Small scale producers - the unsung heroes of Agriculture
With Melanie Brown
Did you know that more than 50% of farming businesses in Australia are less than 500 hectares in size? From hobby farmers supplying Christmas lamb to micro dairies delivering milk in a bottle, these micro businesses are an integral part of our agricultural ecosystem.
2020 has been a year like no other and has completely changed consumer mindsets. People are living more food conscious lifestyles, cooking more home meals, and looking to support local businesses where they can - more and more families are heading to their local farmgate or farmers market to pick up the weekly groceries. This is where we've seen the value that small-scale producers have brought to our communities, through their connection with consumers and passion for supplying quality produce.
The value of Small-Scale Farms
Small-scale producers are some of the most passionate people in the agricultural industry. They may not derive all of their income from the land or pull in record-breaking yields like their larger cousins, but small scale farms provide different kinds of benefits. They strengthen local communities through mixed economies, create diversity in land management practices, undertake conservation work, champion heritage breeding and genetic resilience, and further advocate the needs of farmers in their local communities.
Small-scale farmers manage their operation more closely, which gives them the opportunity to be more in tune with their landscape. They are often the first to notice changes in biodiversity or pest and disease outbreaks - and are proactive in communicating their findings to benefit the wider farming community.
Mobble and Small Farmers Working Together
At Mobble, we want to reward the contribution small-scale farmers provide to the broader agricultural community. That’s why we are launching a 35% small-scale farmer discount to say a massive thank you to our smaller producers. If you’re a smaller producer who wants to simplify farm management, sign up for a free trial with our livestock farm management software here and email us at melanie@mobble.io to receive the discount.
Malanie Brown
Farm Success Mobbler