1. What are the Education Needs of Agriculture? David Sackett Managing Director, Growth Farms 6 th June 2013

2. 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

3. 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

4. The Big Trends 20,000

5. Fewer farmers (1,500 pa) Peasants v Professionals Replace people with capital Increasingly complex – technically, financially, accountability The Big Trends

6. Attract, retain and remunerate good people Specialists Evidence based Appropriate qualifications – Certificate to post graduate What do we need to meet the trends?

7. GF Management Structure Individual Farms 15-60,000 dse or 2 -10,000 ha crop Oversee a number of Farms By owner/region/enterprise Approx 6 farms/Area Manager GF Director 2-5 Area Managers reporting Group Manager Area Manager Farm Manager Area Manager

8. Assets Under Management $7-20m $30 - $80m >$150 - $200m Group Manager Area Manager Farm Manager Area Manager

9. 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.

10. 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?