Primary producers across Australia have the opportunity to expand their knowledge, free of charge, at Rabo Client Council online workshops designed to help provide the financial skills essential to managing an agricultural enterprise.
The practical Financial Skills Workshops – providing primary producers with an opportunity to both upskill and network – will be held online throughout May.
The initiative has been spearheaded and funded by food and agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank’s Rabo Client Council, a group of the bank’s farming clients who volunteer their time implementing programs that contribute to the sustainability of rural and regional communities.
Offered at no cost to participants, the interactive workshops provide practical, hands-on advice for understanding financial statements and banking requirements and explore topics, such as taxation versus management accounting, essential business management ratios and understanding key components of a business’s financial profile.
Rabobank community engagement manager Rowena Propsting said the intention is for producers to walk away from the workshops – which are designed specifically for farm owners and managers – feeling positive and inspired about their financial knowledge and expertise.
"We understand it can be challenging for farmers to step away from their businesses, so the bank is offering these condensed online learning opportunities as an alternative to the face-to-face workshops that will also continue to be rolled out across the country,” Ms Propsting said.
“The online workshops will be delivered in two blocks – with Module One being delivered on Tuesday May 7 and Wednesday May 8, 2024,” she said. “This module focuses on understanding how to read, interpret and use financial reports.
“And the Module Two workshops, will be held on Thursday May 9 and Friday May 10, and also Thursday May 23 and Friday May 24, 2024. These modules focus on gross margin analysis – a critical step in farm planning and decision making.”
Ms Propsting said in the Module Two workshops, there will be an enterprise focused approach – examining dairy, cropping and wool operations. “We will consider cash flow implications for these enterprise choices and explore preparing annual cash flow budgets.”
She said primary producers who had attended previous Rabobank Financial Skills Workshops have told the bank the information provided is valuable and could be integrated into their businesses straight away.
“Since launching in 2018, the Rabo Client Councils have extended this valuable learning opportunity to over 4,340 farmers across Australia and New Zealand,” she said.
The virtual workshops will be presented by director of Hudson Facilitation, Tony Hudson.
Online workshop dates:
- Module One: Tuesday, 7 May and Wednesday, 8 May 2024 – 7:45am – 10:30pm
- Module Two: Thursday, 9 May and Friday, 10 May 2024 – 7:45am – 10:30pm
- Module Two: Thursday, 23 May and Friday, 24 May 2024 – 7:45am – 10:30am
To register to participate, please click here
Rabobank Australia & New Zealand Group is a part of the international Rabobank Group, the world’s leading specialist in food and agribusiness banking. Rabobank has more than 120 years’ experience providing customised banking and finance solutions to businesses involved in all aspects of food and agribusiness. Rabobank is structured as a cooperative and operates in 38 countries, servicing the needs of approximately 8.4 million clients worldwide through a network of more than 1000 offices and branches. Rabobank Australia & New Zealand Group is one of Australasia’s leading agricultural lenders and a significant provider of business and corporate banking and financial services to the region’s food and agribusiness sector. The bank has 90 branches throughout Australia and New Zealand.
Media contacts:
Denise Shaw
Head of Media Relations
Rabobank Australia & New Zealand
Phone: 02 8115 2744 or 0439 603 525
Email: denise.shaw@rabobank.com
Will Banks
Media Relations Manager
Rabobank Australia
Phone: 0418 216 103
Email: will.banks@rabobank.com