In this episode we discuss a question posed by Richard Shannon- how do we ensure that horticulture is more resilient in the face of extreme weather events?

To set the scene, what conditions are Australian horticulture growers operating under and how are they ensuring they remain financially viable when dealing with natural disasters?

Central Queensland’s Sandi Groves has ensured multiple disaster events and has emerged with a stronger business- listen to how she did it.

Ed Cowie is in partnership on a farm with his father and was severely impacted by the same 2019 fires. But in terms of disaster fatigue, Ed has unique insights, stemming from his roles in emergency services as a police officer, fire officer and SES controller, with an in-depth knowledge of farming systems.

So how bad can it get… and what can growers do to be resilient to natural disasters?

Richard Eckard is Professor of Sustainable Agriculture at the University of Melbourne and Director of the Primary Industries Climate Challenges Centre (www.piccc.org.au), a research centre addressing the impacts of climate change on agriculture.

He says proactive farmers are already counteracting the effects of climate change.

This episode is brought to you by Growcom and the Rural Financial Counselling Service NQ and the Rural Financial Counselling Service Network.