Planning for Drought
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Stock Wise Tips from Rural Directions

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Planning is of primary importance. Hope is not a plan! It is really important that producers sit down and look at all aspects of their business and make a plan. This might mean contacting an advisor who can help you work through your situation and help you.

The key aim is to minimise losses by assessing the drought impact on current income, look at continuing costs until the drought breaks such as livestock feeding costs, overheads and debt servicing, along with the costs of restarting each enterprise in the following year if this becomes an option. This will determine what your financial position will be in the next year and if this is sustainable.

In managing this process of planning, decision making and taking action against drought producers need to think about a range of situations and issues such as:

• What are the costs to retain and feed sheep?
• Which sheep should be kept?
• What the long-term benefits of sheep are for mixed farming system stability?

Farmers should seek support and advice during these times by discussing issues with family, friends, and professional channels such as rural financial counsellors, the drought hotline, farm consultants or bank managers to help with future planning and, if necessary, to secure finance to feed sheep.

By planning, assessing and seeking advice, South Australian sheep producers will be in the best situation possible to take action to maintain their operations.