WEBVTT - You win or you learn: Lessons from three decades as an Angus breeder 0:00:06.420 --> 0:00:09.510 This is Seeds for Success, a show where we have 0:00:09.510 --> 0:00:12.480 a good yarn about ag life with producers who are 0:00:12.480 --> 0:00:15.210 having a go. On the show, you'll hear from farmers 0:00:15.210 --> 0:00:17.820 in New South Wales who are out there battling the 0:00:17.820 --> 0:00:22.169 elements, making tough calls, and getting the job done. You'll 0:00:22.170 --> 0:00:24.419 get a laugh out of some of their stories and 0:00:24.420 --> 0:00:27.240 also pick up some know- how along the way. I'm 0:00:27.240 --> 0:00:35.909 your host, Neroli Brennan. Today, we're continuing our chat with 0:00:35.909 --> 0:00:39.269 Annie Scott. In the last episode, Annie talked to us 0:00:39.300 --> 0:00:42.840 about their farming operations and how their approach and management 0:00:42.960 --> 0:00:46.260 has changed over the years through fine- tuning their soil 0:00:46.260 --> 0:00:50.550 management and grazing approaches and keeping a structured annual calendar 0:00:50.760 --> 0:00:55.740 for key livestock production activities. In today's episode, Annie reflects 0:00:55.800 --> 0:00:59.220 on her personal journey with the Angus breed. Beginning in 0:00:59.220 --> 0:01:03.720 the 1990s as a youth ambassador, her many years serving 0:01:03.720 --> 0:01:07.830 as chairperson of Angus New South Wales and culminating in 0:01:07.830 --> 0:01:12.090 the recent World Angus Forum, which only comes to Australia 0:01:12.240 --> 0:01:15.690 every 30 years or so, where Annie was recognized with 0:01:15.690 --> 0:01:18.990 an industry award for more than 20 years of service 0:01:19.050 --> 0:01:22.080 to the Angus breed. You'll also hear Annie share her 0:01:22.080 --> 0:01:26.130 personal philosophy of you either win or you learn as 0:01:26.130 --> 0:01:29.040 she aims to keep Karoo in the top 20% of 0:01:29.040 --> 0:01:32.610 farms. And added to that, her strong desire for the 0:01:32.610 --> 0:01:36.929 industry to grow through better mentoring of younger generations and 0:01:36.930 --> 0:01:40.590 more positive media coverage to help bridge the growing city 0:01:40.590 --> 0:01:44.850 and country divide. Local Land Services senior ag advisor, Lauren 0:01:44.850 --> 0:01:48.360 Costin, caught up with Annie following a successful World Angus 0:01:48.360 --> 0:01:51.600 Forum to bring you part two of their two- part chat. 0:01:55.230 --> 0:01:58.020 So I'm curious because I think this is different and 0:01:58.020 --> 0:02:01.680 not many people have had the World Angus Forum on 0:02:01.680 --> 0:02:06.060 their property of late, so you were recently involved in 0:02:06.060 --> 0:02:08.190 the forum, tell us about that, Annie. 0:02:08.220 --> 0:02:11.669 Yeah. That was really exciting and it was really a 0:02:11.940 --> 0:02:14.580 privilege to be involved in the event as it only 0:02:14.580 --> 0:02:16.980 comes to Australia about once every 30 years. 0:02:16.980 --> 0:02:17.161 Does it? 30 years? 0:02:17.161 --> 0:02:20.639 Yeah. The last time it was in Australia was 1997 0:02:21.630 --> 0:02:24.810 and went full circle on that because in 1997 I 0:02:24.810 --> 0:02:29.370 was the Angus Youth Ambassador and then coming to 2008 0:02:29.370 --> 0:02:32.820 to hosting the event or part of the event. So 0:02:32.820 --> 0:02:36.270 it was a real gratitude moment just saying that we've 0:02:36.270 --> 0:02:39.270 succeeded within the Angus breed. And we were privileged and 0:02:39.540 --> 0:02:42.480 thank Angus Australia for letting us do that as we 0:02:42.480 --> 0:02:45.300 were one of only a few studs that got to 0:02:45.300 --> 0:02:49.740 showcase Angus breed on the tour that lasted about two 0:02:49.740 --> 0:02:53.130 weeks, and it also included an expo in Tamworth, which 0:02:53.130 --> 0:02:56.250 Tony and I attended, and a conference in Brisbane that 0:02:56.250 --> 0:02:59.430 was just world- class. It has been a tremendous event 0:02:59.460 --> 0:03:03.060 and took a lot to organize, obviously, but we enjoyed 0:03:03.060 --> 0:03:05.310 the day with our guests. So yes, it was a 0:03:05.310 --> 0:03:06.060 real privilege. 0:03:06.300 --> 0:03:09.330 So had people actually come on farm and have a 0:03:09.330 --> 0:03:12.389 look at your animals and your system here at Karoo? 0:03:12.660 --> 0:03:16.050 Yeah, we did. When we do something, we like to 0:03:16.050 --> 0:03:19.530 do it properly, so we set ourselves a challenge and 0:03:19.590 --> 0:03:23.340 we put on display just over 600 animals, so just 0:03:23.340 --> 0:03:27.240 around a bull shed and the small paddocks that we 0:03:27.240 --> 0:03:29.700 have around here. So it took a lot to get 0:03:29.700 --> 0:03:33.630 those 600 animals in. With that, we produced a catalog. 0:03:33.660 --> 0:03:36.960 So we had all those animals in that catalog with 0:03:36.960 --> 0:03:40.380 their breeding, their EBVs, a bit of history on us, 0:03:40.380 --> 0:03:43.590 and I think the guests really enjoyed it and really 0:03:43.590 --> 0:03:46.350 enjoyed that we went to that effort. It was a 0:03:46.350 --> 0:03:48.540 lot of work to pull off such an event, but 0:03:48.540 --> 0:03:52.620 my team is just wonderful and I think, Lauren, the 0:03:52.620 --> 0:03:58.320 eye rolling stopped after about the 100th request of my crazy 0:03:58.320 --> 0:04:01.140 ideas, but they accepted all my wacky and wonderful ideas 0:04:01.140 --> 0:04:03.690 and we pulled off the event. It was definitely a 0:04:03.690 --> 0:04:06.630 team effort and yeah, I thank our team for making 0:04:06.630 --> 0:04:10.620 it the success it was. The people were from 26 0:04:10.620 --> 0:04:13.800 different countries as well as a great mix of Australian 0:04:13.800 --> 0:04:18.719 Angus breeders as well. They were interesting and interested in 0:04:18.720 --> 0:04:21.089 our program. They showed a lot of interest in our 0:04:21.089 --> 0:04:24.089 program while they were here. And also, we did a 0:04:24.089 --> 0:04:27.479 tour led by Gareth around the paddocks who talked about 0:04:27.480 --> 0:04:31.260 our cropping program and our pasture improvements, which they really 0:04:31.260 --> 0:04:34.320 got a lot out of as well. I think the 0:04:34.320 --> 0:04:38.010 biggest difference, I guess, between us and a lot of 0:04:38.010 --> 0:04:40.589 the guests was our scale. They weren't used to the 0:04:40.589 --> 0:04:45.300 scale of our operation and they appreciated what we did. 0:04:45.779 --> 0:04:48.000 And like I said, it was a real privilege and 0:04:48.000 --> 0:04:50.400 just a great honor to host them for the day. 0:04:50.940 --> 0:04:53.760 Like I said, we're probably only one of three studs 0:04:53.970 --> 0:04:56.880 in Australia that actually hosted them while they're on tour. 0:04:56.880 --> 0:05:01.110 So yeah, a massive opportunity and a real gold star 0:05:01.110 --> 0:05:03.270 for Karoo, I think. Yeah, a real pat on the 0:05:03.270 --> 0:05:04.170 back for their effort. 0:05:04.350 --> 0:05:06.570 No, and I hear a pat on the back for 0:05:06.570 --> 0:05:11.130 you too with the New South Wales Angus, the Dedication and 0:05:11.130 --> 0:05:13.020 Service Excellence Award. 0:05:13.050 --> 0:05:17.880 Yeah. That was a bit of a surprise, but thanks, Lauren, for bringing 0:05:17.880 --> 0:05:22.979 this up. It was something that, I guess, I'm really 0:05:22.980 --> 0:05:26.400 proud of in the sense that I guess I love 0:05:26.400 --> 0:05:29.640 this breed and it has played a huge role to 0:05:29.640 --> 0:05:34.050 help me shape who I am today. So going back 0:05:34.050 --> 0:05:35.580 a bit, like I said, I started off in the 0:05:35.580 --> 0:05:39.089 youth program back in the early 90s and I won 0:05:39.089 --> 0:05:42.540 a scholarship and an overseas trip through the youth program. 0:05:43.110 --> 0:05:47.430 I also learned about public speaking and corporate speaking, and 0:05:47.490 --> 0:05:51.240 it built my confidence and helped me with my early 0:05:51.240 --> 0:05:54.630 business management. I then went on to be the chairperson 0:05:54.630 --> 0:05:59.460 of Angus New South Wales and have recently resigned off 0:05:59.460 --> 0:06:03.450 that committee after about 20 years, really just to focus 0:06:03.450 --> 0:06:06.210 on Karoo since the passing of my father, and I 0:06:06.210 --> 0:06:08.760 just wanted to consolidate just a few things I was 0:06:08.760 --> 0:06:12.900 doing and just take a breath, I guess. And yeah, 0:06:12.930 --> 0:06:15.510 Karoo's my life, anyone that knows me, they know that. 0:06:15.930 --> 0:06:18.779 Karoo's my number one. It's who I am, it's who 0:06:18.810 --> 0:06:21.630 my family is. I just want to leave it in 0:06:21.630 --> 0:06:24.089 a better state than what we got it. And not 0:06:24.089 --> 0:06:25.950 saying that John didn't do a good job, I think he 0:06:25.950 --> 0:06:29.130 did an excellent job and John's the reason Karoo is 0:06:29.220 --> 0:06:32.609 as successful as what it is today, but you can 0:06:32.610 --> 0:06:35.880 always make improvements and I think the dedication and service 0:06:35.880 --> 0:06:39.240 to an Excellence Award is a testament to, I guess, 0:06:39.240 --> 0:06:42.270 the improvements that we've made at Karoo and to who 0:06:42.270 --> 0:06:42.960 I am today. 0:06:43.350 --> 0:06:47.010 That's amazing. Congratulations for that. I think that's pretty great, 0:06:47.010 --> 0:06:50.430 and I do love your passion and your enthusiasm in what 0:06:50.910 --> 0:06:53.700 you do. It comes across, I think, for me, every 0:06:53.700 --> 0:06:56.070 interaction with you, no matter what we're talking about. 0:06:56.339 --> 0:06:58.860 I just love what I do and I love the 0:06:58.860 --> 0:07:01.200 fact that I can do it every day. I love 0:07:01.200 --> 0:07:04.980 the fact that the ag space is such a progressive 0:07:05.010 --> 0:07:10.050 and forward- thinking space. It's always changing. Nothing's dull. There's 0:07:10.050 --> 0:07:15.150 always some technology, something coming up that just can improve 0:07:15.150 --> 0:07:19.950 the success of everyone. And I'm a team player and I 0:07:20.130 --> 0:07:24.210 also just like to involve everyone in what we're doing. 0:07:24.210 --> 0:07:27.960 And I think Karoo speaks for itself that it's a family 0:07:27.960 --> 0:07:31.050 operation. We still have consultants, like we said, outside and 0:07:31.050 --> 0:07:33.990 all those are considered as part of the business. And 0:07:33.990 --> 0:07:37.530 I think relationships form a great part of a successful 0:07:37.530 --> 0:07:40.770 business, and I think we've got great relationships right through 0:07:40.770 --> 0:07:44.700 to our agents at Elders Emms Mooney and just Emerge 0:07:44.700 --> 0:07:47.250 Ag that provide the consultants for our agronomy and our 0:07:47.250 --> 0:07:50.580 vet consultant and other people that come on and do 0:07:50.580 --> 0:07:53.940 different things throughout the year. I just think that makes 0:07:53.940 --> 0:07:57.420 us who we are and as successful as who we are. 0:07:57.810 --> 0:08:00.810 The next step is like, well, what's next? What's happening 0:08:00.810 --> 0:08:05.340 in the next 5- 10 years? Anything particular that you 0:08:05.340 --> 0:08:16.741 came to get your teeth into? Any challenges or opportunity? 0:08:16.741 --> 0:08:16.742 Where's the crystal ball, Lauren? 0:08:16.742 --> 0:08:16.742 I don't have any skin in the game on this one. 0:08:16.742 --> 0:08:18.750 Yeah, no. So I'm a half- glass- full kind of person, so I 0:08:18.750 --> 0:08:21.810 love a challenge. I guess our biggest challenge, and it's pretty 0:08:21.810 --> 0:08:26.250 obvious, is the weather. That really determines what we can 0:08:26.250 --> 0:08:30.180 and can't do throughout the seasons. And also, I always 0:08:30.180 --> 0:08:33.209 say that rain makes a farmer look smart. You can 0:08:33.210 --> 0:08:35.640 have really bad pastures, but after rain, it turns green, 0:08:35.640 --> 0:08:37.439 everyone thinks you've got a heap of feed, but if 0:08:37.440 --> 0:08:39.900 you look at that dry matter per hectare, it's still 0:08:39.900 --> 0:08:44.520 not very good. Yeah, so challenges are the weather. Unfortunately, 0:08:44.520 --> 0:08:47.130 I think the government is becoming a big challenge that farmers 0:08:47.130 --> 0:08:49.740 need to take into account now more than ever, and 0:08:49.740 --> 0:08:53.460 that's a really hard space to navigate, so I think 0:08:53.460 --> 0:08:56.010 that's something that we'll have to look a bit more 0:08:56.370 --> 0:08:58.530 in the sense of the challenges that they are putting 0:08:58.530 --> 0:09:01.620 forward for us. Like we've talked about, pests and weeds 0:09:01.620 --> 0:09:04.950 are always a challenge at certain times of the year, and that 0:09:05.160 --> 0:09:07.949 goes with the seasons as well as what the weather 0:09:07.950 --> 0:09:12.630 throws at us. And turning to opportunities, I guess working 0:09:12.630 --> 0:09:16.110 the ag space provides a great lifestyle and it's a 0:09:16.110 --> 0:09:19.470 wonderful place to raise, we've got one son, Riley, he's 0:09:19.920 --> 0:09:23.250 a young man now in his late teens, but I 0:09:23.250 --> 0:09:26.130 just see it as a great way giving back and 0:09:26.130 --> 0:09:29.610 hopefully I give back to this industry and I just 0:09:29.610 --> 0:09:33.090 love what I do. As far as crew is concerned, 0:09:33.120 --> 0:09:35.760 we have plenty of opportunities to fine- tune our breeding 0:09:35.760 --> 0:09:38.700 program and our pastures and cropping program. And I guess 0:09:38.700 --> 0:09:42.300 that comes with accessing more knowledge as it becomes available. 0:09:42.600 --> 0:09:46.260 And just any opportunities that arise in the short term 0:09:46.260 --> 0:09:49.260 and long term, we'll take them and grass them and 0:09:49.260 --> 0:09:52.170 move on and take that extra step. And I think 0:09:52.260 --> 0:09:57.960 if we can do that, and this 1% is just so important, 0:10:01.890 --> 0:10:04.559 a bigger percentage is also important, but if we can 0:10:04.559 --> 0:10:08.640 just improve those one percenters day in, day out, that 0:10:08.640 --> 0:10:12.330 goes ahead in leaps and bounds to improve our programs, 0:10:12.660 --> 0:10:16.050 our cropping programs, our pasture programs, and our breeding objectives. 0:10:16.320 --> 0:10:19.290 If we can just improve on those, I think when 0:10:19.290 --> 0:10:23.280 the opportunities arise, I think that gets us forward ahead 0:10:23.280 --> 0:10:25.920 of others. I'm not saying I'm better than anyone else, 0:10:25.920 --> 0:10:29.640 by no means, but I'm just saying that education and 0:10:29.640 --> 0:10:33.300 taking those opportunities is what gets us a bit further ahead. 0:10:33.690 --> 0:10:37.559 I was recently involved with the LLS farm planning workshop 0:10:37.559 --> 0:10:39.839 that we had, and I think a fair bit of 0:10:39.840 --> 0:10:42.809 time on that first day was just around setting up 0:10:42.809 --> 0:10:46.710 a vision and objectives for the business. And I keep 0:10:46.710 --> 0:10:49.290 coming back to that with a lot of people that 0:10:49.320 --> 0:10:52.650 we talk to just about general inquiries and things like 0:10:52.650 --> 0:10:54.630 that. I think it's really good to have that sit 0:10:54.630 --> 0:10:58.110 down and make a clear focus on where you're going 0:10:58.110 --> 0:11:00.179 and how you're going to get there. And that sort 0:11:00.179 --> 0:11:03.240 of clarifies things for you along the road and makes 0:11:03.240 --> 0:11:06.270 sure that you are on your eventual aim. You can 0:11:06.270 --> 0:11:08.760 have short and long- term goals and things like that, 0:11:08.760 --> 0:11:12.780 but yeah, I think that structure is really helpful with 0:11:12.780 --> 0:11:16.110 that seasonal variability that you really don't have any control over. 0:11:16.110 --> 0:11:19.230 Yeah. And I think that's a thing. I think with the opportunities and 0:11:19.230 --> 0:11:22.500 to have something successful, it's probably best, and we do 0:11:22.500 --> 0:11:25.020 this, we try and focus on the things that we 0:11:25.020 --> 0:11:29.309 can control. Things that we can't control, while we worry 0:11:29.309 --> 0:11:33.179 about them and we spend a bit of time on them, 0:11:33.179 --> 0:11:35.700 they're noise in the background. If you focus on the 0:11:35.700 --> 0:11:39.209 things that you can control, that will get you that 0:11:39.210 --> 0:11:41.910 next step and that leads you to that next thing 0:11:41.910 --> 0:11:45.179 that you've got to do. So focusing your business on 0:11:45.179 --> 0:11:48.270 something that you can control will improve your business. 0:11:48.480 --> 0:11:51.150 There's a lot of news and I guess a little 0:11:51.150 --> 0:11:55.170 bit of that outside noise around that carbon scenario. Have 0:11:55.230 --> 0:11:59.189 you guys, as a business at Karoo, thought about your 0:11:59.190 --> 0:12:01.140 position on that and how you're going to tackle it 0:12:01.140 --> 0:12:02.699 if you are going to tackle it at all? 0:12:02.760 --> 0:12:05.309 We are sitting on the sideline for this one for 0:12:05.309 --> 0:12:08.550 the minute, Lauren. Well, we do take in that noise 0:12:08.550 --> 0:12:12.360 and we've talked to our agronomists about it. We do 0:12:12.360 --> 0:12:15.090 a carbon plan. What do we do? We're just sitting 0:12:15.090 --> 0:12:16.890 on the fence at the moment just waiting for a 0:12:16.890 --> 0:12:22.770 bit more structure and a bit more confidence or determination in 0:12:23.400 --> 0:12:25.470 what is actual fact and what is fiction in the 0:12:25.470 --> 0:12:27.480 sense of, what do we need to do, I guess, 0:12:27.480 --> 0:12:31.800 to put in place a carbon plan? But it's so 0:12:31.950 --> 0:12:34.830 blurred at the minute. So if there was something that 0:12:34.920 --> 0:12:37.740 was a plan of attack that was written down that 0:12:37.740 --> 0:12:39.900 was fact, and this is what you have to do 0:12:39.900 --> 0:12:42.570 to achieve this, we need to do this to achieve a 0:12:42.570 --> 0:12:45.570 certain point in that plan to tick it off, sure, 0:12:45.570 --> 0:12:48.270 we'd do that. But in saying that, there's probably things 0:12:48.270 --> 0:12:50.849 that we are doing in the noise of we plant 0:12:50.850 --> 0:12:55.679 trees every year, we don't overgraze. If you looked at 0:12:55.679 --> 0:12:59.280 our stocking rate, it probably doesn't look pretty on paper, 0:12:59.640 --> 0:13:03.540 but we are a profitable business because of that. The stud business 0:13:03.540 --> 0:13:06.179 is a bit different. It takes up a bit more 0:13:06.270 --> 0:13:10.110 area per hectare to run to achieve what we achieve. 0:13:10.320 --> 0:13:13.080 But we are doing things in that carbon space like 0:13:13.080 --> 0:13:16.050 that, waterways, we don't erode, all that sort of stuff, 0:13:16.380 --> 0:13:19.500 troughs and all that. We try and concrete around those 0:13:19.500 --> 0:13:21.809 so they're not eroded around and stuff like that. So 0:13:21.809 --> 0:13:25.679 we do do stuff I guess in that noisy space 0:13:26.190 --> 0:13:30.240 intentionally or unintentionally to then help us when it becomes 0:13:30.240 --> 0:13:33.059 an issue that we have to do to achieve something 0:13:33.059 --> 0:13:36.150 or if we need to do it to achieve something better. We've sort 0:13:36.150 --> 0:13:37.620 of got a bit of stuff in the background that 0:13:37.620 --> 0:13:39.959 we've already got, and especially in our soil test if 0:13:39.960 --> 0:13:41.910 you want to go back to that, with that, it 0:13:41.910 --> 0:13:45.089 does actually show dry matter and all that within the 0:13:45.090 --> 0:13:48.480 soil, and we're achieving way beyond the targets there so 0:13:48.480 --> 0:13:51.270 far anyway. So if we had to put a formal 0:13:51.270 --> 0:13:52.110 plan in place- 0:13:52.140 --> 0:13:53.100 You'd have the numbers. 0:13:53.160 --> 0:13:55.199 Yeah, it wouldn't take a lot for us to actually 0:13:55.200 --> 0:13:59.340 formalize it, I guess. So while it's not a priority 0:13:59.340 --> 0:14:01.950 for us, yeah, it is one of those noisings that's 0:14:01.950 --> 0:14:04.170 happening in the background. Yeah, that's just ticking along at 0:14:04.170 --> 0:14:06.480 its own pace. When we need to up that pace, 0:14:06.510 --> 0:14:08.460 well, then I guess that's another challenge for me, and 0:14:08.460 --> 0:14:10.679 that's where we go. We target that challenge and we 0:14:10.740 --> 0:14:14.250 execute it to the best of our ability and try 0:14:14.250 --> 0:14:16.890 and be in that top 25%. That's where we like 0:14:16.890 --> 0:14:19.230 to sit. We like to sit in that top 25% 0:14:19.710 --> 0:14:21.690 of farms just so that we know that we're up 0:14:21.690 --> 0:14:24.300 there. Like I said, I'm not the best, but we're 0:14:24.300 --> 0:14:27.030 always willing to learn and try and get into the 0:14:27.030 --> 0:14:30.090 top 20% if we can, but we're happy to sit 0:14:30.090 --> 0:14:32.010 at the top 25% of farms. 0:14:32.220 --> 0:14:35.370 I've got a final question. If you could do one 0:14:35.370 --> 0:14:38.880 thing to change anything in Australian ag, what would it 0:14:38.880 --> 0:14:41.670 be? I'm talking about things outside of your control. 0:14:42.090 --> 0:14:44.970 I find this question really hard because I love the 0:14:44.970 --> 0:14:48.750 ag industry space and it's been very kind to me. 0:14:48.750 --> 0:14:52.170 So to help make it better, I think we need 0:14:52.170 --> 0:14:55.440 to focus on the younger generation and give them all 0:14:55.440 --> 0:14:58.470 the mentoring you can. The better mentors you have, I 0:14:58.470 --> 0:15:01.530 think will make this ag space a bit better and 0:15:01.530 --> 0:15:04.620 fill in the bigger picture. The other thing I guess 0:15:04.620 --> 0:15:07.080 I would love to see, and it's probably a bit left- of- 0:15:07.080 --> 0:15:09.450 center, and it doesn't actually have to do with a sign 0:15:09.570 --> 0:15:13.650 within ag or a specific ag thing to make it 0:15:13.710 --> 0:15:16.560 better, but the bigger picture, I'd love to see mainstream 0:15:16.560 --> 0:15:21.090 media highlight positive things that we do within the industry. 0:15:21.600 --> 0:15:24.420 The media is really good at highlighting floods, fires, and 0:15:24.420 --> 0:15:27.750 droughts, but not so good at highlighting things that we 0:15:27.750 --> 0:15:30.990 do good on a regular basis. And whether that became 0:15:30.990 --> 0:15:35.280 something where we could slide into that prime time TV 0:15:35.310 --> 0:15:38.190 once a week and just have a really quick good 0:15:38.190 --> 0:15:41.970 positive story, I think that would make ag a better 0:15:41.970 --> 0:15:45.120 space within the noise of life. 0:15:45.180 --> 0:15:48.630 And perceived a little bit differently by the wider community 0:15:48.870 --> 0:15:50.880 who are predominantly city- based. 0:15:50.880 --> 0:15:53.490 Yeah, city- based. And I think that's something that's really 0:15:53.580 --> 0:15:57.750 becoming evident. The city- country divide, unfortunately, I think is 0:15:57.750 --> 0:16:01.050 becoming wider. The gap's getting wider, it's not closing in. 0:16:01.050 --> 0:16:04.350 And I think one of those things is because family 0:16:04.350 --> 0:16:08.490 farms are getting smaller within the ag space, so city 0:16:08.490 --> 0:16:11.220 people don't have that school holidays where they'd come out 0:16:11.220 --> 0:16:14.550 to grandpa's farm or whatever. That's just not happening as 0:16:14.550 --> 0:16:16.890 much as what it used to. And I think within 0:16:16.890 --> 0:16:20.220 the ag space, that's why we need to mentor the 0:16:20.220 --> 0:16:23.340 young ones. And I think on a positive, again, glass- half- 0:16:23.340 --> 0:16:26.460 full person that I am, mentors are really important and 0:16:26.460 --> 0:16:29.700 I've been lucky to have really good mentors to get 0:16:29.700 --> 0:16:31.560 me to where I am. And I guess my biggest 0:16:31.560 --> 0:16:34.859 mentor, obviously, anyone that knows me well, would be my 0:16:34.860 --> 0:16:39.150 father, John, or was my father, John. So that has 0:16:39.150 --> 0:16:41.670 been a real challenge for me, I guess, to reset 0:16:41.760 --> 0:16:44.520 on not having John around, but when I make a 0:16:44.520 --> 0:16:47.520 decision, I always stop and think, " What would John do? 0:16:47.520 --> 0:16:51.420 What would be his perspective on making this situation better? 0:16:51.420 --> 0:16:53.220 Or how can I change it to make it a 0:16:53.220 --> 0:16:56.280 better situation?" And that's why I say, you win or 0:16:56.280 --> 0:16:59.160 you learn, you never lose. You win or you learn. 0:16:59.460 --> 0:17:02.850 And that's something that, I guess, I take and really 0:17:02.850 --> 0:17:06.270 focus on a lot in our decision- making for Karoo. 0:17:06.480 --> 0:17:08.459 I think that's a beautiful way of ending, Annie. And 0:17:08.460 --> 0:17:10.409 I think that's a good thing to have in your 0:17:10.590 --> 0:17:12.600 mind every day, really. 0:17:12.600 --> 0:17:13.168 Yeah, it is. 0:17:14.640 --> 0:17:17.700 I just had a wonderful time. Thank you so much 0:17:17.700 --> 0:17:21.750 for being part of our podcast and being so open, 0:17:21.750 --> 0:17:25.230 and I really appreciate all your thoughts and opening up your 0:17:25.230 --> 0:17:27.570 business like this. So yeah, thank you very much. 0:17:27.720 --> 0:17:30.930 Thanks, Lauren. It was a pleasure and I hope someone 0:17:30.930 --> 0:17:32.700 gets something out of it. Thank you. 0:17:35.970 --> 0:17:38.820 This episode of Seeds for Success is supported by the 0:17:38.820 --> 0:17:42.480 Australian government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under 0:17:42.480 --> 0:17:46.020 the Climate Smart Agriculture Program, and delivered by Local Land 0:17:46.020 --> 0:17:50.160 Services, a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners panel. 0:17:52.619 --> 0:17:55.680 Thanks for listening. This podcast was brought to you by 0:17:55.680 --> 0:17:59.910 Central West Local Land Services. Local Land Services delivers advice 0:17:59.910 --> 0:18:03.240 and support to farmers, landholders, and the community across New 0:18:03.240 --> 0:18:06.690 South Wales. To learn more, you can find us online 0:18:06.690 --> 0:18:10.740 by searching for Central West Local Land Services. If you'd 0:18:10.740 --> 0:18:13.830 like more information about the topics we discussed today, as 0:18:13.830 --> 0:18:17.010 well as links to relevant articles, fact sheets, events, and 0:18:17.010 --> 0:18:20.340 other helpful resources, we've added those into the show notes 0:18:20.340 --> 0:18:23.730 for this episode. You can find them by tapping or 0:18:23.730 --> 0:18:26.580 swiping over the cover art in your podcast player now. 0:18:27.210 --> 0:18:29.400 Hey, and while you're there, please leave us a five- 0:18:29.400 --> 0:18:32.520 star review. It really helps other farmers find the show. 0:18:33.000 --> 0:18:35.639 I'm your host, Neroli Brennan, and I'll chat to you 0:18:35.640 --> 0:18:35.970 next time.