Farming Resources
Here are some additional resources originally created in 2018 to help readers of Small Farm Success Australia link to more information.
Farming Philosophies and Special Interest Groups
Find your philosophical farming tribe!
- Landcare Australia
- Permaculture Australia
- Seedsavers Australia
- Bio-Dynamic Research Association – Demeter
- Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance – Fair Food
- Deep Winter Agrarians – Facebook
- Soils for Life
Intensive farming
- National Farmers’ Federation
- Queensland Farmers’ Federation
- Victorian Farmers Federation
- AgForce (intensive beef, sheep & grain producers)
- NSW Farmers
- NT Farmers
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Federal and State Government Agricultural Bodies
Here are links to Australian and state government ag departments and national government generated farming resources. If you are farming in Victoria, still check out the other state government websites as there is interesting information that may still be relevant to whatever you are interested in.
State government information on agriculture
- NSW Department of Primary Industries – plenty of resources to get you started
- Agriculture Victoria – from food safety for egg producers to biosecurity and so much more
- Department of Agriculture & Fisheries, Queensland – info on forestry to fish, fungus to fruit
- Tasmania – Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE)
- Primary Industries and Regions, South Australia – another treasure trove of farming information
- Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia – from agricultural pests to opportunities
- Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry and Resources – heading north? This is the site for you
- ACT Government – Environment, Planning & Sustainable Development Directorate – sustainable farming
Australian government information on farming
- Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water – Biosecurity, exporting, drought and rural assistance
- CSIRO Atlas of Australian Soils – find out all about soil types
- Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resources Economics and Sciences (ABARES) – this is the science and economics research division of the Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
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Farm Business and Planning Tools
Here are a range of planning tools to help you better understand opportunities and threats to your farm business.
Gross margin analysis tool – provided by DPIWE Tasmania, the gross margin budget templates allow comparisons to be made between enterprises. Gross margin is the financial difference between returns received from sales of produce and the variable costs associated with producing that produce.
Enterprise suitability toolkit (Tasmania) – provided by DPIWE Tasmania, enterprise suitability maps can assist farmers and prospective investors to analyse potential crop or enterprise options for a property or district. The information is intended as a guide to the further on-farm investigations and business analysis required before making investment decisions. Though it is for Tasmania, it is interesting for any farmer to see what you need to think about before investing.
Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook – this link is to the 2015/2016 Hort Innovation report that is an analysis that combines all available data on production, international trade, processing volumes and fresh market distribution in order to produce statistics on 75 horticultural categories. It covers fruit, vegetables, nuts and other horticulture such as cut flowers, nursery and turf farming.
Also visit the websites of government and industry bodies for statistics and assistance.
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Horticultural Information and Groups
- Apple and Pear Australia Limited (APAL)
- Australian Banana Growers’ Council Inc (ABGC)
- Australian Lychee Growers Association (ALGA)
- Australian Macadamia Society (AMS)
- Australian Mango Industry Association (AMIA)
- Australian Melon Association Inc. (AMA)
- Australian Native Food and Botanicals (ANFAB)
- Australian Nut Industry Council (ANIC)
- Australian Olive Association (AOA)
- Australian Table Grape Association (ATGA)
- AUSVEG
- Avocados Australia
- Citrus Australia
- Custard Apples Australia Inc.
- Growcom (Queensland).
- Nursery and Garden Industry Australia (NGIA)
- Nursery and Garden Industry Queensland (NGIQ)
- Passionfruit Australia Inc. (PAI)
- Strawberries Australia Inc.
- Summerfruit Australia Limited (SAL)
- Voice of Horticulture (fruit, nuts, turf, nursery plants and cut flowers)
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Australian Food Standards & State Government Food Links
Hopefully these links will help you navigate some of the food laws you will need to know about when farming and selling produce. Your local council will also have information on everything from licensing food trucks and mobile food vans, to kitchen inspections and more.
- Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)
- ACT: The Health Protection Service
- NT: The Department of Health
- QLD: Queensland Department of Health – Food Safety
- QLD: Safe Food Production Queensland
- SA: Department of Primary Industries & Resources and Dairy Authority of SA
- SA: South Australian Department of Health
- TAS: Department of Health and Human Services – Food Safety
- TAS: Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
- VIC: Dairy Food Safety Victoria
- VIC: Prime Safe Victoria (meat, poultry and seafood + transport vehicles)
- VIC: Department of Health and Human Services
- WA: Department of Health – Food Unit
- NSW: NSW Food Authority
Food Labelling
Food Nutrition Panel Calculator
Food weights & measures
- National Measurement Institute – Weights and Measures
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Here are some quick links to some of the farms, farmers, people and organisations mentioned in Small Farm Success Australia.
Farmer spotlights and commentary (in order of appearance in book)
Nive Beef – Douglas and Rachelle Cameron
Rhuby Delights – Malcolm Ryan
Guraabi Downs Brafords – Joshua Gilbert
Coaldale Walnuts – Phil and Jane Dening
Linga Longa Farm – Greg and Lauren Newell
Old Mill Road Bio Farm – Fraser and Kirsty Bayley
Ewetopia Farm – Ian and Jill McIttrick
Tailor Made Fish Farms – Nick Arena
Hallcraig Santa Getrudis Stud – Jock Cuninghame
Sultana Girl – Erin Jonasson
919 Wines – Eric and Jenny Semler
Greenpatch Seeds – Neville and Sophia Donovan
Hinterland Feijoas – Sally Hookey and Peter Heineger
Chestnut Brae – Linda and John Stanley
Living Earth Farm – Falani and Olivier Sofo
Hanaminno – Charlie Arnott
Blue Coast Oyster Company – Casey and Susan Lowick
Tas-Saff – Nicky and Terry Noonan
Jonai Farms – Tammi Jonas
Hand n Hoe Organics – Dave Flinter
KinSpirit Iris and Daylily Farm – Lyz Taylor
Johnstone’s Kitchen Gardens – Liz Johnstone
Tasmanian Black Garlic Company – under new ownership with Bec from Feb 2018
Manjimup Truffles – Al Blakers
The Agrarian Kitchen – Severine Demanet and Rodney Dunn
Talawahl Australian Stock Horse Stud – Vicki Evans
The Beekeeper – Daryl Brenton
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Business Development & Exporting Support
Yes, the government does provide a network of advisers and services across the country to give you tips and assistance as you grow your business. Some of them include:
- Austrade – how to export farm produce
- Regional Development Australia
Business Queensland
- Starting a business
- Running a business
- Farms, Fishing and Forestry – Advice and info on agriculture, commercial fishing, forestry, aquaculture and livestock, including biosecurity and environmental considerations.
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