Staying a step ahead to seize opportunity

Three generations of the Woods family on farm in Calingiri.

Western Australia’s Woods family takes a practical, long-term approach to growing their farm business, largely centred around positioning themselves to seize opportunity as it arises.

Upgrading machinery ahead of land expansion has been one such strategy Steven and Suzanne Woods value, ensuring their farm business has the capacity to manage additional hectares when land does become available.

“We try to plan ahead where we can,” Suzanne says. “Land prices have skyrocketed, and even a small land purchase is a big step, so making sure you’re equipped to manage that country properly is important.”

As fifth and sixth generations of the Woods family cropping in the Shire of Victoria Plains north of Perth, the family grow broadacre cereal crops including wheat, barley and canola, along with oaten hay and beef cattle.

With five now-adult children, the couple took a highly-considered approach to their farm business growth, and today three of their children are back on the farm in what Suzanne laughs is “almost like our own little commune”.

The Woods’ children all remain closely connected to the business in different ways.
 

The Woods family takes a highly considered approach to business.

Sons Isaac and Reuben, together with Reuben’s wife Katie, their three children, plus daughter Elise and her husband Brent, are all active in the farming operation and broader business.

Sons, Lindsay and Jerome currently work off-farm in Perth, yet return during busy periods such as harvest, and participate in regular business planning workshops.

Collectively, Suzanne explains, the contribution of the growing family to the business has meant that the potential for ongoing growth and development of a thriving agricultural enterprise is becoming reality.

“Operationally, everyone has their own area of responsibility but crucially we come together to take a whole-of-business view to ensure we are heading together in the same direction.”

“We can’t quite see each other’s washing on the line, but we’re close enough,” she laughs. “It is so lovely having our children, and now grandchildren all on-farm, and our other sons enjoying chipping in during harvest or on weekends.”

“We’ve always been strategic in our business growth to ensure generation number six could work back on the farm if that was their wish, and to reach this point makes us all really excited.”

Better than best again in the west

Like many growers in the region, the Woods family has benefited from a run of favourable seasons, but Suzanne says improved technology, farming practices and soil management have also played a big role in lifting production over time.

“Our yields have improved significantly, and while we’ve benefited from reliable rainfall, it doesn’t just come down to season, there have been so many advances in knowledge, tools and technology that we really are able to maximise every dollar of input to get the maximum dollar of output.”

“Today, we’re in the terrific position of enjoying the benefit of years of R&D in the grains and oilseed industry.”

Improved seed varieties, the timing of seeding – particularly getting canola in early – as well as routine soil amelioration annually has shifted the needle on their Calingiri properties.
 

The family leverages R&D to drive efficiencies and productivity.

“Improving our soils has been a real game-changer, and we have a range of soil amelioration practices that we complete across the whole farm, annually, rather than just focussing on less-productive areas ad hoc,” Suzanne explains. “And while oaten hay was once our most lucrative crop, the cereal crops have certainly caught up.”

To support their ongoing business growth, the Woods’ have always contracted, their hay machinery is used to undertake contract baling, mowing and raking, and if there’s capacity they’re always willing to jump in and help cart, seed, harvest, or spray.  

“We’ve got four family members full-time and three part-time plus two full-time locals and seasonal casual staff, so we need to have enough work to justify our labour component.”

“Contracting also justifies our machinery costs, particularly when upsizing our gear and scaling our business.”

Family as business partners

As Suzanne and Steven begin to transition out of management and let the next-generation take a lead, the family is not immune to the nuances of intergenerational farming.

“We work together really well, sometimes it’s not harmonious, but that’s reflective of any workplace – the key is to value and respect each person’s individuality and what they uniquely bring to the business.”

“If everyone was the same it would be pretty boring, and we’re mindful to work positively and constructively to ensure the collective benefit from each person’s contribution – for me it’s about ‘we’ not ‘I’.”

As the business transitions to the next generation, Suzanne says the complexity of managing a farm is “not something that can be stepped into overnight”.

“There’s no line in the sand, farm businesses are complex, and while the operational transition may be more straightforward, it’s the management activities, the knowledge, skills, relationships and networks built over a long time that are integral to our success, and require nurturing.”
 

Suzanne and Steven with the next-gen.

Steven and Suzanne remain actively involved in the farming business day-to-day, while also pursuing new business opportunities and contributing heavily to the wider community through local government and many years of volunteer involvement.

Suzanne smiles that “a quiet retirement is not on the cards anytime soon”.

Long-term Rabobank support

As long-term Rabobank clients, spanning back to the PIBA days, Steven believes the greatest benefit of doing business with Rabobank is their innate understanding of their business.

“It’s so refreshing that we don’t have to start at the beginning explaining ourselves every time we need something – our manager Georgina Day, and the whole Moora team – are up to speed on where we’re at as a business,” Steve says. “There’s a genuine interest and wish to help us achieve our aspirations, and I really appreciate the fact that I can pick up the phone and get an immediate response and level of understanding.”

Suzanne says they feel fortunate to have Georgina as their manager, and value her understanding of the industry, region, and receptiveness to their thoughts and ideas around business growth.
 

Suzanne and Steven with their Rabobank Manager, Georgina Day.

“There’s a lot of risk in some of the things we do – probably all of it – yet through Rabobank’s support and firm backing the message we get is that they have confidence in our ability to succeed, and that gives us confidence.”   

“Rabobank also contributes broadly to development of the industry thought programs such as the Farm Management Program which Isaac recently attended, and returned with some great insights from this experience and opportunity.”

The mantra Suzanne lives by, she smiles, is ‘test the Impossible’, and throughout their life on the land this tireless couple has certainly pushed the envelope.

“We get out there and give it our best shot, and of course there are plenty of things that haven’t worked that we’re not doing today, but we don’t want to look back and think “what if?” – if you have a go generally you can find a way to make things happen.”