With the current challenging conditions faced by the farming community, farm businesses are becoming increasingly aware of the need to improve their planning for the future.

An opportunity to undertake this planning process in an organised manner is to participate in a program such as “Property Management Planning”.

Property Management Planning (PMP) offers businesses the chance to analyse their whole business over a three or four day course. The four “pillars” of business, being Finances, Human Resources, Natural Resources, and Enterprises are evaluated using participants’ own information. Evaluation and the opportunity to learn more skills and information give the program relevance for the individual businesses future.

This concept is quite similar to the Business Planning principles that were utilised within the Lower Eyre Peninsula Bushfire Re-establishment program and the current Planning For Recovery drought assistance program, but is designed to be a learning experience in addition to purely information sharing and assessment of current situations.

Some people may remember this program being offered by Rural Solutions SA around the State in the early and mid Nineties. Since then many farm businesses have changed dramatically through factors such as generational change, different farming practices, varied enterprises, and/or increased property size or different property being managed.

Historically many businesses found it very useful to have a number of members of their business attend PMP to assist increased communication between members and facilitate succession of management skills within their business.

Rural Solutions SA is in the process of updating their Property Management Planning course to encompass changes to modern day farming practices and is looking to promote this program in the near future.

For any farmers or small business owners who are in receipt of Interest Rate Subsidies as part of the EC package, please contact Brenton Growden on 8688 3400 regarding the Planning For Recovery program that you are eligible to take part in. This program comprises an information session, a grant to allow you to develop a Business Plan with an approved consultant, and the provision of up to $10,000 to develop your business into the future through approved projects either on your property or within your business.

AUTHOR: Vaughan Habner, Senior Community Capacity Consultant, Rural Solutions SA.

CONTACT: If you have any queries regarding Property Management Planning or other related matters, please contact Vaughan Habner at the Port Lincoln PIRSA office on 8688 3400.