Hustle through the storms

Not because there's a shortage of things to write about - let's be honest, there's more going on in our sector than ever before.

I'm writing about it because now, more than ever, we need to bring our focus back to the basics - our business. The stuff we can control. In a world where the volume of white noise - regulation, politics, global pressure - keeps rising, we need to rebuild the muscle to tune it out, refocus, and navigate forward with clarity.

The weather is wild, markets are unpredictable, compliance keeps shifting, and conversations about social license, technology, and succession can feel like background static that never switches off.

But in all this noise, one thing remains constant: if you don't know your own business, you're in trouble.

&That’s why programmes like Understanding Your Farming Business (UYFB) are more relevant than ever. They don’t offer a magic wand or predict the milk or meat price. What they do is something far more powerful – they help farmers build micro-strength. Everyday resilience that keeps the lights on, the animals fed, and the bank manager on side. They give clarity in chaos.

We talk a lot in agriculture about the big stuff. You all know I’m the worst; if its shiny and new, I’m talking about it – global trade, climate volatility, regulation, export markets. And yes, those things matter. But our ability to make the most of those macro waves comes down to what’s happening inside the farm gate. It’s about micro decisions, the invisible daily grit, and the ability to make clearheaded calls in murky conditions.

That’s what Module 3 of the UYFB programme nails. It’s a practical tool – the FARM Decision Framework – designed to cut through the noise and help farmers make strong, structured decisions. And I don’t mean decisions in a shiny PowerPoint way. I mean the real stuff: Do we renew the lease? Do I need help to change my genetics? Should we invest in that new piece of kit or land?

The tool itself sounds simple:

F – Frame the problem

A – Analyse the parts

R – Review through SPOC (Systems, Processes, Operations, Commercials)

M – Make and Monitor

You might say, ‘big deal, we already know that’. Yep, you do, but do you do anything with it? To know and not do is worse than not knowing. Because behind every farm decision is a storm of variables – financial pressure, family dynamics, future risk, emotional fatigue.

What the FARM framework does is bring those variables into focus and filter the emotion with structure. It helps you ask better questions, test your assumptions, and pressure-test your thinking before the money’s spent or the fence is built.

One of the most profound things about this tool is that it doesn’t pretend certainty exists. It teaches us to make the best decisions without certainty. It accepts that life is complex, business is risky, and leadership is messy. And it says, “Cool – let’s work with what we’ve got”.

We’ve spent too long romanticising resilience as a character trait – like it’s something you’re born with or not. But resilience is built through structure. It’s built through systems and small wins and knowing your numbers. It’s built when you give yourself the tools to lead your business, not just react to it.

And that’s what UYFB gives people. It doesn’t lecture; it empowers. It builds confidence through clarity. It takes those often-invisible micro muscles and strengthens them so you can withstand the macro storm.

What I love about the FARM tool, and the broader UYFB Kaupapa, is that it honours gut instinct. It doesn’t try to replace your experience or tell you the ‘right’ answer. It sharpens your gut. It helps you back yourself with a bit more structure and a lot less stress.

If I could bottle up one thing from Module 3 and hand it out on every farm driveway in the country, it would be this:

You don’t need perfect information to make good decisions. You need a process, a mindset, and the confidence to move.

Because here’s the truth — life has never been fair, and it’s never been certain. But that’s never stopped people from succeeding or stepping up to lead. Complexity isn’t a reason to give up on clarity — it’s the reason we need it.

In this noisy, volatile, demanding world, clarity is your competitive edge. It’s your anchor. And it starts by understanding your own farming business – not the mythical perfect farm, not the neighbour’s system, but yours.

So don’t wait for certainty. It’s not coming. But you can build clarity. You can build confidence. And you can build a business that thrives, even when the forecast doesn’t.

Success isn’t just about surviving the storm. It’s about being strong enough to hustle your way through it.

Julia Jones is the general manager of AWDT