Rosie and Henry Moxham want increase their famring area and diversify.

PROGRESSIVE sheep operations are among farming businesses selected to participate in the NSW Department of Primary Industries’ Young Farmer Business Program’s individual coaching program.

The six businesses include outback sheep, goat and beef producers James and Kimberley McClure and Coonamble mixed farmers Henry and Rosie Moxham.

The McClures operate a mixed farming enterprise of Merino and Damara sheep, rangeland goats and cattle near Wilcannia. The Moxhams operate a dryland cropping, cattle and Merino sheep farm near Coonamble as well as a contracting business.

Young Farmer Business Program co-ordinator, Tim Flynn, said the program organisers were excited to receive over 40 applications from across NSW.

“We had applications from Wilcannia all the way to the coast and the standard of applications set the bar extremely high,” Mr Flynn said.

“We know that starting, running or growing a farming or fishing business isn’t easy, but a business coach will help these passionate young producers get the skills they need to run more productive and profitable businesses.”

Young farmers want to ‘peel back’ their business

James and Kimberley McClure.

James McClure said he wants to peel back the layers of the enterprise “and truly get a better look into the finer business aspects to make our property prosper into the future.”

Henry Moxham said he and Rosie think their ‘core’ business plan is good, but they would love help to develop it to increase the land area and diversify into different rainfall and soil type regions.

The other participants in this round of the individual coaching program include Billy Browning, who manages his family’s irrigated and broad-acre cropping farm near Narromine in central west NSW.

Participant Jason Finlay is an oyster farmer from Moruya, who, together with his two brothers-in-law, supplies oysters to top-end restaurants, as well as wholesale and local markets.

Doug and Georgie Kelly run a mixed farming enterprise at Gulargambone, which is currently comprised of winter cropping and Angus cattle. Doug and Georgie are in the process of transitioning into management/ownership of Doug’s family business through succession planning.

Tom and Joscelin McMillan are free-range pastured egg farmers from Bemboka, who operate their business on leased land.

Goals and aspirations to be expanded

The 10-month program provides one-one-one business coaching with Richard Groom, a business coach with over 20 years’ experience working with primary producers to help young primary producers to expand their business aspirations and to reach their goals.

“It’s great that we have a mix of enterprises participating in the program,” Mr Flynn said.

The participating businesses will be sharing their learnings throughout the coaching journey with the Young Farmer Business Program’s broader community via monthly video blogs on social media.

“Our entire community will benefit from these young primary producers’ passion and drive to enhance their businesses for strong future growth,” Mr Flynn said.

For more information, visit www.youngfarmer.nsw.gov.au