The series of eight Business of Farming workshops will finish next week, the final event focussing on being ‘bank ready’.
Event co-organiser, Nat Jenkins, Southern Farming Systems said the workshop was designed to equip producers with the knowledge and tools to navigate the bank landscape to borrow.
“That includes things like understanding the key items that drive bank lending and ongoing support; preparation for a lending application or lending review and getting the skills you need to navigate the loan application process with confidence,” Nat said.
“It will also cover interest rates, the determinants of and capacity for a customer to influence the rate they pay, as well as RIC loans and where they fit in the mix.”
She said the Business of Farming workshops had been a highly successful series coordinated by the East Gippsland Shire Council, and jointly funded by the Victorian Government and Commonwealth Government under the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding arrangements.
“The whole business of farming initiative has been a great success,” presenter Chris Jehu, from Countryside Business Partners, said.
“We have had people of all ages attending the events from mid 20s through the late 70s so it is shown that the region needed something like this and I believe every participant has left with more knowledge than when they started. It’s a huge hats off to everyone involved.
“On the weekend we covered the hot topic of succession planning and had over 45 participants register. We round out the series on July 2, with our final topic which is Being Bank Ready and I would expect another great turn out for that event as well.”
Amy Rogers and her mother Julie also attended the Saturday event.
“It was a great session,” Amy said.
“It was great to have the variety of speakers talking about the different aspects of succession planning in one room.
“It was also an opportunity to ask questions, the panel was a great idea to finish the session.”
Last Saturday, the Business of Farming Tax and Succession Planning workshop covered tax and how it applies to primary production, as well as its interaction with retirement and/or succession and effective strategies for passing on a farm while minimising tax burdens and family disputes.
Gippsland Ag Group also ran a beef feeding workshop in Glengarry and Bairnsdale, with about 40 people at each event.
The Bairnsdale presenters included Trevor Caithness, Alison Gunn and Mick Daly, with attendees taking a look at the Caithness family’s opportunity feeding operation and silage pit.
The final Business of Farming workshop will be hosted by the Gippsland Agricultural Group at the Gippsland Ag Centre, Airport Road, Bairnsdale, next Tuesday, July 2, from 6.30 to 8.30pm and dinner is included.
Contact Nat Jenkins to book your spot.
IMAGE: Attendees at the Business of Farming workshop last week. (PS)
