Joint media release: Growing farm business resilience

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator the Hon Murray Watt
Tasmanian Minister for Primary Industries and Water, the Hon Jo Palmer MLC

Tasmanian farmers can now access specialist business coaching and the tools they need to prepare for and manage drought and adapt to a changing climate. 

Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Murray Watt and Tasmanian Minister for Primary Industries and Water Jo Palmer today announced that leading agribusiness firm RMCG has been contracted to deliver the Farm Business Resilience Program to the livestock, fruit, vegetable, wine and field crop industry sectors across all Tasmanian regions. 

More than 50 Tasmanian dairy farmers are already accessing the Program through Dairy Australia’s Our Farm, Our Plan being delivered locally by Dairy Tasmania. 

Developing a climate ready agricultural sector is a priority to unlocking the Tasmanian Government’s target to grow the farmgate value of agriculture to $10 billion by 2050.

Over two years the target is for more than 300 farming businesses to receive subsidised learning opportunities and develop farm business plans, tailored to a participants’ own agribusiness, risks and situation.

The Farm Business Resilience Program gives farmers access to workshops and one-on-one support to consider their long-terms goals, business management and risks, investment priorities, natural resource management, climate change, succession plans, sustainable irrigation, and farm safety.

The Australian and Tasmanian Governments have jointly committed over $4 million to the new Tasmanian Farm Business Resilience Program, under the Australian Future Drought Fund. 

For more information and for farmers to register interest – https://nre.tas.gov.au/agriculture/government-and-community-programs/future-drought-fund/farm-business-resilience-program

Further information and tools for managing seasonal conditions including support for farming businesses and families is available from www.nre.tas.gov.au/agriculture/government-and-community-programs/managing-seasonal-conditions

The Farm Business Resilience program is rolling out nationally as part of the Future Drought Fund. For more information on the Future Drought Fund, visit: www.agriculture.gov.au/ag-farm-food/drought/future-drought-fund.

Quotes attributable to Minister Watt:

“The Albanese Government is committed to working collaboratively with government and industry to ensure farm businesses are equipped for the future.

“Tasmanians are no strangers to natural disasters and drought, and we are pleased to commit federal funding through the Future Drought Fund to help farmers build resilience.

“The Farm Business Resilience program is helping farmers to make better decisions, before, during and after drought. It’s improving not just the resilience of individual farms, but also the well-being of the environment, broader agriculture sector, economy, and regional communities.”

Quotes attributable to Minister Palmer:

“We know that some parts of Tasmania are already feeling the effects of dry, particularly regions in the south-east and central highlands.

“We are also aware that being prepared for these conditions, planning early and making decisions before things escalate can help ease a lot of the angst and worry.

“Being prepared for and managing drought starts on the farm, supporting farmers, farm managers, and their employees with training and coaching to develop or update their own plans for their own business in their own way.

“Already we are seeing people coming together to share a conversation and showcase Tasmania’s economic, environmental and social resilience capacity, with the Drought Ready Tasmania Forum in Campbell Town today.

“The Farm Business Resilience Program is just one of the ways we are supporting the Tasmanian farming community to prepare for and manage these dry conditions, and is part of the range of information, tools, programs and resources available.”