Ag week at UNE focused on a 'shared-values communication approach" where corporate and local farmers talked about farming.
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Vice Chancellor Bridget Heywood opened the rural focus symposium and in her first week at the university had already spoken with rural employers and employees who are affected by the drought.
Professor Derek Baker UNE presented statistics that outlined international ownership within Australia agriculture.
"Predominately, foreign owned farming is the production of vegetable processing, cotton process and beef feedlots.
"Foreign ownership is dominant within the agricultural supply chain and is particular prevalent in grain trading and storage.
"With 50-55 per cent in dairy processing, 50 per cent in sugar processing, 60 per cent and red meat process, 40 per cent up to 90 per cent of foreign ownership is in grain and oil seed processing," said Professor Baker.
"Ninety-five per cent of Australia's farms (77 per cent of farmed area) is family owned and controlled.
"Sixty-three per cent of Australian land is held privately 21 per cent as freehold and 42 per cent as lease hold.
"The top risks in terms of impact was the water crisis, spread of infectious disease and biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse," concluded Professor Baker.
David Sackett spoke about corporate framing and specialist agricultural investment. He emphasised the importance of measuring performance within two operating models, yield and capital appreciation".
Jock Whittle from Parawar Pastoral Company presented key statistics outlining the pastoral multi- farm management approaches. The company manages 4,481,370 hectares of total land area and employs 240 full time and seasonal staff. They produce 30 million kilos of beef and 40,000 tonnes produced of dry land crops. The company also produces 1.46 million kilos of wool and sell 170,000 sheep annually. Finally Parawar produces 20,000 tonnes of irrigated crop harvest.
David Brownhill from Merrilong Pastoral spoke about farming as a business cooperative. Charles Coventry, manager of Zegnas' property, 'Achill' spoke about the model of 'a Farmers Board' in staying competitive. Simon Fritish from Agri Path talked about the power of bench marking.
Sam Ditchfield from Ebor Beef spoke on the benefits of joining a marketing cooperative. Andrew Roberts from The Farm Owners Academy spoke about how to run a profitable farming business and not burn out.
Dr Lou Conway conducted question and answer, sessions which provided lively and in depth discussion that compared corporate and local farming practices.
"Corporate and family farms have advantages and one model is not so superior that it will dominate, the challenge is to combine the best of both," concluded David Sackett from Growth Farms Australia.
