what are the education needs of agriculture? david sackett managing director, growth farms 6 th june...
TRANSCRIPT
What are the Education Needs of Agriculture?
David SackettManaging Director, Growth Farms
6th June 2013
Growth Farms
• Manage 28 farms, total value $350m• 96,000 ha• 150,000 sheep• 46,000 bales cotton• 67,000 t cereal and oilseed• 80,000 t sugar cane• 14,000 cattle
The Growth Farms People
• Approx 70 staff• Specialists rather than generalists– 55 on farms + casuals• Average manager 38 yo, 50% have tertiary qual.
– 7 Area/Group Managers• Average 46 yo, 86% tertiary qual.
– 8 Admin
The Big Trends
20,000
• Fewer farmers (1,500 pa)
• Peasants v Professionals
• Replace people with capital
• Increasingly complex – technically, financially, accountability
The Big Trends
• Attract, retain and remunerate good people
• Specialists
• Evidence based
• Appropriate qualifications– Certificate to post graduate
What do we need to meet the trends?
GF Management Structure
Assets Under Management
Some GF Challenges
• Plenty of interest at “farm manager” level– Find the good ones (need scale, profit share?)
• Plenty of interest at “analyst” level– Good technically, lack “systems” or “big picture”– Need post grad?
• Lack of R&D for us to implement.
Some Industry Challenges
• We need to attract brighter kids into Ag.– tho we still need some drones!
• Fewer but better tertiary institutions.– undergraduate– postgraduate
• More attractive careers for researchers– Pick winners and secure them for life?