Much to gain from management programme

The programme is a week-long event attended by up-and-coming farmers from New Zealand and Australia. The programme is led by expert presenters and includes interactive presentations, discussions, case studies and a farm tour.

What made you apply for Rabobank's Farm Managers Programme (FMP)?

I returned to the family farm in August 2014 after several years away. When I grew up on the farm it was a sheep and beef operation, however the farm was converted to dairy in 2011. My dad (Bill) was keen to get me to step into a managerial role as soon as possible, and having never lived or worked on a dairy farm I had to learn as much as I could as quickly as I could. Dad had attended Rabobank's other business management programme, the Executive Development Program (EDP), and I witnessed the enthusiasm that both my parents gained from his attendance at this course and the part it played in encouraging them to grow the business to where it is today.

What were the key topics covered in the programme?

The course covers a huge range of topics including leadership, communication and development of a business plan. For me, managing staff is where I needed the most development. The programme offered a great session on this. You left the session with a good number of ideas and approaches to dealing with staff and getting the best out of them.

What were the key learnings that you took away from the programme?

The key thing I took way was a renewed sense of enthusiasm about working in the agricultural sector. Programme attendance makes you proud to be a part of the industry you are in when you meet a bunch of other passionate farmers. You get to hear from some really impressive people who show you what is possible. You also take away quite a bit of content you can refer to later. In particular, I have found the time management and efficiency reference materials really handy.

Have you made any significant changes to your farming business as a result of completing the programme?

One of the small things I did was to look closely at how I was spending my time during the day. When I did this, I found I was spending a lot of time each week paying invoices, processing bank statements and doing other administrative tasks. As a result, I now set aside some specific time to do all these tasks once a month and this has proven to be much more efficient. This has helped free up time to look forward and investigate strategies to drive the business forward.

What would you say to other farmers thinking of applying for this programme?

Regardless of which agricultural sector you are in, there is much to gain from attending this programme. There are people from a wide range of agricultural sectors in New Zealand and Australia, and it is surprising to find how similar the challenges are across the board. For me, it was well worth attending just to hear from all the inspiring speakers and to meet and network with such a diverse range of farmers.

• Applications for Rabobank's Farm Managers Programme are open to all primary producers and close on April 15. This year's FMP will take place in South Australia from June 5-10. For more information about the FMP contact your local Rabobank branch on 0800 722 622 or visit www.rabobank.co.nz