People at the heart of productivity

BY DAN GALLIGAN, CEO, CANEGROWERS

At CANEGROWERS, we spend countless hours exploring ways to enhance productivity.

Clearly, in farming, improving productivity offers a pathway to achieving the ultimate goal – better farm profitability.

To assist in this effort, CANEGROWERS has invested in rolling out the Business Essentials program, which covers critical areas such as cost of production, market information services, and succession planning skills for farmers.

The aim is to provide growers with practical advice to support improved business performance.

Of course, on farm productivity relies on the hundreds of decisions farmers make every day.

To support these decisions, the industry's investment in research, development, and adoption through Sugar Research Australia represents our most significant collective approach to productivity improvement.

This includes plant breeding, agronomy, and biosecurity.

Supported by district productivity staff and private consultants, this work drives practice change and improvements.

Farm revenue, in turn, often hinges on marketing decisions informed by professionals in sugar marketing, trade, and market analysis.

Success in achieving productivity and supporting profitable sugarcane growers depends on a complex interplay of decisions made over short, medium, and long-term timeframes.

Ultimately, these decisions often rest with one or two people in the business, but they are supported by a team of on- and off-farm experts.

It is the skills and capabilities of these people that make the difference.

This is why we must remember that while capital investment is critical for advancing agricultural supply chains, investing in people is just as – if not more – valuable, and represents a vital long-term investment.

Facing industry-wide challenges

When we look across the industry, we hear common concerns about people.

Whether it is a lack of experience in our milling sector that has hindered performance, a lack of truck drivers and haulout operators, a need for new fresh ideas and expertise coming through our research partners, or the challenges of bringing in fresh ideas and energy by supporting new farm leaders.

Our industry must focus on developing and supporting its people. That’s why programs like the CANEGROWERS Next Ratoon initiative are designed to nurture emerging leaders.

The program aims to build leadership skills, recognising individual strengths and inspiring participants to grow in ways that resonate with them.

This is achieved by partnering emerging leaders with experienced mentors from within and outside the industry.

Opportunities for Leadership

Early next year, we will enter CANEGROWERS ’ triennial election cycle, during which we will call for nominees for district Boards. These roles present a unique opportunity for leaders to contribute to the industry’s future.

Our people are our greatest asset. However, as we look across the supply chain, it is clear that both opportunities and challenges exist. There are significant risks if we fail to have the right people in the right jobs at the right time.

CANEGROWERS will be looking for other industry partners to step up and contribute to our industry’s ability to support our people.

We need collaborative investment to make careers in this fantastic industry attractive to the best and brightest talent in our communities.

By prioritising our people, we can ensure the future productivity and profitability of our industry.