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The Beef + Lamb New Zealand Monitor Farm Programme is one of the world’s most successful agribusiness programmes. The programme was developed in 1991 with the aim of helping farmers to better understand their business, and then put in place plans to achieve both personal and financial success. The programme is driven by local community ownership and commitment with specialists' input to aid planning and implementation.
How the Programme Works
Local community groups select a facilitator and Monitor Farmer who is relevant and applicable to the local region, both geographically and in the issues being addressed by the farm business. A business plan is then developed and implemented along with associated monitoring plans for 3-4 years. Monitor Farmers are assisted through the process by a community group which comprises local agribusiness people including vets, consultants, farmers, scientists, financiers and processors.
Information from the Monitor Farm Programme is available to all farmers who pay Beef + Lamb New Zealand levies.
The Benefits
The programme continues to attract excellent community participation and interest. Since its inception some 125 individual monitor farmers have passed through the programme with an estimated 20,000 farmers cumulatively involved through community groups, receiving newsletters or attending field-days. The estimated benefit to farmers is in excess of $150 million since the programme began.
In 1998 an analysis of the programme indicated a 1:21 cost:benefit ratio for this research investment, realising a $13.4 million benefit to farmers from a levy investment of $600,000.
The Farms
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