Resources

Farm Business Management Articles

Practical insights and guides to help Australian farmers and advisers improve profitability and manage risk.

Know Your Numbers: Inside the Farm Office of a 6,500ha Esperance Cropper

How does a 6,500 hectare Esperance cropping business keep its numbers sharp? Farmer and former farm business consultant Lisa Jeitz joins P2PAgri founder Mike Krause to share the systems inside her farm office: cash flow budgeting first, gross margins checked against 20 years of records, grain price targets that lock in profit rather than break even, and the 10 per cent machinery finance rule that keeps a love of new gear honest.

Mike Krause15 min read

Business Planning

Farm Accounting vs Farm Financial Planning Software

Farm accounting software records what already happened; farm financial planning software models what happens next. Why Australian farms need both.

Mike Krause10 min read

Farm FinancePodcast

What Banks Really Look For When Lending to Farmers

When the bank says yes, does that make it a good decision? P2PAgri founder Mike Krause joins host Tom Moir to reveal how banks really assess farm lending: what motivates a lender, the three things every bank weighs up before approving a loan, why seasonal finance costs more than a land loan, and the one grey area where a well-prepared farmer can move their own interest rate.

Mike Krause15 min read

Case Studies

How WA Grower Lisa Jeitz Runs Six Farm Scenarios in a Day

Esperance grain grower Lisa Jeitz used to spend two weeks building farm budget scenarios in a spreadsheet. With P2PAgri alongside Xero she now models five or six scenarios in a day, and makes faster, better-informed calls on land, fertiliser and machinery.

Mike Krause8 min read

Farm FinancePodcast

What Really Motivates Your Accountant (And Why It's Not Your Profit)

Most farmers judge their accountant on how little tax they paid, but that may not mean the business is healthy. P2PAgri founder Mike Krause joins host Tom Moir to explain what really drives an accountant, why minimising tax is not the same as building profit, the day he found a farm with five years of losses its accountant never mentioned, and how to stay the master of your own decisions between your accountant, your bank and yourself.

Mike Krause15 min read

Farm Finance

EOFY Tax Planning for Farmers: The Levers to Pull Before 30 June 2026

The 2025-26 financial year ends on 30 June, and primary producers have tax levers most businesses do not: Farm Management Deposits, income averaging, and immediate write-offs for fencing and fodder storage. This guide walks through the main EOFY levers to review with your accountant before 30 June, with a worked example and the traps that catch people out.

Mike Krause13 min read

SuccessionPodcast

Farm Succession Planning: Why Fair Doesn't Mean Equal

Why does being fair in farm succession rarely mean splitting everything equally? P2PAgri founder Mike Krause joins host Tom Moir to share three decades of lessons from helping more than 20 farming families hand the farm to the next generation: the combative facilitators to avoid, why management and assets do not have to transfer at the same time, how to keep a non-farming child's connection to the land, and how financial modelling takes the guesswork out of who can actually afford what.

Mike Krause15 min read

Business PlanningPodcast

What Is P2PAgri? Modelling Your Farm's Future with Mike Krause

What does P2PAgri actually do? Founder Mike Krause joins host Tom Moir to explain how Plan to Profit Agri helps Australian farmers model the big decisions - buying the neighbour's place, surviving drought, and seeing your farm through your banker's eyes - using the three levers of liquidity, efficiency and wealth.

Mike Krause15 min read

Business PlanningPodcast

From Wheat Fields to AgTech: The Story Behind P2PAgri

P2PAgri founder Mike Krause joins host Tom Moir to trace his journey from wheat-breeding glasshouses at Roseworthy Ag College to building one of Australia's most trusted farm business modelling platforms.

Mike Krause15 min read

Risk Management

Planning Your Farm for El Niño 2026: 4 Financial Scenarios

The Bureau of Meteorology expects El Niño by winter 2026. The 2018-19 event cut Australian farm cash income 41%. Run these four financial scenarios now.

Mike Krause11 min read

Business Planning

Farm Business Plan Template: What to Include and Why Your Bank Will Thank You

Most Australian farmers do not have a current business plan, yet every bank, RIC application, and succession conversation needs one. This guide walks through the seven sections of a strong farm business plan, what banks actually want to see, and a worked example for a 2,000-hectare mixed farm.

Mike Krause12 min read

Risk Management

Managing Farm Input Costs When Everything Keeps Rising: A Practical Guide

Input costs are the number one concern for Australian farmers in 2026, with urea prices doubling and diesel above $2.25/L. This practical guide breaks down where your money actually goes, how to calculate your break-even, and three strategies farmers are using to protect their margins this season.

Mike Krause11 min read

Farm Finance

Farm Debt in 2026: How to Know If Your Borrowing Is Healthy (and How to Negotiate Better Terms)

Australian farm debt has hit record levels, but half of all broadacre farmers carry little or no debt. The real question is whether your debt servicing is sustainable. Three key ratios tell you where you stand, and knowing your numbers could save you thousands at your next bank review.

Mike Krause11 min read

Business Planning

Should You Buy That Farm Next Door? A Financial Framework for Land Purchase Decisions

With Australian farmland at record highs, the maths of buying land has changed dramatically. This financial framework walks you through the five questions to answer before signing anything - and how to model the decision with real numbers.

Mike Krause12 min read

Profitability

How to Benchmark Your Farm Business: The Numbers That Actually Matter

Benchmarking is the most underused tool in farm management. These six financial ratios tell you whether your business is getting stronger or weaker - and where the real opportunities for improvement are hiding.

Mike Krause10 min read

Risk Management

Iran Fuel Crisis and Australian Farm Costs: What the Numbers Actually Show

With diesel prices surging past $2.25/L and supply shortages hitting regional Australia, we break down what the Strait of Hormuz crisis actually means for farm operating costs — and why supply availability matters more than the price increase.

Mike Krause9 min read

Profitability

Water Use Efficiency Calculator for Grain Growers (WUE)

Water Use Efficiency has long been a cornerstone measure for grain growers in dryland farming systems. Learn how WUE helps assess performance, refine management practices, and improve productivity.

Mike Krause8 min read

Business Planning

P2PAgri 2025 Year in Review: Advancing Farm Financial Management with AI and Precision Tools

A comprehensive look at everything new in P2PAgri in 2025, including AI-powered expense categorisation, accounting integrations, livestock management, precision mapping, and more.

P2PAgri10 min read

Economic Outlook

2026 Farm Business Planning: Managing Financial Pressure and Input Costs

Comprehensive analysis of Australian agricultural economics covering RBA cash rate impacts, commodity price trends, regional variations, and practical strategies for 2026.

Mike Krause12 min read

Economic OutlookPodcast

Economic Outlook for 2023 with Darryl Gobbett

Economist Darryl Gobbett discusses commodity prices, interest rates, inflation, and agricultural market conditions for 2023.

Mike Krause15 min read

SuccessionPodcast

Thinking About Succession Planning with Mike Krause

Mike Krause discusses succession planning importance for farming families, covering management and asset transfer between generations.

Mike Krause12 min read

Economic OutlookPodcast

Ukraine and Omicron Impact on Farmers

Darryl Gobbett shares his thoughts on the economic impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Omicron pandemic on Australian farming.

Mike Krause15 min read

Case StudiesPodcast

Peter Aikman: A Farm Business Journey

Peter Aikman discusses his journey improving farm financial literacy using P2PAgri software and the benefits of structured business management.

Mike Krause12 min read

Case StudiesPodcast

Farm Business Info: Easier & More Powerful

Phil Dibben from Financial Services South Australia discusses the benefits of P2PAgri for advisers and farmer clients.

Mike Krause10 min read

SuccessionPodcast

Farm Succession Planning 3: How to Avoid the Pitfalls?

Judy Wilkinson shares how to avoid common succession planning pitfalls in the final part of this three-part series.

Mike Krause12 min read

SuccessionPodcast

Farm Succession Planning 2: Best Process?

Judy Wilkinson discusses the best processes for farm succession planning in part two of this three-part series.

Mike Krause12 min read

SuccessionPodcast

Farm Succession Planning 1: When to Get Started?

Judy Wilkinson explains why succession planning matters and when farming families should get started.

Mike Krause12 min read

Farm FinancePodcast

Interest Rates and Your Farm Business

Economist Darryl Gobbett discusses long-term interest rate trends and what they mean for farm business financing decisions.

Mike Krause15 min read

Business PlanningPodcast

5 Challenges Facing Farm Businesses Today

Tony Hudson from Hudson Facilitation identifies succession planning, rising land values, managing uncertainty, improving management systems, and banking changes as primary challenges.

Mike Krause12 min read

Farm Finance

Rural Banking – Beyond the Royal Commission

Mike Krause discusses post-Royal Commission banking changes and favourable economic conditions for farmers, including interest rate negotiation strategies.

Mike Krause8 min read

Off-Farm Investment

Expand Your Farm Business or Invest Off-Farm? Compare for Profitability

A framework for comparing farm expansion strategies against alternative investments, emphasising liquidity, efficiency, and wealth measures.

Mike Krause6 min read

Profitability

Using Target Price & Target Yield to Help Determine Target Profit

Analysis of your tactical Target Yield and Target Price this season can help drive your farm business profitability goals.

Mike Krause7 min read

Farm Finance

Securing Farm Finance: What the Banking Royal Commission Means for You

How farms should proactively prepare for potential credit tightening post-Banking Royal Commission, and what banks assess when reviewing loan applications.

Mike Krause6 min read

Business Planning

Your Farm Business Journey: Tracking Your Goals and Progress

Framing farm management as a journey requiring four key decisions: determining goals, assessing position, planning routes, and measuring progress.

Mike Krause5 min read

Profitability

Evaluating the Economics of Export Hay in Selected Farming Systems

Analysis of export hay’s financial benefits across farming systems in South Australia and Western Australia.

Mike Krause6 min read

Business Planning

Are You in the Driver’s Seat in Your Farm Business?

The importance of end-of-season assessments tracking paddock results, cash flow, gross margins, and profit & loss reporting.

Mike Krause5 min read

Risk Management

Knowing Your Cost of Production: A Risk Management Tool for the Farm Business

Why cost of production knowledge is critical for farmers as price takers, and how it informs rotation and profitability decisions.

Mike Krause5 min read

Business Planning

Are You Making the Most of Your Tax Return Information?

How farmers can leverage tax return information beyond compliance for business management insights, trend analysis, and performance measurement.

Mike Krause8 min read

Business PlanningPodcast

‘The Family Farm as a Business’: Mike Krause Interview with Neil Tuckwell

Mike Krause discusses why the Farming the Business manual and eBooks are essential resources for farm business management.

Mike Krause10 min read

Business Planning

P2PAgri’s Launch at SPAA Conference!

Announcing P2PAgri’s launch at the Society of Precision Agriculture Australia’s 20th National Conference at Sydney University.

P2PAgri3 min read

Business Planning

Farming the Business GRDC Manual for Farmers and Advisers

The release of Farming the Business, a comprehensive farm business management manual developed by P2PAgri for the Grains Research Development Corporation.

Mike Krause5 min read