July Edition 2025
July often gets overlooked, wedged between financial year-end rush and the lead-up to spring. But it’s a powerful month in its own right. It’s when groundwork is laid...for crops, for business planning, for personal reset. At Cross Country Management, we see July as a time to dig deep: into the numbers, into strategy, and into what really matters for the season ahead.
I’ve spent time this month revisiting some of our longer-term projects. Progress has been steady in places, patchy in others. But that’s the nature of growth...it doesn’t always follow a straight line. My focus right now is on clarity: clearing the clutter, doubling down on direction, and staying connected to the ‘why’.
Wherever this winter finds you, be it in the thick of lambing, crunching the budget, or taking five to breathe, I hope this edition brings some timely perspective and a little inspiration for the road ahead.
AgCelerate Workshops
Throughout July, Paige has been facilitating a number of AgCelerate workshops across South-West and North-East Victoria. These workshops, (supported by Agriculture Victoria's Drought Support package), provide members of local farming communities with invaluable insights into how to:
Elevate farming operations through clear communication
Foster profitability, innovation and sustainability
Navigate the complex requirements that running a business takes in 2025...
and much more!
If you want to know more about AgCelerate, or simply want to be kept informed as to when and where the next workshop will pop up, send us an email below, we'd love to chat!
July Blog
Pushing through overwhelm isn’t a badge of honour. In agriculture, where you're often the business owner, problem-solver, and parent all at once, it's easy to ignore the warning signs.
In this month's blog "You can't do it all: Why capacity matters in agriculture", learn how to audit your capacity—both physical and mental—so you can protect your energy, make clear decisions, and lead your business with confidence through the second half of the year.
National Farm Safety Week 2025
National Farm Safety Week 2025 runs from July 20th to 26th. This year's theme is: “Second Chances – Who Knows How Many You’ll Get?” with a national call to action: if you’ve had a near miss on farm,
don’t just move on; learn from it, share it safely, and use it to protect those around you.
Accompanying the campaign is the release of the 2025 Safer Farms Report (sponsored by WFI), which provides a sobering picture of on-farm harm over the past 18 months. Following a historic low of 32 farm fatalities in 2023, the sector recorded 72 deaths in 2024, the highest fatality figure in more than two decades.
We all have our part to play when it comes to farm safety. You can download this year's report, plus many great tools including induction tools and safety guides at Farmsafe Australia.
Podcast Recommendation: Toolbox Talks
Staying with the theme of farm safety, Farmsafe Australia produce a wonderful series called "Toolbox Talks", a podcast which focuses on farm culture, leading to safer working, living and play environments.
Each episode discusses important topics facing Australian farmers and farming families, from child safety and water safety, to injury prevention and the importance of safety inductions.
You can access Toolbox Talks via the link below, or stream now on Spotify
Quote of the Month
"The future depends on what we do in the present." – Mahatma Gandhi
In farming and business, this wisdom is especially true. Every decision made today shapes tomorrow’s outcomes... in the paddock, in the books, and across the broader operation.
Every strategic choice and practical effort made now lays the groundwork for long-term success...whether it’s investing in infrastructure, improving soil health, or planning next season’s crop rotation.
Just like sowing seeds in the right season brings a harvest later, the work we do today will determine our business resilience and profitability down the line. Timing and foresight are everything.
By making intentional decisions, not just reactive ones, we ensure that we are building a more stable, profitable and sustainable future for our farms and businesses.
What we do today is the legacy we leave tomorrow.
Victorian Drought Support
The Victorian government has announced a $75 million drought assistance package for farmers struggling through the state's long dry spell.
It is the biggest and most significant announcement the government has made during this drought and includes council rate relief for farmers, with a rebate of about 40 per cent for producers in 12 of the worst-affected areas of the south-west.
The funding also includes $2 million for food and grocery support, with up to $1,000 per household, $6.3 million to cover government "red tape" fees and $25 million for water management.
To find out more about which areas qualify for this assistance and how it will be applied, you can head to the AgVIC website or read the ABC article in full below.
Where in the World is CCM?
Last month's "Where in the World" found CCM visiting Gawler in the Greater Adelaide region. A couple of keen cricket fans were quick to pick the Lehmann reference.
This month we are a little further afield. See if you can find us! Here are your clues...
1. This alpine town was formerly heavily dependent on farming and logging, but these days is more frequently referred to as a tourist centre.
2. Prior to acquiring its current name, the town was known as Mount Battery
3. The town and its surrounding landscapes feature heavily in the Ned Kelly trail, as well as the movie "The Man From Snowy River", which was filmed in the area in 1982.
Where are we? Drop as a message if you think you might know.
WOW Your Banker
Walking into a bank meeting unprepared can be stressful. If you don’t have a clear cash flow plan, you risk tough questions, delays, or even missed funding opportunities. And with the season ahead, now is the time to get on the front foot.
Our Wow Your Banker service helps you take control—so you can walk in with confidence, present your numbers clearly, and secure the financial backing you need.
Get yourself set up for success now - book a discovery call with Paige!