Designed for progressive farmers at a range of career stages, the two programs being offered — the Executive Development Program for farm business owners or senior managers and the Farm Managers Program for up-and-coming farmer leaders — aim to provide participants with the latest insights in business management, with a specific application to farm businesses.
Rabobank group executive for Country Banking Australia, Marcel van Doremaele, said more than 1500 primary producers from both sides of the Tasman had participated in the programs over the past 27 years.
“The programs are extremely beneficial for primary producers as they allow them the opportunity to step away from the daily demands of their operations and focus on creating strategies that will keep their businesses strong and adaptable in the future,” he said.
“Both programs also give participants the chance to connect with other primary producers from various sectors in both countries.
“Often, the relationships formed during the programs last well beyond the course itself.
“Many past participants say that these lasting connections are one of the highlights of the program, and we support this by holding occasional alumni events for our Business Management Programs throughout Australia and New Zealand.”
Marcel said Rabobank’s ongoing support for the Business Management Programs was designed to help farmers expand their operations and increase their resilience.
He said this year’s FMP program, for young and emerging farmers, will be run in Victoria’s Yarra Valley from June 14 to 19 this year.
The program is designed to strengthen leadership and operational capabilities and equipping participants for future management positions.
It features sessions on communication and influencing strategies, conflict resolution, sustainable farm business planning, financial management, and personnel management.
The EDP runs as two, one-week long residential modules about a year apart, will be held at Macquarie University in Sydney.
The first module will run August 23-28, while the second is scheduled for late July 2027.
The program focuses on long-term strategies, using sound economic reasoning when setting goals and making decisions, and cultivating strong leadership abilities.
“During the interval between the first and second modules of the program, participants are required to develop a management project that identifies and evaluates opportunities for improvement within their respective farming operations,” he said.
EDP alumni and winner of the 2025 Dr John Morris Business Development Prize, Caroline McGrath, said the course was pivotal in developing her career and taking her corporate governance and strategic business planning skills to the next level.
Caroline said she applied what she learnt to refreshing the company’s strategic plans.
“One of the highlights of the EDP was the people, and sense of community that was formed over the two-year program — it is an exceptional mix of people from across Australia and New Zealand, from across all sorts of agriculture businesses,” she said.
“The relationships formed over the two years provides a really special network and a continued sounding board into the future, having learned the same things and gone through the same experience.”
She said she would absolutely recommend the course to the next generation
With numbers on each course limited to maintain group dynamics, positions on the programs are set to be highly contested, with farmers selected to attend from a wide range of commodities and geographical regions across Australia and New Zealand.
Further information and applications can be found on the Rabobank website, or at Business Management Programs.
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