04/07/2025
Kangaroo Island farmers have the opportunity to expand their knowledge, free of charge, at a workshop designed to help provide financial skills key to managing an agricultural enterprise.
Hosted by the South Australian Rabo Client Council in partnership with Agriculture Kangaroo Island (AGKI), the practical Financial Skills Workshop – which is open to all farmers, not just the bank’s clients – will be held in Cassini on July 24.
The initiative – which provides farmers with an opportunity to both upskill and network –has been led and funded by food and agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank’s Rabo Client Councils, a group of innovative, forward-thinking farming clients who are passionate about making a difference in their communities and support a range of activities designed to make a meaningful impact on the vibrancy and resilience of rural Australia.
The complimentary, interactive workshop provides practical, hands-on guidance on understanding financial statements and banking requirements and explores topics such as taxation versus management accounting, essential business management ratios and understanding key components of a business’s financial profile.
Rabobank state manager for South Australia Roger Matthews said “the workshop is designed to help equip farmers with key financial skills and tools for managing agricultural businesses efficiently”.
The workshop – which will be limited to 30 participants – will be delivered by director of Hudson Facilitation, Tony Hudson.
Mr Matthews said the workshop – which is designed specifically for farm owners and managers – aims to assist in closing the gap between farming expertise and financial knowledge.
“Even experienced farmers may have limited familiarity with some financial reporting and banking requirements or may simply wish to enhance their understanding of business financial analysis,” he said.
Mr Matthews said the workshop is intended for couples and family members to attend together. “The session offers an opportunity for participants to step away from daily farming operations, receive the same information and build a common understanding of financial reporting. By learning together, farming families can strengthen their financial skills collectively,” he said.
Rabobank’s Rabo Client Council network is focussed on developing meaningful grassroots initiatives to support key themes focusing on agri education, rural wellbeing, sustainability, adaption and creating rural/urban connections, Mr Matthews said.
Since the launch of the workshops in 2018, the Rabo Client Councils have extended this valuable learning opportunity to over 5,000 farmers across Australia and New Zealand, he said.
“The Financial Skills Workshops equip primary producers with key competencies in financial reporting and banking procedures, in this way aiming to help enhance the resilience and profitability of their agricultural enterprises. And as a result, rural and regional communities can also benefit from the strengthened financial health of the local agricultural sector,” Mr Matthews said.
“Producers who had attended previous Rabobank Financial Skills Workshops have told us the information provided is very valuable.
“The workshops are open to all primary producers, regardless of who you bank with. So if you’re interested in attending the workshop, keen to meet other leading producers in the agri sector and increase your financial literacy and skills, confirm your place before the course is fully allocated.”
Workshop details:
- Thursday, 24 July 2025 – 8.30am to 4.00pm (Cassini)
To register to participate, please visit the Rabobank Australia website, or click here
Morning tea and lunch catering will be provided.
Please contact rabocommunity@rabobank.com with any queries about the workshops.
*Disclaimer: These information sessions are for information purposes only. Its contents will be general in nature and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Rabobank Australia Limited ABN 50 001 621 129 AFSL 234700 and Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A. (Australia Branch) ABN 70003917655 AFSL 238446 (collectively referred to as, ‘Rabobank Australia’) recommends attendees seek independent professional advice, consider relevant disclosure documents and terms and conditions for our financial products (all available at www.rabobank.com.au, Rabobank branches or by calling 1300 30 30 33) before making any decisions related in any way to the contents of this information session.
Rabobank Australia & New Zealand Group is a part of the international Rabobank Group, the world’s leading specialist in food and agribusiness banking. Rabobank has more than 125 years’ experience providing customised banking and finance solutions to businesses involved in all aspects of food and agribusiness. Rabobank is structured as a cooperative and operates in 38 countries, servicing the needs of more than nine million clients worldwide through a network of more than 1000 offices and branches. Rabobank Australia & New Zealand Group is one of Australasia’s leading agricultural lenders and a significant provider of business and corporate banking and financial services to the region’s food and agribusiness sector. The bank has 87 branches throughout Australia and New Zealand.
Media Contacts:
Denise Shaw
Head of Media Relations
Rabobank Australia & New Zealand
Phone: 02 8115 2744 or 0439 603 525
Email: denise.shaw@rabobank.com
Will Banks
Media Relations Manager
Rabobank Australia
Phone: 0418 216 103
Email: will.banks@rabobank.com