Farm Planning Tips for Australian Farmers

Effective farm planning is one of the most important and often underrated aspects of running a successful farming enterprise. A well-planned farm is safer, more efficient, less stressful, and ultimately more productive and profitable. Here’s what experienced farmers consistently point to as the foundations of good farm planning.

Start Small, But Allow Room to Move

Many farmers need to start small and build their enterprise from the ground up, and that’s perfectly fine. What’s critical is that from the outset, you allow room within your farm layout to install valuable infrastructure as your business grows. Setting specific farm goals and working toward them steadily, while managing the natural variability in farm profit that comes with seasonal farming, will see your operation grow to where you want it to be.

Plan for Convenience and Workflow

Everything on a farm – dwellings, infrastructure, tools, and equipment, needs to be positioned to optimise workflow efficiency and create the best possible working environment for both farmers and staff. Experienced farmers understand the enormous value of a well-located shed and the way good positioning of equipment and infrastructure minimises travel time and reduces vehicle and machinery costs. Planning for workflow from the beginning is far easier and cheaper than trying to reconfigure things later.

Invest in Productivity-Enhancing and Labour-Saving Infrastructure

Infrastructure like fences and yards should be designed and installed to make livestock handling easier and to help you better manage crops, orchards, and feed resources across the whole year. Time spent designing paddocks and stockyards so that animals move naturally toward them, rather than against them, saves enormous amounts of time and reduces stress for both stock and handlers. Low-stress stock management is a win for everyone on farm.

If you talk to any livestock farmer, they’ll tell you how much productive time they’ve saved by building effective permanent yards in the right location on their property. Similarly, storage infrastructure for chemicals, fertiliser, and harvested crops or feed reduces labour costs, boosts productivity, and gives farmers valuable flexibility in deciding when to sell livestock or produce.

Develop Systems That Work

Effective systems for regularly undertaken jobs are the backbone of a productive and safe farm business. Systems that incorporate a “set and forget” routine make life easier for both farmers and staff, reduce the risk of things being missed, and free up time and mental energy for new projects or challenges that require more creative problem-solving.

Plan for Your Own Health and Productivity

Farming is one of the most demanding and stressful forms of self-employment there is. The quickest way to bring a farm business to its knees is to allow the farmer’s health to fail through burnout. Make sure you take proper holidays, book them well in advance and block the time off in your calendar straight away. Protecting your own health and wellbeing is not a luxury; it’s one of the most important things you can do for your farm.