Agricultural producers upskill to combat crisis

Media Release March 2, 2009

Agricultural producers upskill to combat the global economic crisis

Assisting agricultural producers to manage their farm businesses through the challenges of the global economic crisis will be a key focus of this year's Rabobank Executive Development Program (EDP), which opens for applications for its 2009 course intake today.

Program organisers are expecting strong demand in the EDP's 10th year, as progressive New Zealand farmers and agribusiness managers move to invest in enhancing their business management skills in order to manage and even find opportunity in the challenging global conditions.

The global economic crisis has meant that strong business management skills are now more essential than ever to do well in any business, and this is equally true in agriculture, says Rabobank head of Rural Banking Neil Dobbin.

“While agriculture is expected to fare better than many other industries in the current tough global economic environment, primary producers are going to need the best possible business management skills in order to manage through the difficulties and, even better, find opportunities to develop and grow in these challenging times,” he says.

EDP manager Kate Steel says business management skills – which are taken as a 'given' among business leaders in the corporate world – are all too often neglected in agriculture.

“Many agricultural businesses operate as sizeable multi-faceted and complex companies and the men and women who run them are expected not only to be effective CEOs but CFOs, analysts, marketers and HR specialists as well,” she says.

“In agricultural enterprise now, producers are recognising the need to develop their skills in these areas and this is going to be more important than ever in the current economic environment.

“The Executive Development Program is like a mini MBA but focused directly at agricultural producers, so it is ideal for men and women who want to build and evolve their farm businesses, but are unable to devote months on end to study.

” The program runs across two intensive week-long residential modules held approximately nine months apart that introduce participants to the latest practices in business management, leadership, strategy, finance, human resources, value chain management and marketing and how these can be applied to their farm businesses.

“The programs also offer participants a rare and invaluable opportunity to mix with other successful, like-minded producers,” Ms Steel says.

Peter Flood, a dairy farmer from the North Island graduated from Rabobank's EDP program in 2008 and says that the skills he obtained from the course have enabled him to see the big picture for his business.

“Through participating in the EDP I gained a better understanding of what I wanted out of my business long term, ” says Mr Flood.

“The EDP gave me the push I needed to restructure my workforce so that my employees are now working toward their own goals and dreams.

I am also planning an on farm training program for young people to help develop their skills, I am hoping to have this program up and running in the next 12 months.

“During Rabobank's program I learned that my business had a very flat management structure that wasn't able to add growth into the future, I have since implemented a new structure with clearly written goals, policies and procedures in place that are comprehensible and easy for staff to understand, buy into and carry out,” he says.

Neil Dobbin says that Mr Flood is typical of the graduates from the EDP.

“Producers who have participated in the program often tell us that they just hadn't realised how important these high level business skills were until they completed the course,” he says.

“The types of people who attend the program are already successful in their own right and are often looking at an even bigger mountain to climb.

The EDP gives them the tools they need to climb that mountain.

” Applications for Rabobank's 2009 Executive Development Program are open until 29 May 2009 and only 36 applicants will be accepted from across a range of commodities and geographical locations in Australia and New Zealand.

The first module runs from 23 – 28 August 2009 in Sydney, with the second module taking place in July of next year.

Producers that would like to request an application form or any further information on the Rabobank EDP, including course dates are encouraged to contact Kate Steele.

ENDS

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