer through and through. Together, we get real about: 

If you’re ready to lead with clarity, step into your potential, and show up as your best self - on the farm, at home, and in life - this episode is for you. 

Tracy and Westy, thank you for sharing your wisdom and experiences. To everyone listening - my hope is that something in this conversation stays with you, nudges you forward, and reminds you just how powerful you really are. 

Keep winning everyone! 

As we reset for 2025, many are feeling the weight of a brutal 2024. And to be completely honest — when you're staring down a decile one year, it’s hard to know where to start.