Propagate

Country lawyer Claire Booth has worked with farming families on succession and estate planning for over a decade. She’s seen the best and the worst of it.

Inspired by the mistakes she’s seen farming families make, and the financial fall out of these decisions, she applied for and was awarded a Nuffield Research Scholarship. Claire’s research went deep on the relationship between succession planning and a business’s bottom line.

Talking with families all around the world who are running farming businesses, she discovered how a clear succession plan fostered happier family relationships, a positive work culture, and a thriving and profitable business. In this episode she shares these secret ingredients.

Propagate is brought to you by the Young Farmer Business Program, an initiative of the NSW Department of Primary Industries

The Longworth’s run South Bunarba - a large property near Mungindi in northern NSW, just south of the QLD border. It’s been in the family for 4 generations, and succession planning has been something the family have talked about for years.

The kids always thought they’d come home one day, but when they were thrown the curve ball of a divorce and a sudden illness, their best laid plans were put to the test.

In this episode – sisters Rebecca and Annette, and Annette’s husband Sam – recount the first year of upheaval that brought them all home.

Propagate is brought to you by the Young Farmer Business Program, an initiative of the NSW Department of Primary Industries.

For farming families, conversations about succession planning can be tough. The stakes are high, and it can be hard to get everyone on the same page.

Succession planning experts Isobel Knight, Lyn Sykes and accountant Tom Larkin understand why it’s important for farming families to tackle these tricky conversations head on.

If you’re asking - what the hell is a succession plan and why do I need one? This episode is for you. We’ll break down what a positive succession plan looks like, and the risks of not having one.

Propagate is brought to you by the Young Farmer Business Program, an initiative of the NSW Department of Primary Industries.

Peter Leitch and his wife Margot started succession planning when their three daughters were teenagers. Their story shows it’s never too soon to start these conversations, and that building structures around the farming business can help the next generation navigate working together.

Propagate is brought to you by the Young Farmer Business Program, an initiative of the NSW Department of Primary Industries.

When Scott and Renae got married and started a family, they dreamed of having their own dairy. It made perfect sense to team up with Scott’s parents in the family dairy business and begin what they thought was a clear succession plan road map.

But balancing the family relationships alongside the business put the pressure on, and soon the cracks began to emerge.

In this episode Scott and Renae share the ups and down of the first years of succession planning.

Propagate is brought to you by the Young Farmer Business Program, an initiative of the NSW Department of Primary Industries.

When Scott and Renae got married and started a family, they dreamed of having their own dairy. It made perfect sense to team up with Scott’s parents in the family dairy business and begin what they thought was a clear succession plan road map.

But balancing the family relationships alongside the business put the pressure on, and soon the cracks began to emerge.

In this episode we hear from Scott’s parents and learn how the family got their succession plan back on track.

Propagate is brought to you by the Young Farmer Business Program, an initiative of the NSW Department of Primary Industries.

In Season 2 of Propagate we’re chatting about one of the biggest challenges for farming families - succession planning. We’ll unpack the essential ingredients for a positive succession plan and hear about how good communication, a clear road map, and the right support, can keep both the family relationships, and the farming business, on track.

In this episode we speak with Sheia Kironn, who owns and operates Lifeforce Farm; a one-acre certified organic farm in Mullumbimby, a small town near Byron Bay, NSW.

Sheia grew up in the Midlands of England, where she spent hours gardening with her grandma in a small allotment garden in a council estate. The small patch of land provided a large amount of food to the family and left a lasting impression on Sheia.

After moving to Australia as a teenager, Sheia followed her passion for science to university, before switching to natural therapies. These days she blends the two worlds to grow vegetables that she sells and distributes locally. As a self-professed ‘farm-her’, Sheia is committed to creating a business that represents her and doesn’t expand simply for expansions sake.

Propagate is proudly brought to you by the good folks at the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Young Farmer Business Program.

The Young Farmer Business Program is creating opportunities for young farmers and fishers to enter into or expand their existing businesses by helping them improve their business skills.

The Young Farmer Business Program has been funded by the NSW Government through the Department of Primary Industries to deliver a multifaceted approach to help young farmers and fishers. Our program is providing access to new business ideas, tools, products and services relevant to young farmers and fishers.

For more information on the Young Farmer Business Program please visit https://www.youngfarmer.nsw.gov.au/

In this episode, Angus Maurice from Farmer Brown’s Pastured Eggs talks us through how a few changes in the way they viewed and presented their business has had an incredible impact on their bottom line.

Based in Central West New South Wales, Farmer Brown’s is a family affair, with Angus’ brother, sister and parents all involved in the daily operations. They also have a dedicated team of maremma working dogs who act as loyal guards to the free roaming chickens.

These days the operation is slick and successful, but there were some shaky years in the first few years. As Angus explains, the breakthrough came when they stopped trying to sell their eggs and instead started to sell their brand.

The change has meant more time curating their social media accounts and more people who are prepared to pay a premium for their eggs. Luckily the exceptionally cute guard dogs are naturals in front of a camera.

Propagate is proudly brought to you by the good eggs at the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Young Farmer Business Program.

The Young Farmer Business Program is creating opportunities for young farmers and fishers to enter into or expand their existing businesses by helping them improve their business skills.

The Young Farmer Business Program has been funded by the NSW Government through the Department of Primary Industries to deliver a multifaceted approach to help young farmers and fishers. Our program is providing access to new business ideas, tools, products and services relevant to young farmers and fishers.

For more information on the Young Farmer Business Program please visit https://www.youngfarmer.nsw.gov.au/

In this episode, husband and wife team Jarrod and Emma Amery welcome us onto their farm outside of Forbes, NSW.

While both Jarrod and Emma grew up amongst farming, it took them a long time for them to find the perfect farm to call their own. Location was obviously one crucial consideration to finding the right property, but equally important was finding one with a house large enough for them and their six young children.

Now that they have their ‘dream’ farm, there’s just the simple little things to worry about - making a profit, keeping the bank manager happy and dealing with a period of drought.

They also discuss how faith plays an important role in their lives, what it’s like working as a team and how time away from the farm can be the best way to be productive on the farm and in the community.

Propagate is proudly brought to you by the good folks at the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Young Farmer Business Program.

The Young Farmer Business Program is creating opportunities for young farmers and fishers to enter into or expand their existing businesses by helping them improve their business skills.

The Young Farmer Business Program has been funded by the NSW Government through the Department of Primary Industries to deliver a multifaceted approach to help young farmers and fishers. Our program is providing access to new business ideas, tools, products and services relevant to young farmers and fishers.

For more information on the Young Farmer Business Program please visit https://www.youngfarmer.nsw.gov.au/