Following on from Cameron Weeks's article in the March edition of Landline, I thought it may be useful to provide some insight into what happened in the great southern agricultural region. Following a mixed start to the season, depending on where farmers were located...

For the past 20 years a common saying in the commodity space has been “If you build, grow or mine it, China will buy it”. This is still somewhat true (barley and other previous tariffs aside) as the world’s largest importer of almost everything remains a colossus but...

We’re at an exciting stage in WA for all things carbon. We’ve been fielding more enquiries than ever from farmers showing interest in getting involved. This could range all the way from getting a better understanding of emissions produced across their enterprise to...

  Across my 20 years with Planfarm, this is my 5th contribution to Landline. Why you may ask? Well, the first article I wrote in my first 3 months with the business led to being threatened with a lawsuit. The second had a major bank demand I put a half-page...

Selecting a barley variety can be confusing. Should I select a lower yielding variety that’s malt accredited, and assume the malt premium makes up the yield difference? Or should I forget about chasing malt completely and go for a variety that has the highest possible...

In the dynamic landscape of our horticulture industry, the concept of resilience has become synonymous with sustainability, a key pillar for ensuring the robustness of our food supply chains. Hon Jackie Jarvis, speaking at EvokeAg this month, highlighted the shift in...

I attended the Nuffield Scholarship Luncheon on Friday 16th February for the first time. I represented Planfarm as a major sponsor of the event. What a fascinating and rewarding network. Not being from a farming background but having parents who grew up in the Mallee...

“Help me if you can, I'm feeling down And I do appreciate you being 'round Help me get my feet back on the ground Won't you please, please help me”. In August 1980 John Lennon was interviewed regarding the song Help! He had some very insightful comments…. "The whole...

Written on 21st February 2024. We have recently seen international and local prices fall away across all grains. What has brought on this bearish mood in the market and what is on the horizon that might reverse or continue the trend? Firstly, as always in ag commodity...

Management is ‘the process of dealing with or controlling things or people’ (Oxford Dictionary). The 2023 season has highlighted what we knew was occurring in 2021 and 2022 but was covered over by exceptionally high income. The cost of farming has jumped alarmingly....

Managing finances is a crucial aspect of running a successful business, but it can also be time-consuming and complex. At Planfarm, we understand the challenges business owners face, which is why we offer comprehensive bookkeeping services designed to streamline your...

Below the line, machinery ownership, interest/finance, and management costs are increasing! By how much you ask? Let's say $200,000 p.a. Operating profit is important, income minus variable costs and fixed operating costs. The target of 65% or lower operating costs is...