7111.0.55.001 - Agricultural Survey: Farm Business Operations and Management, Australia, 2001-02  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 31/10/2002   
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Preliminary estimates from the 2001-02 Agricultural Survey provide information on the business operations and management of Australian farm businesses. This includes details relating to knowledge of, and participation in, further training and education programmes.

These estimates show that 64% of respondents indicated some change to farm business management practices during the year ended 30 June 2002. The main changes made were related to improving general land use and use of soil (24%), financial management (19%) and production management (18%).

The results indicate that 40% of respondents attended a demonstration site or field day, 25% participated in workshops or short courses, 16% attended a conference and 12% engaged a consultant. While 9% of respondents attended a TAFE course, only 1% attended a university course. Around 32% of respondents reported they did not participate in any courses.


Table 1, Changes to management of farm businesses, percentage of total respondents, 2001-02

NSW
%
Vic.
%
Qld
%
SA
%
WA
%
Tas.
%
NT
%
ACT
%
Australia
%
Financial management
19
18
17
22
21
16
22
20
19
General business management
15
12
14
17
17
13
23
14
14
Marketing
13
9
10
15
14
9
16
13
12
Production management
18
15
17
21
22
16
26
13
18
People management
6
6
6
8
8
6
16
2
6
Natural resource management:
Combating salinity on property
6
6
4
8
15
3
2
-
6
Improving water quality
9
6
9
6
11
9
1
8
8
Improve general land use and use of soil
27
19
23
26
24
21
18
24
24
Managing nature conservation on property
15
8
13
11
13
12
13
26
12
No change
35
40
35
34
32
39
33
34
36
- nil or rounded to zero


Table 2, Learning activities participated in, percentage of total respondents, 2001-02
NSW
%
Vic.
%
Qld
%
SA
%
WA
%
Tas.
%
NT
%
ACT
%
Australia
%
Demonstration sites or field days
42
37
36
47
46
32
35
33
40
Conferences
16
12
14
23
21
13
29
13
16
Workshops or short courses
27
19
23
34
27
19
31
23
25
TAFE course
11
7
3
18
9
5
6
8
9
University course
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
Engaged a consultant
11
10
10
17
19
12
7
13
12
Other
2
2
2
4
3
3
4
5
2
Did not participate in any courses
31
34
34
27
27
38
29
42
32

Table 3, Programs participated in, percentage of total respondents, 2001-02
NSW
%
Vic.
%
Qld
%
SA
%
WA
%
Tas.
%
NT
%
ACT
%
Australia
%
FarmBis
23
10
12
32
23
12
32
14
18
Landcare
23
26
18
16
27
21
23
40
22
Rivercare
5
2
3
2
4
10
2
8
3
Bushcare
2
1
2
2
5
6
2
6
2
Coastcare
-
-
1
1
-
2
-
-
-
Natural Heritage Trust
5
4
4
6
9
11
11
11
5
National action plan for salinity & water quality
4
3
3
4
5
3
2
6
4
None of the above
42
46
52
41
40
46
38
44
45

- nil or rounded to zero