Profitable Farmer

• # 174 - Nothing Beats High Prices like High Prices with Brett Stevenson, Market Check

  In recent years grain growers nationally have enjoyed an extended period of strong prices and favourable market conditions.  According to grain industry authority, Brett Stevenson, Managing Director of Market Check, this may well be all about to change.  Of the back of last month’s Australian Grains Industry Conference (AGIC), I invite Brett to once again join me to give us his expert insights to the new headwinds Aussie grain growers now face in coming years.  As grain prices face downward pressure, Brett Stevenson offers invaluable insight on navigating a challenging global market – it seems clear the good times we have enjoyed may now not last forever.   With over 30 years of industry-leading experience, Brett dives into the challenges of navigating a low-price environment and offers advice on risk management, grain marketing strategies, and why the next few years may likely be tougher than many expect.  In this episode, we explore:  the impact of geopolitical tensions and changing international supply dynamics;  the challenges of managing input costs while facing long-term low grain prices’  how to prepare for market fluctuations and manage your grain marketing more strategically; and  the importance of adapting your business model to ensure sustainability in uncertain times.  You can learn more about their services and advisory offerings by visiting Market Check, with a short overview of their capability here.  I would like to personally acknowledge, the long-standing and dedicated service Market Check provides many hundreds of grain growers across Australia. Their team is passionate about supporting farmers with practical, tailored and industry leading advice to help them navigate the complexities of grain marketing, ensuring long-term success, even during challenging times.  Now more than in recent years, we need to be taking complete responsibility for our risk management and grain marketing. Whether you’re looking for daily market updates or in-depth advisory services, we advocate for Brett and his team at Market Check to ensure you're making informed, proactive and strategic marketing decisions.   This conversation is a wake-up call for grain growers: it’s not just about weathering the storm, but making smart, strategic decisions to thrive in uncertain times. By preparing now, you can position your business for long-term success, no matter what the market brings.  A huge thanks to Brett for his candid insights and for stepping in to provide much-needed clarity at this pivotal point in the grain growing season. As harvest approaches, proactive grain marketing and financial planning will position Australian growers to navigate the challenges ahead and make the most of what’s to come.  All the best for the remainder of this season!    Keep winning. Hutch & The Farm Owners Academy Team 

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• # 173 - Beating Brain Cancer with Sam McGuane

  From growing up on a dairy farm in western Victoria with 12 siblings to the frontlines of one of the toughest fights in medical research, Sam McGuane’s story is one of resilience, service, and hope. As the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of The Brain Cancer Centre, and a key leader behind Carrie’s Beanies for Brain Cancer, Sam is on a mission to transform the future of brain cancer research.  In this heartfelt episode, Sam opens up about how the values of gratitude, service, and hard work, ingrained in him growing up on the farm, have shaped his approach to both business and charity. These lessons, learned early in life, now fuel his leadership as he works to change the future of brain cancer research.  Brain cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children in Australia, with survival rates virtually unchanged for decades. Sam is determined to change that. He’s building a model that brings researchers together, fosters collaboration, and supports breakthroughs in treatment. The result? A research ecosystem focused on tangible progress, including one of the most significant brain cancer clinical trials in the world.  We discuss:  How the farm values of teamwork, generosity, and service shape his approach to tackling one of the toughest medical challenges.  The incredible success of Carrie’s Beanies for Brain Cancer, which has raised over $27 million, a campaign born from Carrie Bickmore’s Logies speech and fuelled by the power of community.  Why the Brain Cancer Centre is changing the way research is done by focusing on sharing knowledge and working together to make real progress.  Sam’s story shows how small, everyday actions can lead to big change when fuelled by purpose and community. His mission is clear: No lives lost to brain cancer and he’s working tirelessly to make that a reality.  To all our listeners, you may or may not know someone affected by brain cancer, but imagine making a choice today that could change someone's future forever. You have the power to be the hope someone needs. Whether it's donating, sharing this message, or getting involved in any way you can, every step brings us closer to a cure.  To learn more about the incredible work Sam, Carrie, and their team are doing, and to contribute to this life-changing cause, visit Carrie’s Beanies 4 Brain Cancer and The Brain Cancer Centre.  Sam, thank you for leading this vital cause with passion and purpose.  Sincerely,     Jeremy Hutchings & the Farm Owners Academy Team  

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• # 172 - How AI and ChatGPT Can Transform How You Operate as Farm Business Owners with Dimity Smith

  When you wear as many hats as our farming families do, time is one thing you never have enough of.    From the kitchen table to the paddock, we’re constantly making decisions, solving problems, and figuring out how to do more with less. What if there was a way to take some of that pressure off, without handing over the reins?    In this episode, I sit down with Dimity Smith, agri-business innovator, event leader, and one of the most refreshingly practical minds when it comes to tech in agriculture. Dimity runs tailored AI training sessions for farming families and small ag teams, helping them get started with tools like ChatGPT and put them to work in your business.     Together with Sam Johnsson, we dive into how AI is already helping farmers:  Draft job ads, safety procedures, and strategic plans,  Make grant writing quicker and less painful,  and even help with farm system reviews, one prompt at a time.     But more than the tools, this is about mindset. Dimity reminds us: AI is your co-pilot, not your competitor. It’s not here to replace your hard-earned wisdom, but to amplify it. And like any tool, it’s only as powerful as how you use it.    We also explore the fears many have about AI, and how simple curiosity might be the antidote to overwhelm.    Dimity puts it best, "You don’t have to be great at spelling, you don’t have to be techy, and you don’t need to have it all figured out.” She runs hands-on workshops through GRO Events Group and GRO Rural where she walks through it all slowly, answers your questions, and helps you use AI in a way that makes sense for your farm.  Join the 2-hour online workshop exclusive for Farm Owners Academy listeners:  Evening Session – Tuesday 12 August, 5.00 PM AEST (Register here)  Daytime Session – Wednesday 13 August, 11.00AM AEST (Register here)  For more information on all the workshop details and options, visit the workshop landing page here.   To get in touch, connect with Dimity via social media or head to https://www.groevents.com.au/  Dimity, thank you for showing us that you don’t need to be a tech expert to start using AI, you just need to be open and willing to learn. And Sam, appreciate the way you bring these conversations to life.    Here’s to staying curious, having a crack, and using whatever tools we can to make things just a bit easier, one step at a time.    Keep winning.  Jeremy Hutchings & The Farm Owners Academy Team 

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• # 171 - The Value Of Getting Away From Your Farm For Inspiration And Clarity – lessons from a recent FOA client conference

  I really values the constructs that: ‘you cannot solve the problem you have created in the environment in which you created it’… and ‘many minds make for smarter work’. What could you see more clearly if you took time with key decision-makers away from your farm? How many more options and insights might you access if you more actively called on the collective wisdom of other high-performing farm owners? In this episode, Sam Johnsson speaks with FOA coaches Cassandra Kath, Elle Webb and Sam Pincott to unpack the powerful conversations and insights to come from our latest client conference, our ‘Organise Infrastructure’ Deep Dive. With more than 550 farm owners in the room, the focus was clear: how to optimise your investment in infrastructure, equipment and technologies in order to drive efficiency, productivity and farm performance. We all have a long-list of items we’d like to invest in to move our farm’s forward. At the same time there are a host of emerging technologies we need to be considering to help get it done. Getting the sequence for these investments, and structuring them in the right way is critical. Being cautious and under-investing can limit our progress. Being too bullish and over-investing can lock-up cashflow and capital and be the thing that brings us un-stuck. Are we allocating capital to the highest pay-off items? Are we making measured decisions based accurate due diligence? Are we working to a well-designed strategic plan, or making emotive and reactive investment decisions? For those who attended, breakthroughs came not from a spreadsheet, but from getting off-farm and into a room filled with open, like-minded growth-oriented peers. From sharing 250 tested infrastructure improvements to creating space for goal-setting, strategy and real connection, the impact was felt well beyond the conference content. In this interview, we cover: how a clear process helps avoid ‘wish-list’ investing; the value of stepping off-farm to reflect, reset, and return with focus; the impact of immersing yourself in a  high-performing  farm business community, with individuals open to sharing all of what underpins their success; and how clarity can often come from one honest and open conversation, or one small and meaningful action. You don’t need to have it all figured out. It’s about carving out time and space to slow-down, think, question, collaborate, reflect and reset your plan. Sam J, thank you for stepping in for this discussion while I take some time to be with my family.  Thank you Cass, Elle & Sam P for your reflections and insightful comments. Keep winning! Jeremy Hutchings and the Farm Owners Academy Team   P.S. Want to check the strength of your farm business model ?? Join us for the Future-Proof Workshop, a free and practical session designed to spot inefficiencies, set confident financial targets using your own numbers, and refocus on what matters most. 👉 Register here

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• # 170 - How Demographics Can Shape Smarter Farm Decisions with Simon Kuestenmacher

  What if the future isn’t something to fear but something we can prepare for, shape, and lead into with confidence?  For Simon Kuestenmacher, understanding what’s ahead isn’t guesswork. It’s grounded in data, demography and deep thinking. As co-founder of The Demographics Group, Simon helps leaders across the country make sense of the big forces shaping our communities, our economies and our businesses. In this conversation, he brings that lens directly to farming.  This is a full and generous exchange with someone who not only understands the numbers but deeply respects the people behind them. Simon doesn’t just talk about trends, he speaks to what they mean for farm owners, for regional Australia and for the next generation of workers we are all learning to lead.  And his message is simple. The world is changing fast, but if you are in farming, you are in the right place. The question is - are you setting your business and your people up to thrive in what comes next?  Specifically during this episode we explore:  What happens when the “tyranny of distance” becomes a strategic advantage  Why community and sport remain the glue in regional Australia  The real story behind generational shifts and what each cohort needs from its leaders  Why farmers are some of the most skilled professionals in the country   Whether it is about creating better housing options, sharing your values with new staff, or just understanding the long arc of change, this episode will help you see the road ahead with a little more certainty.  Simon, thank you for grounding the data in real meaning. And for reminding us that leading well today is still our best investment in tomorrow.  To every farm owner listening - stay curious. Build systems. Invest in people. Keep asking the questions that matter.  You are farming in the right country, in the right industry. And there is real opportunity ahead for those willing to prepare for it.  Sincerely,    Jeremy Hutchings and the Farm Owners Academy Team 

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