The Dairy Women's Network (DWN) is running a series of workshops in April to teach dairy farmers that effective business administration has as much potential to contribute to their businesses' profitability as milking cows.

"Dairy farming women who 'do the books' are often perceived as the household accounts manager, when in reality they are business administrators,” says DWN chief executive Zelda de Villiers.

Annabel Craw.

Frances Cole.

'We know from DairyNZ research that there is huge variation in profitability between New Zealand's best and worst performing dairy farms. Investing in business administration skills has the potential to significantly close that gap.”

DairyNZ modelling shows there is an opportunity to improve the industry's profitability by more than $1B per year, or approximately $1000 per hectare, by improving management capabilities and financial literacy.

The DWN's Well-Oiled Office workshops will be facilitated by Annabel Craw in the North Island and Frances Coles in the South, both hands-on farmers with more than 10 years' experience between them teaching financial literacy and business administration.

Based near Temuka in the South Island, Frances and husband Aaron own Coles Farms, and have first-hand experience dealing with increasing business administration demands.

As well as their own dairy farm they have investments in three other dairying businesses, including a farm equity partnership, contract milking arrangements and shared ownership of a herd on a 50/50 sharemilking partnership.

Frances says 13 years ago she was working full-time off the farm and ‘fitting in' the accounts around everything else.

As the business grew she realised the administration requirements were getting beyond both her resources and some of her skill set.

'I had to reassess our approach to business admin, including whether the home office was still the right place to be doing that work because there is no boundary between home and work when you live at your office.”

Hiring one part-time admin assistant seven years ago was the start of taking their business administration seriously, and today Coles' Farms employs two part-time administrators and has a purpose-built office complete with boardroom and kitchenette

'I didn't grow up on a farm and this has been a significant learning curve for me personally and our business professionally. I am really looking forward to sharing my experience and practical advice with other dairy farming women through these workshops.”

Annabel, a business developer, has spent her career helping other farmers build financial business capability.

She says the workshop will help farmers better understand the business administration role and the value it adds to their businesses.

'If you look at other industries or businesses, administration functions are performed at a very high, professional level, because they are at the core of a well-run business.

'In dairy farming business administration often falls to women who may be juggling a number of other roles on the farm. When you really understand business administration and everything it encompasses, like Frances you can decide how you want to run the role and develop your skills to get the best outcome for your business and lifestyle, depending on your goals.”

A unique part of the workshop will be a question and answer session sharing practical experiences in dealing with ever-increasing dairy farmer compliance requirements.

'In particular DWN members often ask for more practical training in ACC, tax and Kiwisaver, because the information they get at a technical level isn't easy to translate in a practical way. This session will be about sharing what people are currently doing, where they are stuck and farmers offering other farmers practical solutions.”

Annabel says by the end of the workshop, dairy farmers will understand the business administrator role and the key components of it within a dairy farm operation, feel more on top of their compliance obligations in business admin, have a better understanding of office technology so that it can work like a personal assistant, have the knowledge to design a smart office space that creates calm in the chaos, and have a business administration plan for the year.

The Lakes District and Bay of Plenty workshop is on Tuesday, April 8, at the Best Western Braeside Resort, 4 Barnard Rd, Ngongotaha, Rotorua.