AgMemo

BIG prospects for northern beef producers

Yarrie Station owner and manager Annabelle Coppin checks the water level of a remote trough on her property from a photo taken by remote monitoring cameras and sent via 3G technology to her iPad. The business improvement, which has improved efficiency on the station by reducing the vast distances required to check remote water stations, was implemented as part of the BIG program.

An additional 20 northern beef businesses in Western Australia will benefit from extension of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's successful Business Improvement Grants (BIG) program to improve the market competitiveness of pastoralists.

State Government investment of up to $575 000 in grants has been awarded to northern pastoralists as part of BIG Round Two to improve business enterprises and drive innovation.

Of the Round Two grants awarded in October, ten enterprises are located in each of the Kimberley and Pilbara regions and ten of the grant recipients are Aboriginal pastoral businesses.

The BIG program enables participants to seek expert advice for an initial business review and two subsequent annual reviews, the development of a formal business plan and to implement the priority business improvement identified in the business plan, as well as benchmark performance.

By providing business advice and mentoring support, the program increases the market competitiveness and growth and resilience of individual beef producers and delivers flow-on benefits across the WA beef supply chain.

The original $1.125 million BIG program, which supported 48 pastoral enterprises, including 12 Aboriginal businesses, commenced in 2015 with the aim of improving the performance and resilience of northern beef businesses.

Thirteen of the original participants have qualified for a further $3000 in funding to complete another two annual business reviews.

Department officers will work with BIG participants to stimulate practice change, innovation and business development.

A 2017 review of northern beef activities revealed the BIG program was valuable to industry and achieving positive change, demonstrating the enthusiasm of cattle producers to develop improved business models and achieve sustainable growth.

Annabelle Coppin, owner and manager of Yarrie Station in the Pilbara, has highlighted the business improvements undertaken on her property as part of the BIG program via a brief film, published online.

More information about the BIG program and a booklet of testimonials by participants is available on the department’s website.

For more information contact Trevor Price, project manager, Northern Beef Development, Broome, +61 (0)8 9194 1441.