That is why the Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) is running a series of workshops in April to train dairy farmers in effective business administration.
DWN chief executive Zelda de Villiers said there was huge variation in profitability between New Zealand's best and worst performing dairy farms.
“Investing in business administration skills has the potential to significantly close that gap,” she said.
The workshops will:
– inform farmers on the key components of a business administrator role
– help them feel more on top of their compliance obligations in business administration
– provide them with a better understanding of office technology
– provide participants with the knowledge to design a smart office space
– help them create a business administration plan for the year.
The workshops will be facilitated by Annabel Craw in the North Island and Frances Coles in the south.
Coles has first-hand experience dealing with increasing business administration demands.
She and her husband have their own dairy farm and invest in three other dairying businesses.
Coles said 13 years ago she was working full-time off the farm and fitting in the accounts around everything else.
As the business grew she realised the administration requirements were getting beyond both her resources and some of her skillw.
“I had to reassess our approach to business administration, including whether the home office was still the right place to be doing that work because there is no boundary between home and work when you live at your office,” she said.
They now employ two part-time administrators and has a purpose-built office complete with boardroom and kitchenette.
Craw, a business developer, has spent her career helping other farmers build financial business capability.
She said the workshop will help farmers better understand the business administration role and the value it adds to their businesses.
“If you look at other industries or businesses, administration functions are performed at a very high, professional level, because they are at the core of a well-run business,” she said.
On a farm business administration often falls to women who may be juggling a number of other roles on the farm, she said.
There will be a session sharing practical experiences in dealing with ever-increasing dairy farmer compliance requirements.
“In particular DWN members often ask for more practical training in ACC, tax and Kiwisaver, because the information they get at a technical level isn’t easy to translate in a practical way.
This session will be about sharing what people are currently doing, where they are stuck, and farmers offering other farmers practical solutions.”
The workshops start on April 1 in Kerikeri and Nelson and finish in the south on April 15 in Winton.
For a complete schedule of the Well-Oiled Office workshops visit www.dwn.co.nz or phone 0800 396 748.
Schedule for the Well-Oiled Office workshops April 2014:
April 1: Northland, FlourFlower, 2 Cochrane Drive, Kerikeri; Nelson, Seifrieds Vineyard Conference Centre, 184 Redwood Road, Appleby, Richmond.
April 2: Waikato, Gordonton Hall, 1063 Gordonton Road, Gordonton.
April 3:South Waikato: Graham Brown Chartered Accountants, 45-49 Tirau St, Putaruru; West Coast, Westland Milk Products, 56 Livingstone Street, Hokitika
April 8: Bay of Plenty, Best Western Braeside Resort, 4 Barnard Rd, Ngongotaha, Rotorua; Canterbury, Darfield Recreation and Community Centre, North Terrace, Darfield Domain, Darfield
April 9: Manawatu, Gateway Motor Inn, 290 High St, Solway, Masterton
April 10: North Otago, Papakaio Hall, Papakaio, Oamaru
April 15: Southland, Winton Presbyterian Church,
