It's amazing how many clever people we have in Ag here in Australia. And when it comes to contributions to world Agriculture as far as Australians are concerned, Ken Williamson is probably at the top of the tree. You see Ken invented the Silage wrapping process from here in Australia, which has become a massive worldwide industry. There are two parts that Ken had to invent. It's the Silage wrap and the Silage wrapping Machine. Although he didn't invent the wrap itself, he got the idea ...

Claudia Bryant teaches financial literacy to Farmers. But it wasn't something she was trained for, it was a learnt trait. Claudia turned this need into a business and has delivered courses on the subject. Claudia is young and calculated, and she really gets this space. She also said this: "Farmers are willing to pay for her courses, knowing they need to improve their financial literacy, but it's actually getting them to stick at it that is where the problem lies. Farmers just return to ...

Donald Carter has spent 15 years of his life pursuing justice. What was originally a major deception or maybe even corruption by the Megafert/Interfert companies, resulted in $139 million going missing, never to be recovered. They soon realised that pursuing Megafart was futile, so they turned their attention to the National Australia Bank. The NAB potentially deceived the 22 Fertiliser retailers, who collectively lost 13 million in this scandal. Some businesses went bankrupt, and some people...

This podcast on Donald Carter is another untold story of an Ag entrepreneur who saw opportunities, took risks, did deals, had to find money when he didn't have any, and innovate his way through the ups and downs of his business life. Along the way, Donald was involved in a very innovative trucking co-op, which had a unique business model that worked well until it didn't. He was heavily involved in the Grain Storage side of things, but it was his connection with the Fertiliser industry t...

Our latest podcast is with Nigel Kerin. We did an interactive question-and-answer type webinar in early July 2025 with our Farmers Club subscribers, and Nigel mentioned one thing that sums up that webinar and this podcast. He said, "When the students are ready to learn, the teacher will appear". So in this podcast, we are the students and Nigel is the teacher. So listen hard and listen often, as there are many gold bars dropping right through this 1-hour 50-minute publication. I thought about...

Paul Ryan had a very interesting upbringing. You see, his dad, Austin, was one of the greatest Farm Machinery inventors and innovators we have seen in this country. So much so that Austin got an OAM for his services to the Broadacre Cropping industry. The business was Ryan Farm Machinery, or RFM for short, which many of you will know. Paul explains what it was like growing up with an old man who thought outside the box. Someone whose mind was often elsewhere in inventor mode. Paul sai...

I'm very excited about this podcast with Hay industry stalwart Jim Hoffmann. It's business wisdom on steroids. There are so many takeaways for those involved in Ag or business in general. Jim, through the business he started, Green & Gold Contracting, was one of the pioneers and innovators of the domestic Hay industry as we know it today. There have been so many changes in the Hay game over the years, and we go through and unpack some of those advancements one by one. Jim designed the Gre...

The Homestead on Mount William Station, Willaura (Vic), is like the many magnificent old-world Homesteads dotted around the Western District of Victoria. Many have become burdens to their owners because of the expense of upkeep; they are pretty much money pits. Will Abbott and his three siblings had a unique succession outcome, which saw Will end up with the Homestead. So, what do you do when you own a prominent slice of Pastoral history? You turn it into a Hotel. And what a mag...

Andrew Sloan was an Auctioneer with Dalgety originally, which became Landmark and then Nutrien before he retired a few years back. Andrew talks about his rise through the ranks and the many techniques he used to use. From breathing methods to his detailed before-sale research to his ability and emphasis to know who all the buyers were, and with a dash of humour for entertainment purposes, Andrew excelled at his craft for many decades. He was fully respected throughout the Sheep and Cattle St...

Warren Davies, The Unbreakable Farmer, does a lot of podcasts and talks to groups and individuals on the subject of mental health. Warren spoke to our Farm Tender staff recently, as our team are collectively speaking to hundreds of Farmers every day. Sometimes, those conversations can be tricky; by that, I mean some people are doing it tough, and we provide an ear for them to talk to. This can affect our staff, so getting Warren in for a chat was a great initiative by our MD Megan Ruyg,...

Jim Riordan is a quintassential Ag entrepreneur. I'm so excited to bring you this edition, there are so many takeaways and lessons for anyone in Ag or in business. Jim comes from a successful business background. He did a wide range of things before he bought a Truck and Trailer and started carting Grain. That's where Roirdans got going. The business, interestingly, has a similar model today as it did back then. Buy Grain from a seller, sell to a buyer and cart it from A to B. So, from ...

Jason "Chippa" Gordon loves his family, his Sheep Farming, he has a passion for his community and loves people. Not everyone, but most. His life in Ag has been an interesting one. Not one to hold back, the big fella has a crack, will own up to his mistakes and takes great pride in his wins. He's had his run of health problems, has had a messy succession, but it hasn't tainted him. He's used these setbacks to help and mentor others. You will soon work out that he has some very strong opinio...

I've know John Carter of Wallaloo Park Merino stud fame pretty much all of my life. And I would have to say that it would be hard to find a more positive person in Agriculture. John's other great skill is asking questions, a quality you don't see too often. His curious mind means his life is a very interesting one. When you strike up a conversation with him, his attitude is infectious. There are so many valuable takeaways in this conversation: - Like how to treat customers - What to d...

I heard recently where someone said that as Farmers, we are really good at the hands-on stuff but not so good at the business or money thing. We know that if it was a choice of the office or the paddock, most would choose the paddock hands down. Hayley Grosser is a Farmer who knows her numbers, and the reason she does is because she changed her mindset about money. Money is something most Farmers never talk about openly, even within the family unit. An attitudinal change around the subject of...

Most people in Ag have a story. Some have several. Andy Worland is one of those guys with many. Andy started his career in the Wool industry, which took him to all corners of the great country. The Wool and Shearing industry taught him so much, something he said his kids will unfortunately miss out on. He then embarked on a career in Rural advertising sales, a tough gig at the best of times. This led him into his very own rural marketing and media business, which he has made a great success...

Wayne Hawkins is a Farmer at Frances on the SA/Vic border. The Hawkins family collectively run a lot of country in that area. I know Wayne pretty well, and I'd have to say he is one of the most passionate Farmers I have ever met. He loves it, and at the age of 71, he still loves it. In fact, he's one of those blokes that loves life. I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did and I'm sure there are wisdoms to take away. Our sponsors are The Farmers Club, which is a free and subscription-...

This is a recording of an interview I did with Farmer Sam Van Assche in March 2024 at our Farm Tender Entrepreneurs in Farming event. Apart from a couple of references to prices and seasons, all the information in this podcast is current. To become a 1st generation Farmer these days is difficult. But the good ones find a way. Sam is one of those who did. He used dogged determination, persistence and street smarts, to buy his first Farm. He annoyed every Rural Property Agent in his targeted ...

In Agriculture, we don't celebrate our entrepreneurs enough. These people take big risks and pave the way for others. John Richards, the founder of Spraying company Goldacres is right up there with the other great entrepreneurs in Ag. He founded the company in his 40s and built it up to the point where they now employ around 200 people. Goldacres is proudly Australian-owned and all its manufacturing is done here, which is a great feat in this day and age where nearly all our larger Mach...

The Harry Bourchier Files (Part 3) - Harry and Gwen Bourchier were Farmers of note, with Harry buying his first Farm in the 1930s. They bought and sold many Farms throughout their Farming career, and when it came time to give the Farming game away, they went about setting up their 9 children. A great lesson in succession at scale. It's a fascinating story, and the three attributes that come to mind when I think about Harry's Farming career were: He was bold, he took big risks, and he wa...

The Harry Bourchier Files (Part 2) - Harry and Gwen Bourchier were Farmers of note, with Harry buying his first Farm in the 1930s. They bought and sold many Farms throughout their Farming career, and when it came time to give the Farming game away, they went about setting up their 9 children. A great lesson in succession at scale. It's a fascinating story, and the three attributes that come to mind when I think about Harry's Farming career were: He was bold, he took big risks, and he was...