The two-month Future Focus business planning programme, set up in 2017, equips farming partnerships to set a future path for their businesses, develop systems to achieve goals and lead their teams to success.
The programme, delivered by the Agri-Women’s Development Trust to more than 130 sheep and beef farmers this year, will reach 320 farmers in 2020 with continued support from the Red Meat Profit Partnership.
Trust general manager Lisa Sims said it is the first time many farming couples have taken time out to step back and look at the big picture together then break it down into achievable, measurable steps.
“The business plans developed by participants are increasingly centred on family, environmental, farm succession and diversification goals alongside financial targets.
“Some farmers recognise that years of investment and work have put them in a good position to adapt and grow their business now.
“Proactively planning together creates understanding and confidence in future direction.”
One couple who have invested in fencing waterways and biodiversity for 15 years is now planning to diversify into farm tourism that will enable farm succession.
Other examples include aiming for 90% recycling, improving marketing to grow a farm tourism business, reducing debt, focusing on time off-farm with family, addressing climate change and improving water quality.
Wairoa farmers Scott and Rebecca Morunga, who did Future Focus in April, said sitting down together to plan provided huge benefit to their business.
The new farm owners were inspired to do the programme after Rebecca did another trust course, Understanding Your Farm Business.
“I did this course last year – it was just for women – and came away with all this new knowledge. I got so much out of it.
“Then I heard about the Future Focus programme and thought yay, we can both do that, just two days over two months and Scott agreed it would be good to do together and that he could manage that,” Rebecca said.
The couple had managed Scott’s family property for 14 years, taking over farm ownership in July 2017.
The 500-hectare sheep and beef property running breeding ewes and finishing bulls was where Scott grew up but now he was steering the ship.
“We had more responsibility, we had to do all the planning, budgeting, everything so it was a big step up for us. We were on our own.
“Doing the course gave us really good tools and confidence, especially me,” Rebecca said.
“We came away with a really solid business plan with our goals and vision on paper and us both heading in the same direction. It helped us immensely.
“Whether it’s budgeting or goals we want to set as a couple and business, it’s given us a lot of confidence to address the challenges we’re facing.
“The whole programme environment was really good with different farmers there to learn from,” Scott said.
“It’s opened our eyes up to different things we need to do. We’ve got a good environmental plan just by doing the programme.
“Having a strong business plan on paper in front of you makes it easier to transition through those periods of challenge.”
The couple strongly urge all sheep and beef farming business partners to do a business plan through a Future Focus programme.
“You’ll just never look back,” they said.
