“Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.” This is a quote from Dwight D Eisenhower who was the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe in WWII and also the 34th President of the United States. What he as saying is that a plan is a guide that can often change in the heat of battle, but because there is a plan it means different risks and scenarios have been thought through, you know what your resources, risks and goals are and having thought all this through you now have a foundation or base level that sets out your direction and you can use and adapt this when things change. In the case of a Farm Business Plan, it is also an excellent document to have when communicating within your business and to external parties such as advisers and financiers.

My guest this month is Jess Bell, Senior Project Officer with NSW DPIRD’s Farm Business Resilience Program who has co-authored a book called Farm Business Planning which has been published by Tocal College and is also available online. We discuss the importance of a Farm Business Plan, when you should develop one, who should do it, what it contains, why you should have one and how it can be used, as well as providing you with lots of resources to help you through the process and set your business up for future success.

Useful resources related to this podcast:

·       Order your “Farm Business Planning” book and access free templates

·       Dairy Standard Chart of Accounts

·       Dairy Cash Budgeting Tool | Dairy Australia

·       Farm Business Resilience Program

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary Industries

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address [email protected]

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries 

Transcript here

Produced by Liam Driver

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Farm businesses in some parts of NSW have experienced some very challenging weather events throughout 2025 including ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred in March and the East Coast Severe Weather event in May. When disasters of this scale occur and they are declared a severe weather event, the NSW Rural Assistance Authority (RAA) is the agency that administers funding made available by the state and federal governments. In this episode my guests introduce us to the RAA, its history, and its role in administration and distribution of funds. We also discuss two types of loans made available to provide assistance with natural disasters and also drought preparedness and touch on farm debt mediation.

Useful resources related to this podcast:

·       RAA website - NSW Rural Assistance Authority (RAA)

·       Phone 1800 678 593 (Monday to Friday from 8:30am – 4:30pm)

·       NSW DPIRD Dairy – Emergencies and risk management web page - Emergencies and risk management | Department of Primary Industries

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary Industries

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address [email protected]

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter

Transcript here

Produced by Liam Driver

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

What is over-capitalisation, what does it look like on a dairy farm and how does it impact your business performance? It is important to be aware of how over-capitalisation can add to your business’s cost of production – adding to both cash and non-cash costs.

This month, updates have been provided on average depreciation and interest costs as we revisit one of our very early podcast episodes. The content and insights provided by Jake are as relevant today as they were in 2021.

Useful resources related to this podcast:

·       Jake Musson (Dairy Australia) – NSW System Performance presentation (~19:20 minute mark for ‘Plant and equipment vs. Depreciation) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLb7Z2DU6fI 

·       Tower of Resilience (John Mulvany)

·       Farm Business Snapshot calculator

·       NSW Dairy Farm Monitor reports

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary Industries

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address [email protected]

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries 

Transcript - Here

Produced by Liam Driver

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

How do you tell if your dairy business is heading in the direction you want it to? Is it ‘gut sense’ or can you quantify it? MiniMilkBiz is a tool that we have recently updated that allows you to generate some rich physical and financial reports to see how your milking herd is currently performing. This episode explains MiniMilkBiz, what information is required and outlines the two key reports that are generated. The show notes contain a link to download the tool from our website.

Learn more:

MiniMilkBiz

Dairy Standard Chart of Accounts

DairyBase

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary Industries

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address [email protected]

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries 

Transcript here 

Produced by Video Lift

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

As Australian dairy farms have expanded and herd sizes grown, the demand for skilled labour has increased —but finding local workers can be challenging. In this episode, we explore how employing overseas staff through various visa options and the Dairy Industry Labour Agreement can help fill the gap.

Migration agent Fadi Malek, who is Director of Global Skilled Employment Services and NSW dairy farmer Andrew Farr join us to unpack the process of registering, recruiting, and employing international workers. While not a one-size-fits-all solution, overseas labour—when managed well—can be a rewarding option for both employers and employees.

Join us in our milestone 50th podcast, to learn about the opportunities, challenges, and practical steps involved in bringing skilled workers to your farm.

Topics include:

• Types of visas – what might suit your situation
• Worker rights and pay rates
• Dairy Industry Labour Agreement (DILA)
• Registering as a potential overseas labour employer
• Effective working relationships and cultural considerations
• Assistance with recruitment and immigration processes

Learn more:

The People in Dairy – Hiring people from overseas.

Dairy Australia fact sheets:

Dairy Industry Labour Agreement (DILA) – What you need to know. 

DILA - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 

Global Skilled Employment Services. 

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary Industries

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address [email protected]

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries 

Transcript here

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Producing milk with less lactose – why might this be important? Our guest this month is Juan Garguilo, one of my NSW DPIRD colleagues. Juan has been involved in a number of research projects as part of the NSW Dairy Up R& D initiative and if you are a long-term listener of this podcast, you will have heard his Argentinian accent before!

Juan, in conjunction with other well known dairy researchers, Professor Yani Garcia (University of Sydney) and Russ Hovey (University of California – Davis) has analysed the lactose content in milk – lactose being a milk solid that you don’t normally hear too much about. Understanding and manipulating lactose content of milk may have farm level and industry level benefits as described by Juan in discussion with Zita Ritchie in this podcast.

Project Update – Producing Milk with less lactose  

DairyUp website 

Journal of Dairy Science paper 

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary Industries

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services 

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address [email protected]

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries 

Transcript here

Produced by Video Lift

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

We are now entering milk pricing season in the Australian dairy industry, which means there will be plenty of headline news as we head into milk processors announcing prices on the 1st June as required under the mandatory Dairy Code of Conduct.

Joanne Bills, Director of the Global Insights team with Ever.Ag (Freshagenda) outlines their forecast around milk pricing with particular reference to the NSW industry and we also discuss some of the implications of the Trump Administration’s tariff announcements on the Australian dairy industry. 

Milk Value Portal (MVP) 

Fresh Agenda Quarterly Insights Report (MVP)

Farmgate Milk Value tool (MVP - calculator)

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary Industries

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address [email protected]

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries 

Transcript here

Produced by Video Lift

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Over 170 dairy farms across SE QLD and the North Coast of NSW were impacted by severe flooding and wet conditions as a result of Tropical Cyclone Alfred in early March this year, 2025. This resulted in losses of power, pasture and crop and other feed losses, for some farms a period of time where milk was unable to be picked up and infrastructure damage on farm and off farm such as land slips impacting road access to farms. 

Herd health is always a major issue in this situation and this month we focus particularly on the impact of mastitis, lameness and the conditions for people on the farm. While the floods have receded, the management of these conditions continues and I am very pleased to have veterinarian Dr Mark Humphris and Riverina dairy farmer, Ruth Kydd join me in discussion today.

NSW Rural Assistance Authority – Natural Disaster Transport Subsidy

NSW Rural Assistance Authority – Natural Disaster Relief Loan

QLD Freight subsidies for disaster affected Primary Producers - Freight Subsidies for Disaster Affected Primary Producers QLD | business.gov.au 

QLD Rural & Industry Development Authority – Disaster Assistance Loan - Disaster Assistance Loans | Queensland Rural and Industry

QLD Rural & Industry development Authority – Disaster Assistance (Essential Working Capital Loan) - Disaster Assistance (Essential Working Capital) Loan |

Fact sheets – Dairy Australia:

“Managing Lameness in Wet Conditions” and “Mastitis Control in Wet Conditions”

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary Industries

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address [email protected]

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries 

Transcript here

Produced by Video Lift

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Too hot, too dry, too wet - seasonal conditions can be challenging to manage for those on the land. Forecasting for the season ahead can be difficult but is important when planning what you will do now or in the coming months. The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s Climate team have some excellent freely available resources including a recently released Drought Forecasting tool. Kel Langfield and Jen Wurtzel from the team step us through these tools and how they can be used by farmers and their advisors. Please use the links in the show notes to access these tools and other information, noting that the State Seasonal Update report is released at the beginning of the month and the drought forecast maps are updated twice a month.

Email the team: [email protected]  

DPIRD Climate webpage

State Seasonal Update  

Drought forecast

Combined Drought Indicator

Farm Tracker App

My Farm Dashboard

Survey - Have Your Say

Seasonal Conditions Information Portal

Climate Dogs

BoM Outlooks

Climate Forecasts and Monitoring

Seasonal Climate Forecasts in Australian Agriculture Case Studies

Drought Hub   

LLS

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary Industries

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address [email protected]

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter

Transcript here

Produced by Video Lift

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Are you a farmer or interested party looking to undertake a development on your dairy farm? Planning farm developments is complex and involves planning and assessment requirements which can be tricky to navigate. This month my colleague Zita Ritchie discusses the recent release of the NSW Dairy Development Guidelines with Clare Fitzpatrick who is a renowned and respected planning consultant within the dairy industry. 

The guidelines are designed to help anyone involved in decision making around planning, design, construction and operation of a dairy development. They also contain an excellent farmer checklist highlighting key areas to consider when planning a development and a checklist for a development application. 

A link to the guidelines is provided in the show notes. 

NSW Dairy Development and Environmental Guidelines 2024 - New developments and facilities | Department of Primary Industries 

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit 

For more information visit Dairy | Department of Primary Industries 

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services 

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address [email protected] 

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include: 

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page 

DPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feed 

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter 

Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries 

Transcript here 

Produced by Video Lift 

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice.