Category Archives: The Big Picture

Spring is officially here Spring is officially here and dairy in particular is flat out. The challenge of shifting up several gears is real as farmers review plans and look beyond the ‘urgent and immediate’ to where they need to be now. This is difficult but vital – it’s much easier to set plans but […]

The faintest hint of spring on the horizon will bring a huge sigh of relief from farmers trying to manage through record rain falls across the country. Experienced farmers are saying they’ve not seen water levels like it in their lifetime with many now looking ahead at solutions such as environmentally sustainable feed pads that’ll […]

Profitability in challenging times While finance is still available in the agri-sector there’s been a recent upswing in reporting requirements as banks request more detail to support lending decisions. This is where Farm Focus steps up! Focus provides banks and lending providers certainty that their client’s business plans are solid giving Focus customers an advantage in […]

Winter has arrived But the outlook is not gloomy as the season suggests with some positive news across the sector.  The property market is running hot with sales up and prices strong, and banks have responded accordingly with plenty of credit available for farm purchases.  Sheep and beef farmers have at last been rewarded with strong prices […]

Planning provides power Getting your business plan on paper now will provide a head start managing key activities next season. Information around pasture or herd management, staff management, on-going maintenance through to compliance requirements will provide a starting point to refer to so you can steer your business in the right direction. One thing I’ve learned […]

Testing times I try where possible to keep an open mind but can’t help feeling ….. in all my years in the farming community there have never been so many issues facing farmers, and a government so unwilling or unable to provide clear guidelines and direction for rural businesses to work towards. A high percentage […]

Putting you in the driving seat Planning is a vital part of running a business and being a weather dependent industry, farmers face an additional challenge when trying to predict and map how a season will run. Weather events so far this year provide a good example of how your plan can be thrown out of […]

And just like that… Feels like only a week or so ago we were headed towards Christmas with the possibility of a bit of down time with families and friends.  Here we are back for the next round! The country is looking remarkably green for this time of year.  Here in the Wairarapa there’s feed everywhere […]

Time for restful break The year is almost over and 2021 will certainly be remembered as a period of change. We’ve experienced a big change in the way we work, how we do business and interact within our various communities. In short nothing is normal anymore and I think this will be just how we […]

Here’s to the season ahead Christmas has quietly appeared on the horizon and, for those too busy to notice, local stores and suppliers are already upping the ante to get organized and plan ahead! Supply chains for farm inputs and exports remain under pressure and demand is likely to increase leading into Christmas. Inflation and […]