Ever had an epiphany?
A moment when a seemingly insurmountable problem has a blindingly obvious solution?
For career mum Meridie Jackson, it came, not on the Road to Damascus, but after a five-month road trip around Australia with her young family. The plan had been that she would return to the corporate world and employ a nanny to look after the kids. But she felt torn as she didn’t relish the idea of her children spending most of their days without their parents.
The solution suddenly became obvious, but at the same time scary. She decided not to go back to a city-based job and to look for opportunities in her local area in beef production. While the prospect of farming was very appealing, she had little practical on-farm knowledge and an even less chance of buying more land in an area where land prices bear little relationship to earning capacity. But she did have a goal and that was a good starting point.
She leant into what she was good at, and that was acquiring learning quickly and building relationships. So, she built relationships with neighbours, with consultants, with agents and with butchers. Before long, local landholders were offering her lease opportunities, and butchers were offering significant premiums if she could guarantee supply of ethically-produced, grass-fed beef.
So the Angus and Wagyu premium beef brand Smith and Jackson was born. Her offering was small at first: operating on just 300 acres at Glenburn, but then neighbours offered a lease on their land, and like Topsy, the business grew. Now you can purchase Smith and Jackson pasture-fed Angus and Wagyu beef at several premium butcher shops in the Yarra Valley and beyond.
At this year’s Gippsland Red Meat Conference, the theme is Every Decision Counts.
Meridie’s decision to go with her heart and commit to a farming career has proved fulfilling. Her children all get involved when needed on the farm, and she has had the flexibility to be fully involved in their lives, as well as grow the family business. There have been challenges, but her message to conference attendees is that there is a path to farm ownership, even if you don’t inherit a family farm. That pathway involves starting small, then build relationships, ask lots of questions, use business principles and look for opportunities to grow. Make good decisions and make sure Every Decision Counts.
Event manager for the Gippsland Red Meat Conference, Nicole White, couldn’t be happier with this year’s line-up of speakers.
“There are lots of practical, producer-focused sessions on topics including global red meat markets, business investment decisions, pasture and feed base planning, containment feeding, virtual fencing, producing heavier weaners, and real-world farming experiences”, she said.
“Whether you’re interested in markets, livestock production, pasture management, business planning or emerging technologies, there’s something in the program for everyone.”
Nicole is very happy with ticket sales thus far. As she points out, “Already 75 per cent of tickets have been sold, and industry tickets have now sold out, leaving only producer tickets available. With a smaller venue this year, we encourage producers to book now to avoid disappointment”.
“Make sure you get there early and take advantage of the free barista coffee on arrival. This gives you an opportunity to fuel up, while connecting with industry colleagues before a full day of presentations.”
Throughout the conference, producers can also visit a diverse range of trade exhibitors showcasing the latest products, services and technologies.
Nicole points out “This year there is a People’s Choice Trade Table Award, where you can vote for your favourite exhibitor based on the most engaging, interactive and informative display. We expect this to be a highly sought-after Award.”
Following the conference, attendees are invited to stay for Networking & Nibbles, a relaxed two-hour networking session featuring complimentary drinks and nibbles.
As Nicole says, “It’s the perfect opportunity to continue conversations with presenters, fellow producers, agribusiness representatives and industry professionals, share ideas and build valuable connections”.
Meridie Jackson will present a session entitled “Beyond Succession: Making Your Own Way in Agriculture” at the Gippsland Red Meat Conference on Tuesday, August 25 at the Sale Baptist Church.
Theme for this year’s conference is Every Decision Counts.
Bookings are through Trybooking or via the Gippsland Agricultural Group website.
Gippsland Agricultural Group acknowledges the support of our event partners – MLA, Agriculture Victoria, East Gippsland Shire, Wellington Shire and Food & Fibre Gippsland.
