INVESTING IN PEOPLE MATTERS

BY DAN GALLIGAN CEO CANEGROWERS

It is always worth remembering that the best investment any of us can make in our business is one that focuses on our people.

It is always worth remembering that the best investment any of us can make in our business is one that focuses on our people.

There is tendency for those of us in agriculture to get caught up in statistics around production, profits, and markets.

If you want to drown in data, go deep into a discussion with an international sugar trader and try to understand the fundamentals behind the market.

Equally, the industry lives off performance data around issues such as bin delivery, harvester performance, crop inputs, and on farm budgets.

Data, access to it, and the use of it for decisionmaking is a hotly contested issue across the industry.

While investing in data management and measuring more so we can manage better is clearly a huge priority. In the end, successful decision-making still comes down to the ability of the decision maker.

Of course, until AI takes over the world this remains the domain of humans.

Our people are clearly our greatest and most valuable asset. Investing in their growth and development is something that every business and every industry should take seriously.

CANEGROWERS has a long and proud history of supporting the development of growers and industry participants. We have a solid track record of investing in industry leadership programs, conferences, scholarships, and bursaries.

However, the reality is this investment has been sporadic, and we have lost some momentum.

With 85 district director positions within CANEGROWERS, and a plethora of opportunities for growers and industry people to contribute on water and productivity boards, mill supply committees, as bargaining agents, NRM regional representatives, and project reference groups, the demands on leaders in the industry are great.

I am pleased that in this magazine we start the process of sharing with you our plans around a new leadership mentoring program.

The program will offer an opportunity for those that wish to participate to learn from experienced leaders from inside and outside the industry, in a structured and guided process. The important principle is that there is no template that should be followed.

We want to help people contribute to the industry in a place and in a way that they wish. There is not a set pathway nor a set role, because investing in people in our industry will yield dividends no matter where they end up applying their skills. Keep an eye out for more information about Next Ratoon in this and subsequent magazines. 