Business and risk management for farmers
The following resources, contact details and linked websites have been sourced from:
- PIRSA
- state and regional agencies
- Federal Government
- local councils
- farming groups
- regional community health networks and service providers.
We are working on delivering a comprehensive suite of information to support farm management decisions.
Business performance and planning
Read about business and risk management:
The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) offers these and other factsheets on farm business management:
- simple business planning
- making effective business decisions
- benefits of separating land assets from the operating business
- how to keep track of your farm business performance
- how to know if your business is viable
- developing a farm business balance sheet
- developing a profit and loss budget
- people factors driving farm decisions
- succession planning
- valuing your labour and management
- building emotional resilience
- taking care of your personal health
- farm labour management.
Stress-test your farming business by understanding key financial ratios.
Cropping decisions
Improving water use
Sowing
- No-till into pastures ()
- What crop area should I sow? ()
- Impact of time of sowing: GRDC
- Impact of dry sowing, frost, crop type and variety ()
Spraying
Weed management
- Crop weed control ()
- Weed identification: GRDC apps
- Ryegrass integrated management: Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative (AHRI)
- Weed seed bank control: WeedSmart
- Integrated weed management: GRDC
Pest animal management
Disease management
Insect management
Nutrition
Resources
- RAVnet – interactive online map system for approved heavy vehicle route networks in SA
- Australian Government levies on grains
- National Residue Survey
- Biosecurity Australia.
Livestock – pasture management
Pasture budgeting
- MMFS: Module 8
- Feed demand calculator: Meat and Livestock Australia (MALA)
- Feed budget tables: Lifetime Wool
- Pasture photo standards: Feed on Offer (FOO) Library
- Matching stocking levels with feed supply ()
Livestock – sheep and cattle management
- Wool grower tools: Australian Wool Innovation Limited (AWIL)
- Grazing management ()
- Ewe management: Lifetime Wool
- MMFS: Modules 9, 10 and 11
- Cost of production calculator: MALA
- More beef from pasture: MALA
- Livestock water supply ()
Drought management
The following factsheets for Upper South East farmers were produced by PIRSA and Department for Environment and Water, with the support of MacKillop Farm Management Group and Sheep Connect SA.
- Drought feeding: AWIL
- Drought recovery – Planning for profit: MALA
- Developing livestock exit strategies ()
Livestock in dry times
- Comparing the costs of feed ()
- Calculating dry matter intakes ()
- Ration formulation using the Pearson Square ()
- Dry matter vs as fed ()
- Basic ration diet formulation ()
- Calculating supplementary feed amounts – sheep ()
- Calculating supplementary feed amounts – cattle ()
- Drought management checklist for livestock ()
- Feed budgeting in a drought ()
- Livestock management options ()
Page last reviewed: 20 Jul 2016