Numurkah Focus Farm
NUMURKAH FOCUS FARM
Staying Positive after a run of tough years
Andrew and Rebecca Phillips are looking forward to their involvement with the Murray Dairy Focus Farms project. They see it as an opportunity to put the business under the microscope and reap the benefits from a supportive network.
The Phillips’s moved from NZ in 1998, where Rebecca was working as a consulting officer and Andrew was lower order sharemilking.
They started dairying in Australia through leasing a farm at Katamatite, and took the leap into farm ownership by purchasing their current business in the same area in 2001. As all locals would know it has been a ‘baptism of fire’ with the volatility the region has faced over the last 10 or so years. The Phillips’s hope the tough years are behind them so that they can get on with building their wealth.
Rebecca and Andrew have a young family and want to achieve that balance between spending quality time with the kids and keeping the farm business humming along. They have four children – Michael is 11, Bianca 9, Anneliese 7 and Emily 5.
Rebecca said ‘After achieving our first goal of farm ownership, the first season was promising with good water allocations and relatively high milk price. As a result, like many first time proud and enthusiastic farm owners, we dived into upgrading the farm through fencing, improving water supply and pasture renovation. However the drought followed, and like the rest of the dairying community, we struggled to meet the costs of running the business.’
The Phillips’s have been involved in a local dairy business group – but believe the focus farm project will provide them with more opportunity to explore their business in detail.
In the first few months of the project they have recruited a support group which involves a balance of trusted local farmers and advisors to the business – ranging from the business banker and accountant, through to a local agronomist, milk factory field officer and importantly respected local farmers that are focussed on helping the business set and achieve realistic goals.
So far the support group have been getting to know the farm – exploring historical physical and financial performance figures and understanding the Phillip’s farming philosophy. Through this the support group have identified a number of practical goals for the business. The aim is to improve farm physical and financial performance, and get the business back on track after a run of tough years. Andrew said ‘One of the highest priorities for us is will to re-build equity to create a buffer against future industry challenges – and we are looking forward to drawing on the support group to help us meet this challenge.’
PHILLIPS FARM FACTS
| Property Size: | 129 hectares |
| Milk Herd: | 280 cows in 2010/11 and 300 cows in 2011/12 |
| Other Livestock: | 86 rising one year olds and 73 rising two year olds |
| Milk Production: | 101595 kg MS in 2010/11 and 114,081 in 2011/12 |
| Water Resources: | 211 ML HRWS, 101 ML LRWS, 360 ML of Deep lead water with current NPV of 70% |
| Dairy: | Herringbone, 14 aside double-up. Low-line with cup removers. |
| Feed Program: | Predominantly pasture (a balance of perennial and annual pasture) supplemented with silage in the paddock and grain in the shed. More recently DDG and Almond hulls have been used with success. There is very little investment in feed-out equipment. |
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 Above Phil Shannon Focus Farm Facilitator and Rebecca Phillips Left Andrew Phillips |
DOWNLOAD FLYER for Field Day to be held on Thursday, 16th February 2012