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Hort growers to benefit from industry benchmarking programs

Two benchmarking programs are underway to give Australian avocado, vegetable and onion growers access to clear, relevant information on the productivity and profitability of their business as well as the wider industry. This information will help new and experienced growers to assess the performance of their business over time, and identify areas for improvement.

Participating in an industry benchmarking program is a simple way to take stock of your business performance, identify opportunities to improve your bottom line and ensure your business is operating as efficiently as possible.

Two five-year benchmarking programs are currently underway in the horticulture industry – Level Up Hort for vegetable and onion businesses and a benchmarking program for the avocado industry.

In both programs, growers will meet with skilled farm business management consultants who will provide an independent financial review of their business and develop a personalised, confidential report.

Both programs will also collate de-identified grower financial assessments to produce a common baseline of data, so that growers can see how their industry is tracking over time and compare how their business is performing with other growers in their region and nationally.

The programs are free to levy-paying businesses.

Confidentiality is key

All financial and business information provided for the benchmarking programs will remain strictly confidential and will not be shared with any other parties, including Hort Innovation. In industry benchmark reports, results will only be reported in aggregate form to ensure individual businesses cannot be identified.

RMCG has a long and successful track record in supporting farm owners to build profitable and robust businesses in many agricultural sectors including grain, dairy and horticulture. Find out more about our benchmarking expertise.

Level Up Hort for vegetable and onion businesses

RMCG is working with Western Australian farm management consulting firm PlanFarm to deliver Level Up Hort to support vegetable and onion businesses to increase profitability and build long-term resilience.

To get involved, fill out the Level Up Hort expression of interest form and a project team member will be in touch. You can also visit leveluphort.com.au.

National vegetable and onion benchmarking program (MT22009) has been funded by Hort Innovation using the vegetable and onion research and development levies and contributions from the Australian Government.

Avocado industry benchmarking

RMCG will deliver this benchmarking program with support from Howard Hall at Pinnacle Agribusiness.

To get involved, fill out the Avocado industry benchmarking program expression of interest form and a project team member will be in touch.

For more information contact RMCG Senior Consultant Clinton Muller on 0498 192 596 or clintonm@rmcg.com.au.

Avocado industry benchmarking (AV22004) is funded by Hort Innovation using the avocado research and development levy and contributions from the Australian Government.

Team

Donna Lucas

Donna Lucas

Principal

B.App.Sci. (Hons)

Donna is an agricultural consultant with experience in business management, research and extension. She is adaptable with an ability to contribute to projects at a strategic level.
Donna has specialist knowledge in workforce development and planning, resource recovery, carbon farming, greenhouse gas/carbon accounting and project evaluation. Her strengths include driving execution, building connections and problem solving.

Clinton Muller

Clinton Muller

Senior Consultant

M.Sust.Ag., B.Bus. (Hons), B.A.

Clinton has extensive experience in sustainable agriculture, with a specialist focus on horticulture and intensive production systems. With a strong agricultural industry focus, Clinton has worked across a range of agricultural commodities and natural resource management issues in Australia and internationally.  Clinton’s diverse range of capacities including program design and management, stakeholder engagement, partnership management, monitoring evaluation and reporting, extension, facilitation, action research and science communication.

Dan Armstrong

Dan Armstrong

Senior Consultant

B.Ag.Sci. (Hons), M.Ag.Sci. (Economics)

Dan has 25 years’ experience working in agricultural industries and previously ran his own consulting business specialising in farm business management for 11 years.  His multi-disciplinary skills, strong advisory experience and broad contacts in the agricultural industries add strengths to RMCG’s work in the agriculture sector.

 

Daryl Poole

Daryl Poole

Principal

B.Ag.Sci. (Hons), CPAg., GAICD

Daryl has over 20 years of experience is in the areas of agribusiness and farm management, particularly the dairy industry.   He has a diploma in Human Resource Management (Dairy) and can assist farming businesses with their employment practices to ensure their workforce is both effective and compliant.  Daryl also has an in depth understanding of water policy and what it means at the farm level which allows him to assist irrigation businesses develop their water risk management strategies.   Daryl has both facilitator and strategic planning experience and can assist farming businesses and organisations to achieve their goals.

Tristan Wardley

Tristan Wardley

Senior Consultant

B.Ag.Sci. (Hons)

Tristan is an experienced economics consultant at RMCG. He has worked across the agriculture and horticulture industries and has experience in natural resource management. Tristan is experienced in business and financial planning and decision analysis.

He has a thorough understanding of business structural change, specialising in micro-economic investment and production decisions, with a particular interest and skill set in risk analysis. His experience within the agricultural industry through private and public forums has given him the opportunity to contribute to progressive agricultural research.

Tristan has a developed commercial, operational and strategic skill set, and a deep understanding of sustainable and profitable business models.  He has extensive experience in stakeholder engagement and understands the range of factors influencing a business owner’s needs, risks and aspirations.

 

Lauren Jones

Lauren Jones

Consultant

B.Bus.

Lauren is a highly capable consultant with strong attention to detail and excellent communication and organisational skills. She has a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) with a major in Agribusiness, and wants to utilise her skills and experience to help environmental and agricultural businesses grow.

 

Naomi Palombi

Naomi Palombi

Consultant

B.Ag. (Economics)

Naomi has a solid foundation in agronomy and farm management and experience in agricultural research and extension.

She has a great passion for working with business and people and a desire to understand them. She wants to make a positive impact on Australian agriculture by working with the world’s best farmers, and delivering innovations in resource and business management.

Jake Gaudion

Jake Gaudion

Consultant

B.Sc. (Ag.Sci), M.Ag.Sci. (Food Sustainability)

Jake is a driven Master of Agriculture Science graduate passionate about the interaction between agriculture, the environment and communities across the world. He is eager to utilise his agricultural, scientific, social and natural resource management knowledge to contribute to a more sustainable future.

Jake developed a strong passion for agriculture during his studies, particularly the environmental aspects of food production. He has a comprehensive understanding of the importance of improving efficiency of food production to improve overall sustainability

Jedidiah Clark

Jedidiah Clark

Consultant

B.Comm/Ag.Sci (Financial Management)

Jed is skilled and experienced in high-impact interventions that cut across coordination and culture challenges. He has a broad range of experience across agriculture, community engagement and sales, with people-focused skills to excel in any planning and goal-driven environment.