AgRi-Silience empowering change for grain and livestock businesses

AgRi-Silience is once again open for registration for new participants, offering development opportunities for grain and livestock businesses in South Australia.

AgRi-Silience recently caught up with past participants like Dili Schoenberg, Helen Thomas, and Sophie Browne who reflected on the profound impact their involvement had on their business:

Dili Schoenberg, of the Sheep enterprise in Waterloo, highlighted the program's unique advantage of facilitating strategic planning alongside a dedicated facilitator. "We are often so caught up in the day-to-day tasks that we rarely have the chance to step back and focus on the business from a strategic perspective. The experience was incredibly valuable for us."

Helen Thomas, who manages a Sheep and Cropping Enterprise in Manoora, emphasised the program's exclusivity and the personalised attention it offers. "Being part of a small, exclusive group ensured we received considerable attention, which was invaluable. It offered us clarity on our future direction."

Sophie Browne, from the Sheep and Cropping Enterprise in Marrabel, attributed the program's role in guiding efforts towards effective outcomes and long-term planning. "The program was key in guiding our efforts towards more effective outcomes. With the funding support for consultation we received, we were able to invest in benchmarking, enabling us to set and implement concrete goals."

This new round of AgRi-Silience is designed with diversity in mind, whether you’re fine-tuning your operations or navigating the challenges of a new venture, this program has something valuable to offer.

Participants will have the flexibility to explore the aspects that matter most, with access to expert support tailored to their needs. This aims to help identify risks and untapped potential, empowering informed decision-making and fostering business growth and capture it in actionable steps through a resilience road map.

Key features of the program will be delivered over the next year which will include:

• Three days of peer-to-peer discussion group
• Individual coaching sessions with a facilitator to maintain momentum
• Funding of $3,500ex gst to access subject matter expert consultation of your choosing to address an area of opportunity within your business

Each participating business will contribute $500 (ex. GST), for up to two members of your farming business to attend. Where there is a genuine need, participants may be able to access reimbursement for travel and childcare costs.

In response to demand, two regions have been identified for delivery in the Orroroo, and Yunta areas which are open for registrations.

Livestock SA is also seeking producers or producer groups from other regions to register so we can bring the benefits of this program to your region.

AgRi-Silience is managed by Livestock SA and is part of the Farm Business Resilience Program, jointly funded by the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and the Government of South Australia.

Full quotes attributable to article from past participants:

Dili Schoenberg – Sheep enterprise, Waterloo “I found the greatest advantage of the program was having both me and my husband work alongside a facilitator to explore our business values and see how they fit into a strategic plan. We are often so caught up in the day-to-day tasks that we rarely have the chance to step back and focus on the business from a strategic perspective. The experience was incredibly valuable for us.”

Helen Thomas, Sheep and Cropping Enterprise, Manoora "In the program, being part of a small, exclusive group ensured we received considerable attention, which was invaluable. It offered us clarity on our future direction. We entered the program without any expectations but were genuinely impressed by its profound impact. Our business had just begun to undergo significant changes, and participating in the program not only solidified those initial decisions but also guided us in refining and adapting our strategies for the better."

Sophie Browne – Sheep and Cropping Enterprise, Marrabel. “The program was key in guiding our efforts towards more effective outcomes. With the funding we received, we were able to invest in benchmarking, enabling us to set and implement concrete goals. A significant change was enhancing our Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) standards within the business. The program has transformed how we approach goal setting, equipping us with the foresight to plan strategically for 5, 10, and even 15 years into the future.”

ENDS

Media Contact:
Hannah Trevilyan, Communications and Membership Manager, 08 8297 2299

Pictured: Dili Schoenberg and her family