Co-operative Conversations Episode 10

Are you a farmer, fisher or forester interested in setting up, or improving the running of your co-operative, and you’ve been told that it’s harder to raise capital in a co-op or to obtain loans? This conversation is for you.

In this episode of Co-operative Conversations you will hear from leading agriculture and business advisors about how farmers can raise the capital they need to run successful co-operative businesses. Our panel will discuss the structure and management of capital raising for co-operatives, as well as tax, business plans and investment, and how co-ops allow individual farmers to pool capital and raise funds together for shared investments as opposed to going it alone.

With primary production seen as crucial in helping the economy and local Australian communities recover from the pandemic, there is an increasing focus on getting the right investment to grow agricultural businesses especially value adding.

Across Australia, there are 229 agri-business co-operatives, what options are available for them? What are the opportunities and risks? How does it work differently for co-operatives and other collaborative business structures? What can primary producers be putting in place for successful outcomes? And where can they go for help? Hear all about capital raising from the people who help farmers to help themselves.

Roundtable Guests:

• Simon Lane – Co-operative Farming envoy and former Chair, Almondco
• Ivan Giuricich – Chief Financial Officer, Marquis Macadamias
• Marcel van Doremaele – Group Executive, Country Banking, Rabobank
• Robyn Donnelly, Co-operative Policy and Legal Advisor
• Peter Hunt, Managing Partner, Mutuo (UK)

Watch on demand Join Pete Lewis for an inspiring interview series as he explores the journeys of some of Australia’s most interesting and successful co-operatives. Pete’s long and varied experience as a journalist specialising in agriculture will ensure he gets to the heart of the issues you want to hear about. This livestream is part of the Co-operative Farming program.