Robert Moon has farmed at Pyramid Hill in northern Victoria all his life. He and his wife Faye run a cropping and sheep business, and their sons Ashley and Dylan farm alongside them.
“I’ve been here all my life. We started farming here in 1988 as a partnership, and now I’ve got my two boys working in the business with me.”
Farm Focus software has been part of that journey for nearly as long.
“We’ve been using it since the early Cash Manager days, so it’s close to 30 years now.”
Why does a farm budget matter so much?
For Robert and Ashley, the biggest advantage is always knowing where the business stands.
“The budgeting is the main thing. It’s always showing you where you are right now and where you’re heading.”
That up-to-date view has kept them in control of the farm finances as the business has grown and changed.
“When we were building the business, it gave us a snapshot of exactly where we sat at any point.”
Simple to use, built for farming
Ashley has been farming for around 15 years. He values how simple the software is to use, even with everything it can do.
“It’s a comprehensive program, but it’s still simple. A lot of things come in electronically now, so it saves time and keeps everything up to date.”
Bank feeds bring transactions in automatically, and the Invoice Scanner handles the bills. With everything in one place, there are fewer gaps and more confidence in the numbers.
How do family members keep their own finances separate?
The Moons work together every day, but each family member manages their own finances and assets. Each part of the business has its own set of accounts in Farm Focus.
“We all work together, but we each have control of our own finances and assets.”
That keeps the structure clear, while the family still sees the full picture of the overall business.
Planning succession with clear numbers
With succession ahead, the family’s focus is shifting to the next stage of the business.
“We’re looking at reducing debt and consolidating while we work through succession planning and bringing the boys through.”
Clear figures help guide those decisions, from paying down debt to retirement savings.
“It shows where there’s a bit of excess, whether we can top up super, and helps us plan for handing things over.”
Still enjoying the work
Even with an eye on stepping back, Robert still enjoys the day-to-day of farming.
“It gives you a reason to get out of bed in the morning. You get out there, check the stock, see how things are going. There’s not much better than that.”
Today Robert and Ashley still run the family’s accounts in Farm Focus, with working budgets alongside the actuals. Since July 2026, they can also ask the AI Farm Assistant quick questions about their actuals, plans and reports.
Every Farm Focus customer gets free onboarding and phone support from a team that knows farming, in New Zealand and Australia.
