There's plenty of laws and legislation put forth by various bodies that an agriculturalist must adhere to. They cover such things as bio-security, environmental hazards, safe working procedures, animal rights and what can or cannot be farmed.

Most of it is all standard stuff that you would already guess due to it's obvious nature, let's take gun laws for example, your gun must be locked up when not in use and it must be registered. That's fair enough. 

There's other legislations that are there to protect properties, avoid disputes and protect the public. Consider the laws relating fencing. They must be up to standard and maintained to protect travelling motorists from stray animals.

Fuel, chemicals and fertilisers are to be correctly used, disposed of and stored along with relevant SOPS and MSDS's. We can't be in a situation where chemicals are allowed to contaminate the environment nor become a threat to workers on the farm or poison food earmarked for consumption.

Your vehicles must be roadworthy and registered, again fair enough. You can purchase a partial registration for vehicles that only do a small amount of travel by the way. Also, tractors must have a roll bar if they don't have a cab.

Be aware of children on the farm, remember they can't read warning signs or chemical labels for example so Safework SA has some great guidelines that will keep the little ones safe. 

Bushfire regulations are a big one. I made contact with the CFS who directed me to a range of resources on their website. In particular I was interested in regulations regarding on farm fire units for which the CFS has created a handbook. Some of the basics here are  in respect to ensuring the unit is correctly and safely attached to the vehicle. If you consider the weight of the tank full of water and the dangers if the tank isn't properly restrained. I also asked what requirements were in place for setting up your property to make it more fire safe and in this respect I was directed to council regulations as this is the councils domain. So things like burn offs and wind breaks are not regulated by the CFS but each council area.

The RSPCA deals with a range of standards that must be adhered to. Assessors will come to the farm to ensure standards are being met. They range from such things as adequate shelter, food and water, stocking levels and that handlers are correctly trained.
​
The main thing to be aware of is that there are a large range of bodies and associations that set standards as well as the government. It is important to take the time to be aware of them all for the better of your farm and the industry.

Here's one of the work plans I've made up for a summer period set of crops on an online tool called "Dapulse".  Dapulse.com can export to your google calendar so could be a useful tool to those that like to work to a rigid timeline.
​

​Controlling a production plan occurs through a management chain where a plan is set out and dispersed downwards to workers and subcontractors.  Often an intense period of management is required initially to assign/assist/direct employees.  Management must focus on co ordination and administration.

Throughout the process monitoring is essential.  Contractor safety, ensuring the property is protected from pests, disease, weeds and environmental hazards, maintenance of irrigation systems, fertilising regimes and livestock health are all aspects that require constant monitoring.  Using a log book or checklist to regularly observe changes or foresee potential hazards is imperative.  When years of production have previously occurred a comparison can be made between the years to pre empt likely problems. 
​
Evaluating occurs as a part of the supply and demand chain where as a manager you consider what can be sold and what has sold, what is popular and how will you keep up with supply, deciding on amounts for future years and also trialling other methods that may improve output or income.  Getting feedback from customers is important of course and, along with networking helps you judge the future outlook and allows you to lock in contracts ahead of time.

​

I spoke to Brian who runs a cattle stud to get an idea about the legal requirements he must observe in order to run his agricultural enterprise. Brian began on the topic of restraining the farm's animals and the importance of good fencing and gates.  There is an interesting article here also discussing the matter.  
http://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2014-06-10/should-pastoralists-pay-damages-if-cars-hit-their-cattle/5513452

He also spoke of the requirements to control noxious weeds and responsibly stop their spread.  This involves a duty to ensure contractors and their vehicles do not come on to the property and spread weeds.  More info on the legislation regarding weeds is here. http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/weeds/government/legislation.html

We discussed the need to report pest and disease outbreaks such as foot and mouth. For more info on reportable diseases look here.
http://www.agriculture.gov.au/pests-diseases-weeds/animal

In particular respect to Brian's cattle stud he discussed the requirements related to identification and tagging of cattle.  Meat and Livestock Australia has good info on their website.
https://www.mla.com.au/meat-safety-and-traceability/red-meat-integrity-system/about-the-national-livestock-identification-system-2015/tagging-livestock/

To finish we discussed the obligations set down by the RSPCA for animal welfare and it's implementation on farms.  More info here. 
www.rspca.org.au/what-we-do/working-farming-industries

​

I recently met with a few blokes to devise flow charts for various production schedules.  I spoke to Craig who is an agriculturalist, Paul who is a horticulturalist and Brian who runs a cattle stud. These flow charts show the stages of production for 4 production programs.  1) A broad acre program. 2) A cattle breeding stud 3) A horticultural crop 4) A feedlot.   

​

Running a successful enterprise isn't a set and forget situation.  A manager needs to constantly assess the business and use that assessment to modify and adjust as necessary.  Below are two business checklists I've written to help in such circumstances.  One is for an on farm enterprise, the other an off farm enterprise.  They share similarities with some differences to suit each. 

Farm Enterprise Assessment Checklist

Staffing, induction, OHS, welfare, work/life balance

• Have all new staff been inducted and given OHS training?
• Are all staff using PPE
• How many serious injuries occurred?  What are they? What Season? Under what circumstances?
• How many near misses or minor injuries have occurred?  What season, what place, what circumstance?
• How many staff are employed ?  What seasons? Hours worked?
• What concerns did staff raise re: work life balance?
• What is the balance of the workforce?  Senior/experienced, long term (10+), mid term (5+) junior (0-2 yrs), part time and casual

Financial

• Seasonal wages, hours worked
• Feed / fertilizer
• Seedlings
• Irrigation
• Pest management, disease, environmental damage costs
• Plant equipment
• Machinery maintenence
• Rates, mortgage, utilities

Tools / machinery

• Do major items need maintenence / replacing?
• Can better maintenence improve lifespan or performance?
• Is there a better, more cost effective tool available? Is it viable to invest?
• Have the current tools / machinery paid for themselves?
• Are employees trained in and monitored in the correct use, cleaning and storage of equipment?

Sustainability and Diversification

• What sustainability practices occur? What are the results? Can they be improved?
• What financial / tangible benefits are there as a result of the practices? Are they worthwhile?
• What other sustainable measures can be employed to enhance the business?
• What other crops / livestock could be taken on?
• What other ventures could be introduced to the current business model?
• What value adding could occur?
• Are there any waste products that could be repurposed/recycled for use or sale?

Crop / livestock yield and health

• What diseases / pests have affected health / yield?  What measures are being taken to contain / manage these issues?
• Is there a relationship between environment/weather that affects yield/health?  Are there seasonal issues that could be combatted?
• Are there more economical products that produce better yield and are more suited to the environment?
• What considerations are being made in relation to companion planting or plants that enhance the lifestyle of the livestock?

Product / stock

• What products sell best? Are there alternatives or related products that are worth stocking?
• Are there products that could be removed from sale?
• Are there products that could benefit from more promotion / marketing?
• Are staff familiar with all products? Can they promote the produce more effectively?
• Do staff require further training in relation to the products sold?​

​

​Off Farm Enterprise Assessment Checklist

Staffing, induction, OHS, welfare, work/life balance

• Have all new staff been inducted and given OHS training?
• Are all staff using PPE
• Are staff regularly updated in manual handling, fire and first aid?
• How many serious injuries occurred?  What are they? What Season? Under what circumstances?
• How many near misses or minor injuries have occurred?  what circumstance?
• How many staff are employed ?  Hours worked?
• What concerns did staff raise re: work life balance?
• What is the balance of the workforce?  Senior/experienced, long term (10+), mid term (5+) junior (0-2 yrs), part time and casual
• Do staff feel supported and feel they have an avenue to raise concerns?

Financial

• Wages
• Product stock
• Plant equipment
• Machinery maintenence
• Rates, mortgage, utilities, insurances, cleaning, consumables
• Transport
• Packaging

Tools / machinery

• Do items need maintenence / replacing?
• Can better maintenence improve lifespan or performance?
• Is there a better, more cost effective tool available? Is it viable to invest?
• Have the current tools / machinery paid for themselves?
• Are employees trained in and monitored in the correct use, cleaning and storage of equipment?
• What tools/machinery currently sits idle?

Environment

• What recycling/sustainability practices occur? Can they be improved?
• What financial / tangible benefits are there as a result of the practices? Are they worthwhile? Can they be used to promote the ‘green’ approach of the business?
• Are all cleaning products environmentally friendly?
• Can old equipment be replaced with more environmentally friendly items
• Are there any items that could be improved in regard to energy consumption?
• Are there any waste products that could be repurposed/recycled for use or sale?

Product / stock

• What products sell best? Are there alternatives or related products that are worth stocking?
• Are there products that could be removed from sale?
• Are there products that could benefit from more promotion / marketing?
• Are staff familiar with all products? Can they promote the produce more effectively?
• Do staff require further training in relation to the products sold?
• Are the products stored correctly?
• Are the products displayed in a manner that improves their sale?
• Do customers find it easy to locate products
• Are staff able to point customers to avenues of further information about the products
• Can any improvements be made to the transportation/delivery and packaging of products?

Web presence / social media

• Are products marketed via the internet?
• Is the website user friendly? What improvements can be made?
• Can consumers expect fast responses to enquiries?
• Are social media posts edited and vetted?

​