At Mortlake in South West Victoria, Faerlie Fidge is building a cattle operation with a clear focus on growth and good decision-making.
Running Weatherly Angus across 500 acres, along with additional leased country, Faerlie manages a breeding operation that has had to adapt to changing conditions, including recent drought.
“We’ve had to back numbers off a bit this year, but we’ll look to build again when conditions allow.”
Faerlie began farming in 2019 in partnership with his parents. At the same time, he took on new systems to help manage the business.
“It was a good time to start using farm management software. We came in on Cash Manager, which has since become Farm Focus, and it’s been really good for learning how to run the business.”
Having everything in one place has made it easier to stay organised and confident in the numbers.
“It helps me keep track of stock and accounts and have everything clear for the accountant.”
Looking ahead, Faerlie is focused on expanding the business through leasing more land and increasing stock numbers when the opportunity is right.
Farm Focus plays an important role in that planning.
“It gives us the ability to put in different scenarios and see how that might look financially before we make a call.”
That ability to test ideas before committing helps reduce risk and supports better decisions.
Having real-time access to information also makes it easier to work with their accountant, Sinclair Wilson.
“They can log in and see everything straight away. If we’re looking at finance or dealing with the bank, they can prepare reports without us having to go anywhere.”
This saves time and keeps everyone aligned when making important business decisions.
For Faerlie, Farm Focus supports the way they want to run their business now and into the future.
“We like to breed cattle that work for you, and we find that Farm Focus works for us.”
