Registration for the AgRi-Silience program is open again with some Mid North participants sharing their experience and how it helped the development of their business.
AgRi-Silience is managed by Livestock SA and is part of the Farm Business Resilience Program, jointly funded by the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and the Government of South Australia, to offer development opportunities for grain and livestock businesses.
Dili Schoenberg, who is part of a sheep enterprise at Waterloo, shared her experience and how the program had a unique advantage of facilitating strategic planning alongside a dedicated facilitator.
She said producers were often caught up with day-to-day tasks and rarely had the chance to step back and focus on the business from a strategic perspective, so this experience was incredibly valuable.
“I found the greatest advantage of the program was having both me and my husband work alongside a facilitator to explore our business values and see how they fit into a strategic plan,” she said.
“We are often so caught up in the day-to-day tasks that we rarely have the chance to step back and focus on the business from a strategic perspective.”
Helen Thomas, who manages a sheep and cropping enterprise in Manoora, had also taken part in the program and emphasised its exclusivity and personalised attention it offers.
She said being part of a small, exclusive group ensured they could receive considerable attention, which was invaluable.
“We entered the program without any expectations but were genuinely impressed by its profound impact,” she said.
“Our business had just begun to undergo significant changes, and participating in the program not only solidified those initial decisions but also guided us in refining and adapting our strategies for the better.”
Finally Sophie Browne, who is part of a sheep and cropping enterprise at Marrabel, attributed the program’s role in guiding efforts towards effective outcomes and long-term planning.
She said the program was key in guiding their efforts towards more effective outcomes.
“With the funding we received, we were able to invest in benchmarking, enabling us to set and implement concrete goals. A significant change was enhancing our Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) standards within the business,” she said.
“The program has transformed how we approach goal setting, equipping us with the foresight to plan strategically for five, 10, and even 15 years into the future.”
The new round of AgRi-Silience will focus on diversity, whether participants are fine-tuning operations or navigating challenges of a new venture.
Participants will have flexibility to explore important aspects with access to expert support tailored to their needs.
Key features of the program to be delivered over the next year include three days of peer-to-peer discussion group, individual coaching sessions with a facilitator to maintain momentum and funding of $3500, excluding GST, to access subject matter expert consultation.
Each participating business will contribute $500, excluding GST, for up to two members to attend.
In response to demand, two regions have been identified for delivery in the Orroroo and Yunta areas, which are open for registrations.
Two groups have been organised for these areas, facilitated by Pinion Advisory, with preliminary start dates of May 13 for Orroroo and May 15 for Yunta.
Livestock SA is also seeking producers or groups from other regions to register to bring the program to them.
More information is available online at livestocksa.org.au/industry-development/agri-silience
