Using integrity systems to plan for the future

Hannah Russell, her brothers Hamish and Josh, and Dad Bruce, are a tight group. They’re remarkably in sync as a family and in business.

Together they run the family’s 6,500-hectare cattle enterprise at Manilla, on the Fossickers Way in the New England region of NSW.

The future of the Australian red meat industry is a digital one

The Russell’s firmly believe a digital future is the way forward for their business and the wider red meat industry.

“Digital is the way the world is going, so incorporating it as a key part of our business was obvious. We are going to keep relying on digital for everything moving forward, simple as that,” Hannah said.

Hannah’s two brothers, Josh and Hamish, agree.

“I cannot stress how beneficial it is for our business to take advantage of everything that digital advancements have to offer because the more data we can collect, the more it's going to help us run the business,” Josh said.

“Often, if we have a question that we need to ask about running our enterprise, a lot of the time we have the answers right there in web apps and other technology available to us that we are using. It’s changed modern farming for good,” Hamish said.

Bruce Russell said it’s been personally important to him that his family has learnt about the technology available to them together, and adopted and adapted it to the business as a team.

“I very much support the idea that each family member finds an area of the farming business they are interested in and then brings the technology into that area of interest. That’s a real focus for us as we go forward and it makes complete business sense,” Bruce said.

eNVDs, NLIS and LPAs making life easier for producers

eNVDs are a crucial part of the family’s record keeping as their cattle move through the supply chain.

“We picked up the eNVD app straight away and we've run with it ever since. It's been shared amongst the siblings and the family. We're all learning to use it and it seems to be making our farm easier to run and more profitable,” Hannah said.

“My favourite feature is that you don’t need to be physically with the cattle or the truck driver or even the saleyards. Any of us can log on, complete consignments through the app anywhere and at any time. You can even have it preset for future use, it’s great,” she said.

Hannah has some advice for producers who might be reluctant to take the plunge and embrace the app.

“There is absolutely nothing to fear in going digital. The eNVD app is set up so that those with limited experience in technology, can use it. Losing consignment paperwork in the ute or at the saleyards is a thing of the past with the eNVD app,” she said.

Digital benefits playing a key role in succession planning

When it comes to family farms, succession planning can be a complex, difficult and emotional stage for many.

For the Russell family, that process is unfolding as the family learns how to use the technology around integrity systems.

“Every day we’re increasing our digital literacy and taking advantage of new opportunities. At the same time, we’re identifying spaces for the siblings within this succession plan to find a space for them to work in that will benefit the farm in the long term. It’s a really exciting time,” Hannah said.

Bruce Russell acknowledges that many people rely on their mobile phones to ‘conduct a lot of life’ and he doesn’t see managing the family farm any differently.

“If embracing emerging technology is what we need to do to get the job done now and into the future, that’s what we’ll do. And as we individually learn new digital skills, it’s vital we share that knowledge and upskill the wider family for the benefit of the business,” he said.

According to Hannah, that’s already happening.

“As a family, we’re building a prosperous future with the help of the latest technology which frees us up to do more things in the business. From this point on, we're going to keep going with electronic everything, she said.”