Profitable Farmer Farm Owners Academy

Nuffield International’s vision is to inspire people to make a difference in the world of agriculture.
 
It is fair to say this great organisation is truly achieving it’s global vision- directly as a result of the many great leaders of Nuffield, like Jim Geltch, who have committed much of their careers to making this happen.
 
It was a privilege for me to speak this week with a fellow scholar and good friend of my father’s, Jim Geltch about the Nuffield farming scholarship program and the significant impact this unique and very special organisation has had on our industry, both locally and globally. For more information on how to apply for a Nuffield Scholarship, click here
 
Jim started farming in 1971 in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area at Whitton growing rice, row cropping and ultimately into tomato production. This led him to later taking up a leadership position managing the Australian operations for New Zealand’s tomato processing company, Cedenco.
 
As a long-serving guardian of the Nuffield farming scholarship program, Jim served as CEO Nuffield Australia 2005-2016, Nuffield International CEO 2008-2020, having completed a Nuffield Scholarship tour himself in 1986.
 
Over that time Nuffield expanded to be a truly international foundation and a greatly expanded global community of scholars.
 
Jim has since been awarded an Australian Order for Services to Agriculture, and the Rabobank Leadership Award recognising the fundamentally important role he had played developing upcoming leadership in the Australian and New Zealand food, fibre & agribusiness sector.
 
It is my hope, through this interview, that we advocate for the Nuffield farming scholarship program and that we honour the immense contribution that Jim has had made to this organisation and it’s community of industry leaders.
 
Thank you Jim for a career advocating for the next generation of leaders in our industry, and for your immense contribution to Nuffield and to Australian Agriculture.
 
Sincerely,
 
Jeremy

Imagine losing your arms, legs, body and your entire outlook on life… at age 19.
 
Imagine being in the prime of your life, only to have it all taken away.
 
Imagine having to start over, come to terms with that hardship, yet find the determination to get on with life.
 
Imagine how hard it would be to ‘stand back up’ and turn up to life again.
 
Then, imagine successfully re-creating yourself, finding the woman of your dreams and excelling in a 35-plus-year career as a successful farm business owner.
 
Imagine finding a way to farm, ski, drive, fly and so much more again!
 
Imagine complementing all of this with a 20-plus year career on the speaking and education circuit; dedicating your life to helping and inspiring men & women and children of all ages to face adversity, overcome their hardship and live their best lives.
 
Ladies & Gentlemen, meet Sam & Jenny Bailey.
 
For me, this conversation was a genuine privilege.I love the opportunity I have to share great Australian stories.
 
Sam & Jenny, you are truly wonderful, on so many levels. You are a great example of companionship, determination, courage and true grit.
 
We look forward to having you with us at our next FOA event, and to welcoming you into our community.
 
For anyone wanting to connect directly with Sam & Jenny, you can find them here.
 
For anyone wanting to read or share their book ‘Head Over Heels’, you can access it here.
 
And for anyone wanting to help Sam on his mission to be the world’s first quadriplegic helicopter pilot!! you can learn more and do that here.
 
Thank Sam & Jenny, for helping us all keep perspective and be appreciative in times of need.
 
Hutch & Farm Owners Academy Team
 
P.S. Would you like to take advantage of a 60-minute coaching session with one of our leading coaches at Farm Owners Academy?
 
We are currently offering 15 free sessions to our podcast listeners where you will be able to sit down, overcome obstacles and gain clarity in your farming business with guidance from an experienced coach. Click here to book your session before spots fill out.

In this episode, it was great to connect with the impressive Sam Johnsson, CEO of Farm Owners Academy. During our discussion we: 
reflected on his 3 years with us,
acknowledged the incredible Farm Owners Academy team and community,
discussed the importance of the CEO role in any business,
explored the power of focusing team members toward ‘their genius’ within a clear and well-documented structure, and the value this can bring to growing teams,
explored ‘The Gap and The Gain’, and how this important concept can help us transform team cultures, enhance confidence in individuals, and underpin high-performing teams, and,
revisited the value of strong cash flow modelling in farm business management to help stress-test your business model in the current climate.
It is always good to connect with Sam on the Profitable Farmer Podcast. He has developed such valuable insights from his time leading Farm Owners Academy’s growth by supporting members of our Platinum Mastermind and Alumni Community in their farm expansion decision-making.To access the Cashflow Optimiser Program, (currently on sale for just $9) click here.To access our Farm Financial Framework training, click here.To book your tickets to our upcoming TOP Producers 2-day Workshop (attend in person on the Sunshine Coast, or virtually) click here.A massive shout-out from Sam J & me to our incredible coaching, analytics and business support team. Your dedication and commitment to Farm Owners Academy’s growth and this community is immense and greatly appreciated. Thank you sincerely, for all you do.Keep being incredible.Hutch & Farm Owners Academy TeamP.S. Would you like to take advantage of a 60-minute coaching session with one of our leading coaches at Farm Owners Academy?We are currently offering 15 free sessions to our podcast listeners where you will be able to sit down, overcome obstacles and gain clarity in your farming business with guidance from an experienced coach. Click here to book your session before spots fill out.

For so many of us, so often our self-confidence and sense of self go up and down with the seasons. We feel good about ourselves when times are good, and we are intently hard on ourselves, and even think we are failing, when the season, the conditions or the markets go against us.
 
Before Christmas we saw a shock hit the sheep-meat market, impacting meat producers at that time significantly. In many areas of our country, we see farming families navigating extended flood events, and in others extended dries.
 
In this podcast I invite Tracy Secombe- Director Well-being & Coaching at FOA- to join me and explore this issue, and how- as a farm business owner- we can overcome it and rise above it.
 
Ladies & gentlemen, we are not our bank account balance. We are so much more than ‘just farmers’ and ‘just farmers wives’. We are leaders of families and great businesses. We are citizens in communities and valued friends to so many. We are good, hard-working, dependable, capable humans doing very good work and making very real differences in so many ways.
 
As we explore in this important discussion, we have the opportunity to take ownership of OUR IDENTITY. We have the opportunity to change our personal story and realise that farming is what we do, it is NOT who we are.
 
In the episode, Tracy shares some tips on how to expand our identity, to include all the important roles we play; how to find a greater sense of balance between them; and how to also shift our sense of self to ‘who we are’ rather than ‘what we do’.
 
Tracy also helps us understand how can best navigate those moments in life when our Identity needs to shift from an active farmer into retirement; from technical farmer to farm business owner; from ‘farmers wife’ to ‘partner in a successful family business’ and from career person to being a Mum & Dad for the first time…
 
Changing our story and embracing practices that support a strpgner sense- of self and a well-rounded IDENTITY is fundamental in the pursuit of growth and expansion in any area of life.
 
Elite athletes, musicians, artists and professionals all get coaching on this – Australian Rugby Captain Michael Hooper’s interview with Ben Crowe on his podcast ‘Car Chats with Crowey’ being a great example. Good enough for them, equally important for us.
 
Thank you Tracy for your time and for your insights on such an important topic at this time.
 
Thank you.
 
Hutch & Team
 

I have said before that there is so much we can learn from business leaders and entrepreneurs outside of our industry.
 
In this episode, I interview Jim Gall, now CEO of RB Sellars.
 
There is no doubt that RB Sellars has been established as an iconic brand across our landscape. Jim reminds us that success in business doesn’t happen overnight and that the strong position they have developed in the market has come from a leadership team with a clear focus. Focusing on a sustainable commitment to a consistent and high-quality product range with outstanding service has led the brand to where they are today.
 
Jim also reminds us of the importance of creating a culture of trust, creativity and innovation to inspire our teams to be actively in pursuit of continuous improvement.
 
He emphasises the importance of encouraging a culture of radical candour, where teams feel safe and empowered to speak their truth and contribute fully and openly at every opportunity.
 
Have you created a culture and focus like this in your business?
Besides Jim’s current contribution at RB Sellars, his entrepreneurial back story is just as impressive.
 
Raised on a family farm near Euroa in Victoria, Jim’s enthusiasm to share his family’s farming story led him to establish Redhanded Creative, a national marketing, communication & advertising agency for Australia’s regional and agri-businesses. 12 years on, Redhanded Creative was acquired by global marketing agency, Clemenger. In the ensuing years, Jim established himself as a natural leader in the company, taking over the CEO role at Clemenger Australia & New Zealand.
 
On his journey through Australia’s Corporate landscape, serving and growing many of the major agribusiness brands we now interact with, Jim has always retained his humility, authenticity and connection to his farming routes.
 
It was wonderful to connect with Jim again after so many years and to have the opportunity to share his insights into our industry, our people and all things leadership.
 
I feel the iconic RB Sellars business and brand are in good hands.
 
Thank you, Jim.
 
Hutch & the Farm Owners Academy Team

 
In my last episode introduction I asked - who here has felt real financial duress and overwhelming stress or hardship in this game called farming?
 
In this episode, I explore this theme further with an in-depth interview with Sarah Crossthwaite. Sarah lives and works with her husband and family on a dairy farm in Northeast Victoria. She has an impressive career as an accredited mental health social worker, actively supporting men and women of our industry through times of hardship.
 
Recently Sarah made the decision to complete a Nuffield Scholarship, and embark on a global research project exploring the impact that financial duress, market volatility and government interventions can have on the mental health and well-being of farming families.
 
To say this is an important research piece is an understatement, and I commend Sarah for her dedication and commitment as an advocate for the mental strength and well-being of our industry and rural communities.
 
In this podcast, we explore what it is Sarah sees, what it is she is hoping to achieve through this research, and the impact she hopes her research might have.
 
The Nuffield Foundation is an incredible organisation and global network, committed to supporting research projects like this one that can have an impact of significance on the farming sector – both locally and globally.
 
In this podcast we also explore the process that Sarah has moved through to be accepted as a Nuffield Scholar, and what it is like to be part of that great organisation and global network.
 
You can learn about Sarah’s research project here.
 
You can learn more about and apply for a Nuffield Scholarship here.
 
Also, for support more personally around mental health and well-being – for you or someone you know – we provide some links that might help you:
 
TIACS : https://www.tiacs.org/
Rural Health Connect : https://ruralhealthconnect.com.au/
Rural Aid : https://www.ruralaid.org.au/counsellors/
 
 
Congratulations Sarah, thank you for your time, and I look forward to a follow-up conversation once your research and global tour on this topic is complete.
 
 
Sincerely,
 
Jeremy Hutchings & The Farm Owners Academy Team
 
 
Here are the show notes for the podcast episode:
Sarah Crosthwaite, a mental health social worker and dairy farmer, shares her journey and passion for supporting the wellbeing of farming communities. As a Nuffield scholar, she is researching how financial stress, climate variability, and government policies impact the mental health of farmers and their families.
 
Sarah reflects on her transition from dairy farming to social work, driven by her interest in understanding human development, trauma, and the power of listening without judgment. She discusses the rewarding yet challenging experience of supporting farmers during the 2019-2020 Australian bushfires, emphasizing the need to focus on people's strengths rather than just promoting resilience.
 
Through her Nuffield project, Sarah aims to explore how other countries address mental health challenges in agriculture and uncover best practices to improve support for Australian farmers and rural communities. She shares insights into the rigorous application process, the supportive Nuffield network, and her research focusing on key themes like financial stress, unpredictable weather, and regulatory changes.
 
Sarah also discusses the importance of financial literacy for farmers, as those with better understanding are better equipped to navigate stressful events. She is working to synthesize her findings and present a report to share insights on enhancing mental health support and financial education for the agricultural sector.
 
The 3 key learnings that are likely surprising to the reader are:
Sarah Crosthwaite, a mental health social worker, is also a dairy farmer, highlighting the unique challenges and perspectives she brings to her research.
 
She is advocating for sustainable practices a