Young farmers attending a bootcamp: (L-R) Leisha Morrison and Kate Nelson

Young Farmers Bootcamps were delivered in Ouyen, Kaniva and Skipton in February and March to build financial literacy skills among young farmers. Aimed at young farmers or producers new to farming, the two-day programs attracted more than 50 participants and offered extensive opportunities to network and build business confidence.

The objectives of the bootcamps are to assist producers in understanding and managing business risk, helping them deliver a detailed plan to grow their businesses and have the confidence to rely on a future in agriculture. Topics included risk management, succession planning, planning for profit, improving and determining business performance and an overview of financial literacy.

Those who attended said they found the activities, including real life farm case studies, valuable, practical and informative.

Feedback from the workshops:

“We learnt about strategic planning including goal setting and recording, outsourcing marketing and recruitment.”

“We explored things I wouldn’t have looked at normally — ways to track livestock input costs, details about budget to actuals, budgets for leasing/purchasing using overheads and succession planning discussions with parents/siblings.”

The Bootcamps support young people who want to have a successful career in agriculture. They are funded by Agriculture Victoria and Australian Wool Innovation (AWI). For more information, contact Sarah Wallis at [email protected]