Sentimentality in Farming

A recent blog by Sam Trethewey on sentimentality in farming certainly got the agricultural twitterverse into a frenzy.  Sam’s basic point was that sentimentality amongst farmers clouds their business decision making and makes them slow to adjust to modern commercial farming realities.  Many farmers hold on to land bequeathed to them over generations for too long, Sam contends, and some of them even hold their hand out to the Government to keep them afloat. 

While I agree that sentimentality, can cloud business decisions, I would not necessarily agree with all that Sam Trethewey said.  The fall in commercial farm numbers suggests that many farmers do overcome this sentimentality and do manage to sell their properties and move on to other lives. 

Many businesses have made plenty of money when sentiment is pushed aside.  There is no better example than that of Wesfarmers.  The former farmer’s cooperative showed no sentiment in divesting rural businesses and certainly has shown no sentiment towards farmers as suppliers to their supermarket businesses. 

The right amount of sentimentality can be a good thing for farmers.  It drives them to maintain their properties and leave them in better shape than they found them.  It motivates them to expand their business so that they have something to pass on to future generations rather than just a mountain of debt and an unproductive property.  Some sentimentality can give a longer term focus and the implementation of environmental projects which take a long time to produce an economic benefit. 

A key point in Sam’s blog is that a lack of business acumen among farmers clouds business decision making.  All of us should improve our business skills and be clear about why we are doing what we are doing.  It is obvious that many primary producers accept a very low return on the assets they have employed and a very low return on their own labour.  It is up to each individual farm business to determine how they can improve returns on their capital and labour. 

While some primary producers see the Government handouts to other industries and want to claim some of the action for themselves, most producers just want a fair go from Governments rather than a handout.  Sentimentality can be an Achilles heel for many producers but it can also give compassion and a sense of responsibility.  Like everything it is a matter of getting the balance right.