Livestock SA is seeking applications from forward looking broadacre farm businesses to participate in a program to improve your financial literacy, build confidence in decision-making and gain new skills to build your own and your businesses resilience.

AgRi-Silience aims to:

·              give farmers and communities the tools and capabilities they need to prepare for, and live through, times of drought,

·              reduce drought impacts, and the need for drought support, and

·              provide objectives of increased economic, environmental, and social resilience.

The Program provides subsidised access to professionals delivering a mix of dedicated on-farm support and group workshop learning to assist with the development of a Resilience Roadmap aimed at achieving your business’ long-term aspirations.  Delivery of the foundation year is now complete with round 2 commencing in September 2022 and expected to run until June 2023.

The Program

AgRi-Silience consists of a series of 2 workshops (3 days) and a one-on-one coaching review with the local facilitator. Workshops will focus on:

•                 Strategic farm business management and planning, and

•                 Farm risk management and

•                 Informed decision making

•                 Natural resource management

•                 Personal and social resilience

Participants will also have access to financial assistance from PIRSA to cover the costs of travel and childcare incurred as a result of participating in the Program (up to the value of $1000 ex. GST). Participants who do not genuinely need to incur these costs to participate in face-to-face training, or participate in online based learning, will not be eligible for this allowance. Details on how to access the allowance will be provided to successful applicants.

Applicants must:

•                 Trade as a primary production business

•                 Undertake all aspects of the business wholly within Australia

•                 Have an Australian Business Number (ABN) and be registered for GST

•                 Farm in one of the agricultural regions in South Australia **Producers from Kangaroo Island and the Pastoral region, and vegetable growers and dairy farmers have access to similar alternative programs.

•                 Be established under the legal structure of a sole trader, trust, partnership, or private company

•                 Be commercially viable, that is, the business must be able to

                               o   Generate sufficient net profit under normal seasonal and market conditions after fixed and variable expenses to service borrowings,

                               o   Provide an adequate standard of living for members of the business,

                               o   Allow investment on-farm to maintain the farm’s productive assets, and

                               o   Financially sustainable and productive in the long term

                               o   OR must be able to demonstrate genuine potential to become a viable business (as outlined above)

Each successful business will contribute $500 (ex GST) to the cost of delivery. Multiple members of the business are encouraged to participate, with up to 2 members of the business able to participate under the subsidised rate (additional members will be required to pay the full cost of the program to participate).

Participation in the program will require participants to commit to learning and to the development of a Resilience Roadmap.

Application processing

All applications will be assessed by Livestock SA, with successful applicants notified of the outcome shortly after. Workshop groups will be capped at 12 participants.