Call for applications for farm business management program

April 9, 2014

Final call for applications – leading farm business management program

Applications are to close at the end of this month for this year’s Rabobank Farm Managers Program, Australasia’s leading agricultural business management course for the next generation of farm leaders.

Now in its ninth year, the prestigious Rabobank program offers young farmers from across New Zealand and Australia, and a range of agricultural sectors, the opportunity to develop and enhance their business management skills.

Rabobank business programs manager Nerida Sweetapple says the Farm Managers Program is constantly evolving to reflect the changing challenges and opportunities in agriculture.

“We make adjustments each year to the program content to reflect feedback from participants and our own research – as 2014 is the International Year of the Family Farm, the pressing issue of farm succession will be a key focus of this year’s program,” Ms Sweetapple says.

“With succession a big focus for many agricultural families, and being the International Year of the Family Farm, the Farm Managers Program is a great opportunity to focus on developing the management skills of the next generation so our farmers of the future are in good stead to manage the challenges ahead with regard to running the enterprise.”

Delivered in one week-long residential module, the program covers the latest practices in business management, leadership, planning, finance, and communication and how these can be applied directly to participants’ farm businesses.

Only a limited number of high calibre applicants are accepted for each year’s intake, selected from a group of leading farmers from a range of commodities and geographical locations in New Zealand and Australia.

Ms Sweetapple says many past participants credit the Farm Managers Program with giving them the tools and inspiration to develop their farm career and take their business to a new level.

“Participants take away many new skills and techniques from the program one being a commercially-driven perspective on farm management and the ability to put systems and structures in place to manage growth. They also gain clarity and confidence from the course and the exchange of information between fellow participants,” she said.

Applications for the 2014 Rabobank Farm Managers Program are open until 28 April. This year’s program will be held at the Grange Cleveland Winery, Lancefield, Victoria from Monday 16 to Friday 20 June, 2014.

Rabobank Australia & New Zealand is a part of the international Rabobank Group, the world’s leading specialist in food and agribusiness banking. Rabobank has more than 110 years’ experience providing customised banking and finance solutions to businesses involved in all aspects of food and agribusiness. Rabobank is structured as a cooperative and operates in 42 countries, servicing the needs of approximately 10 million clients worldwide through a network of more than 1600 offices and branches. Rabobank Australia & New Zealand is one of Australasia’s leading rural lenders and a significant provider of business and corporate banking and financial services to the region’s food and agribusiness sector. The bank has 93 branches throughout Australia and New Zealand.

ENDS

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