FarmTender2025 - The Business of Farming event

FarmTender2025 - The Business of Farming event:

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Features include:

> No sponsors, so no commitments. Just relevant Farming topics with people in the know.

> Five separate opportunities to network and talk to people during the day.

> No Farm Tender talks, however, all of our staff will be there.

> Individuals with a business associated with Farming are welcome to attend (at extra cost), but they can bring flyers, cards, they can wear their uniform, and they will have opportunities to network with Farmers.

And what about our door prize:

TBA.

This is what some people thought of our last event:

"A great mix of speakers who were all very informative and interesting. A great opportunity to network and the whole event was run very well."

"First-class event, first-class information and great country atmosphere."

"It was a great day, speakers were excellent, and it gave me lots to think about"

"The event was informative and insightful. While we didn't all have a direct correlation with all of the speakers, the great thing is they provoked thought on our own businesses and exposed us to alternate options".

"Your event gave us the opportunity to expose the younger ones to new concepts. While they won't have absorbed everything from the day, we have turned on the light bulb with a number of important things."

"This was my first Farm Tender conference. I enjoyed it immensely. I would encourage anyone to make the effort to attend. You won't be disappointed."

"Unbelievable."

Agenda:

Note: SA time

8:45 am arrival for a 9:15 kickoff.

9:15 - 9:30 - Welcome by Dwain Duxson

9:30 - 10:00 - Jack Owen - Theories behind running a successful Farm business and having a good life.

10:00 - 10:30 - Michael Bagshaw - Getting on the front foot with the business of Farming in 2025

10:30 - 11:00 - David Heinjus - Tapping into David's experience of the things we need to do after a tight money year.

11:00 -11:30 - Morning tea

11:30 - 12:00 - Emma Germano - What's new age Ag Advocacy look like? What happens when the money runs out?

12:00 - 12:30 - Tim Leeming - Tim scaled up his operation and then did what not many of us don't do; he then downsized.

12:30 - 1:00 - Nigel Kerin - What opportunities should Farmers be pursuing coming out of a drought?

1:00 - 2:00 - Lunch

2:00 - 2:30 - Nigel Kerin - Rebuilding your balance sheet after a tough season.

2:30 - 3:00 - Jeff McDonald - The human psychology side of Farming. How do we think better?

3:00 - 3:30 - Jack Thomas - Thomas Foods International - The past, the present and the future.

3:30 - 4:00 - Afternoon Tea

4:00 - 4:30 - TBA

4:30 - 5:00 - TBA

5:00 - Door prize draw followed by cut-out Drinks and Food (supplied by Farm Tender)

Speakers profiles:

David Heinjus - CEO of Pinion Advisory and Farmer, Clare, SA. Profile: David needs little introduction in SA as many people would have followed his career, and many would have dealt with him through his Pinion Advisory business and his previous business. David is a knowledgeable veteran around the business of Farming.

Topics we will cover: We will ask David about some of the things that have changed in Farming over the years, having dealt with hundreds and probably thousands of Farmers over the years. We will also cover off on what the future might look like. David will offer up some of the tips Farmers can take into the 2025 season, and how best to recover from the tough 2024 season.

Emma Germano - VFF President (will be former by event time) and Farmer, Thorpdale, Vic. Profile: Emma is a strong character who champions change and has been the leader of the Victorian Farmers Federation for the last 4 years. She bowed out in December.

Topics we will cover: Emma has a strong view on how Ag Advocacy should be shaped. We will pinpoint some of those views and prize out the reasons why she thinks they will work. We will also get an understanding of where the money comes from and goes (the money-go-round) in the Ag Advocacy space. Don't miss this interview as Ag advocacy in Australia is in for a big shake up.

Jack Thomas - Thomas Food International and Farmer, Murray Bridge, SA. Profile: Jack is part of the Thomas Food International Family, being the son of CEO Darren. Jack works as a Livestock buyer for the organisation, and I'm sure he is getting tuned up to fill one of the main management roles in the future.

Topics we will cover: We will talk about how the Farmer/Processor relationship can be improved. It will be interesting to hear what Jack says about the reduction of the Sheep flock and how that affects his business. We will ask where they are at with the New Murray Bridge operation, and we will find out what is ahead for this ever-growing Ag business.

Tim Leeming - Pardoo Prime, Farmer, Pigeon Ponds, Vic. Profile: Tim is a Farmer near Balmoral in South West Victoria. Tim is a real leader in the Sheep Industry and has a passion for Sheep reproduction.

Topics we will cover: Tim did something many of us never do. He scaled down his operation. He bought Land about 10 years ago and sold it 12 months ago for a handy profit. We want to explore what the thinking was behind this decision. Tim also had a tough start to the season in 2024, so we want to pick his brain as to how he went about his recovery. Tim was also prolific in organising one of those "dry start" events with some guest speakers, etc. We want to ask Tim how he saw other people react to the situation and what the takeaways were from that.

Jack Owen - Author of "You Are Not Your Farm" and Farmer, Ballarat, Vic. Author of "You Are Not Your Farm" and Farmer, Ballarat, Vic. Profile: Jack is a Farmer just south of Ballarat in Victoria Western District. However, Jack's biggest claim to fame is he is an author. He has just released a book titled "You Are Not Your Farm". Jack has also started coaching other Farmers. For a man so young Jack has and continues to invest heavily in his learning.

Topics we will cover: Jack is big on mindset and having the right attitude, so we will delve into those topics pretty deeply. We will ask him how he recoved from his dry start to 2024 and how a pretty ordinary Sheep and Lamb market affected his bottom line. Jack will bring some new ideas to the table.

Nigel Kerin - Kerin Ag, Farmer, Yeoval, NSW. Profile: Nigel is a thought provoker and is happy to share his successes and stuff ups that he is experiencing in his Farming tenure so far. Nigel and his family have built a substantial Agricultural business over the years, and he is a very much in-demand speaker and podcast guest. We look forward to introducing him to some South Australian Farmers who will get many takeaways from his sessions.

Topics we will cover: Nigel has two interview sessions. In the first one, we will dissect his theories behind running a successful Farm business. We will touch on how he's expanded his Land holding over the years and some of the innovative ways he has financed this and other activities. We will ask Nigel's experiences on how he got through the 17/18/19 drought that devastated NSW and Qld. In the second session, we want to cover the topic of rebuilding the balance sheet after a tight year. It will be a fascinating chat.

Jeff McDonald - RLS Agribusiness, Loxton, SA. Profile: Jeff is another thought provoker who doesn't mince his words when dealing with his clients. You will get an honest opinion, and that's what his clients love about him. Jeff started down the finance track, and he and his business have evolved into an Agribusiness services business that works with a wide range of Farming businesses around SA and across Victoria and NSW.

Topics we will cover: I want to go deep with Jeff as he enjoys the human psychology side of things. He will outline some of the common pitfalls and things you need to let go of if you want to get ahead in business and life. We will give some airtime into how do Farmers recover from an awful 2024 season, in SA and Victoria. Have your pens ready, as this chat will provide endless takeaways not only for your business but also for your life.

Michael Bagshaw - Bagshaw Agri Advisory and ex-Farmer, Adelaide Hills, SA. Profile: Michael is an ex Farmer turned Agri Advisor who looks after a select group of Farmers who have diverse businesses. Micheal is an Agricultural enthusiast and has a thirst for information.

Topics we will cover: How to deal with Banks, Brokers and the like. We will ask Michael if private funding is a new frontier for Agriculture. We will ask Micheal what are some of the things that Farmers to focus on in 2025 after a tight 2024 money-wise.

Accommodation:

There are rooms available at 15% discounted rate at the Novotel Barossa Valley Resort.

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