NUFFIELD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

ADELAIDE STH. AUST.

SEPTEMBER 2011

Building diversity into the strategy

• Humble beginnings• Survival, business and the last 20 years• Setting the system, diversity and structure• Planning and development• Management of risk• Opportunities • Business Structure and continued

improvement and vision• People – relationships, business and staff

Motivators

• Passion for agriculture• Adversity• Fathers accident – ability to let go, naivety • Alastair joining the business – family

tenacity an exploiting everyone’s strengths• Nuffield Scholarship• Ability to look within, recognise weakness,

adopt change and maintain diversity• Determination

MT. BOOTHBY PAST. CO.

• 6 Tintinara Properties 5600 Ha in total• 2200 Ha into grain production• 250 ha per year into pasture renovation• 4500 Merino ewes as self replacing and

prime lambs • 300 Angus breeders• 40 Ha under irrigation – hay then lucerne• 600 sow intensive piggery – Tintinara• 1250 sow intensive piggery – Mid North

Production focused integrated philosophies

• Grain Production• Grain Storage• Feed Manufacture / Distribution• Pork Production• Grower facility to market weight• 35000 bacon pigs annually sold• Pig waste spreading / land - pasture

improvement – increase grazing capacity

Mt. Boothby Grower Facility

HR Pre Nuffield

• It was always their fault• They should have done it like this • I couldn’t allow them to make that decision • I wish they’d hurry up• Haven’t got time to listen and talk about it,

just do it like this• Recognised as one of the districts worst

employers

Retention of staff

• Giving responsibility and ownership of decision making

• Regular management meetings• Identifying key roles and responsibilities • Highly competitive salary packages • Good conditions, facilities and machinery• Recognising individual pursuits and wish’s • Bonuses

Mt. Boothby StructureBoard of Directors

Managing DirectorsAndrew JohnsonAlastair Johnson

Mt Boothby South – Alastair Johnson

Piggery – Alvin, Leonido, AngusSheep Cattle – Brendon VossCropping – Ben Carey

Mt. Boothby North – Shane Ellis

Maintenance & Trans. – Chris Large Production - Marc TanBangalee – MichaelSnowtown – RomelWeaners – Jamie and Charlie

Secretary – Sue Edmonds

Skilled Migration• 457 Temporary Skilled Visas• Highly regulated• Small percentage of employers abusing

privilege• GFC – major changes to temporary entries• Lifted base salary to over $45000 • Agriculture really becomes excluded as

considered above the award • Regional Skilled Migration Scheme

The beginning of change and diversity in the management

• Business Analysis – forecasts and trends, Implementing a Board Structure

• Staff and management – Immigration • Strategic plan and KPI’s• Recognising 2 businesses, land and

production• Systems • Search for opportunities and never give up

Process

• 6 months • We have 5 Filipinos in our business• Treated like everyone else • They turn up with a bag and no money• We also prefer to have their families come • We provide furnished housing,

transportation, security• We integrate them into the community

VERY IMPORTANT

Staff Turnover

1990

1994

1998

2002

2006

2010

0102030405060708090

100

Staff TurnoverIncome and Prof-itability

Enterprise Performance

1990

1994

1998

2002

2006

2010

0

50

100

150

PropertyPork BeefSheepCropping

Nothings more important than the generation you leave behind

Opportunities once we developed a structure • Private V’s Corporate• Local and regional • Great Southern• Macquarie Bank• Singapore Foods • Mt. Boothby • Continued supply chain management • Continual business growth development

BOARD AND MANAGEMENT

OFFICE

CONTRACT CLEANINGFEED MILLING

WASTE REMOVAL DISPOSAL

PRESSURE CLEANING

GENETICS

BUILDINGFEED SOURCING

MANUFACTURE

DISTRIBUTION

5000SOWS

5000 SOWS

STRAWPROCUREMENT

PRIMO-COLES

G2 G4G3G1 G8G6G5 G7

WEANER FREIGHT

MARKET FREIGHT

Trial With Pigs and Dominance Hierarchies

J. Alcohol Abuse 1987 45: 56-67

Pigs in social groups of 10 dominance orders established

All pigs given Ad Libitum Alcohol (Beer / Cider / Wine)

Observations on intakes

Results Days 1 and 2 - All pigs drank heavily, got drunk and slept soundly Day 2 onwards Pigs 1 & 2 - never touched alcohol again – needed a clear head to preserve

their position in the hierarchy Pigs 3 – 8 were moderate drinkers – occasionally drank at times of stress!

Pigs 9 & 10 – remained heavy consumers and were mostly permanently drunk throughout the trial

One thing about going the extra mile.....

There’s never a lot of traffic.

Thank you