"...the competition to an apple grower is not the neighbour, it is the Mars bar..." Fiona Hall

Fiona Hall is a cherry and apple grower, packer and marketer from Orange NSW, where she and her husband Bernie run Caernarvon Cherry Co and Bonny Glen fruits. Plus she makes a mean cuppa!

Marketing seasonal produce such as cherries both nationally and internationally, is a key to producers getting good prices for their products and sustaining growth. We discuss the challenges of market penetration, and the need to work together as a smaller industry to achieve growth. Meanwhile, ageing workforce's and farm consolidation are changing the business dynamics in the local apple industry.

Fiona's shares her thoughts on developing the confidence to lead an industry through practical action, and building an upbeat community.

Click the link below to check out the interview.

Interview August 2018

Culture and managing the unknown

Ash Keegan is the CEO of FABAL Pty Ltd, one of Australia's largest private agriculture management companies. Prior to this Ash was the Chief Viticulturist and entered the industry from a less than conventional path.

This is a fantastic conversation, with some real nuggets of wisdom along the way including being OK with not knowing the answers to every question. We also discuss the need to care about your employees in building team culture and the paddock PHD.

Other topics covered include:

  • 12 questions to ask your staff

  • 3 rules of profitable business

  • How to push the boundaries of your knowledge and understanding

Enjoy.

How To Attract Generation Z to Agriculture - Becky Parker

“Nine of ten youth will say, "Values that align with mine are what I'm looking for in a company that I want to work for."“ Becky Parker

Becky Parker is the Manager of Community Trust at the British Colombia (BC) Agriculture Council in Canada. Becky is helping to build the connections between farmers and consumers and assist farmers to understand how best to tell their story.

Click on the image of Becky and I to watch the chat.

A 5th generation farmer, she is also trained in science and education, and has completed a masters and Nuffield Scholarship on the topic of attracting generation Z to agriculture. Agricultural industries the world over face the same issues. An ever-growing demand for food, an ageing farming population and shrinking regional populations. Becky’s experience and insights in both building consumer trust and attracting youth to agriculture are at the root of the future of our food and fibre productions. We talk aligning values, entrepreneurship, competition and the need for a younger face and voice to speak with this emerging workforce.

I had so much fun talking to Becky. My bloopers continue, and I also introduced the world famous* “Cow Bell Round”.

*Not world famous… yet.

The Nuffield Phenomenon - Dr Jean Lonie

"Leadership is finding your voice and having the agency to step into issues that are important to you, and be part of the conversation. Leadership is stepping up to a situation that needs people to be part of it and you have that voice." Jean Lonie

Dr Jean Lonie is a Director of Nuffield USA, and has now completed her PHD at Penn State University. Her topic was "The Public Value of Global Agricultural Capacity programs -specifically the Nuffield Phenomenon". Jean discusses the Nuffield program, agricultural leadership, capacity building,  collaboration,  and the concept of antifragility.

Differing time zones are a challenge but caffeine carried me through this interview.

Click the picture to watch the video. Enjoy