Smart Group: On-farm storage provides plenty of options

THERE’S good farmers and then there’s Smart farmers.

Brothers in farms: Brothers Ryan (left) and Damien Smart’s farming business involves winter crops as well as irrigated lucerne seed and feed crops.

THERE’S good farmers and then there’s Smart farmers.

And in South Australia, innovative brothers Damien and Ryan Smart are doing their bit to live up to their surname.

The pair run Smart Group, a dynamic winter cropping, lucerne seed and livestock business founded by their parents, Brendon and Robyn, more than 40 years ago.

2017 CROPPING FARMER OF THE YEAR FINALIST

SMART GROUP

Damien and Ryan Smart

KEITH, SA

The business, which has grown to cover more than 5000 hectares in three districts around Keith, in South Australia’s South East, is a leader when it comes to increasing scale and efficiencies.

In a unique move, and one which the family attributes to its success, the business operates along corporate lines with a board of directors taking the emotion out of decisions and putting more checks and balances in place.

The board comprises an external chairman, part-time chief executive and two independent directors, in addition to Brendon, Damien and Ryan who are all winners of the prestigious Nuffield farming scholarships.

Cropping is the mainstay of the Smart Group business, which employs four full-time and two casual staff, as well as additional labour during busy times.

The Smarts grow 2000 hectares of winter crops — including wheat, faba beans, barley, canola and lentils — as well as irrigated lucerne seed, export oaten hay, pasture and feed crops. They also run 6000 Merino ewes for meat and wool and 150 Angus beef cows.

Flexibility is the key — all cropping areas can support a wide range of crops to target the best gross margins — while technology also plays a major role.

The Smarts adhere to minimum-till farming practices, with minimal soil disruption increasing moisture, and use vegetation-density data and drone technology to gauge optimum seeding, fertiliser and chemical requirements. All employees have cloud-based apps on their smartphones which allows for data to be collected and updated on the go, and accessed by anyone at any time.

The scientific approach to farming is paying off. The Smarts’ wheat yielded more than five tonnes/ha last year, following “an incredible year” in 2016 when the best paddocks reaped 9.5 tonnes/ha and averaged 7.2 tonnes/ha.

The Smarts have about 5000 tonnes of on-farm grain storage, giving them the flexibility to employ a range of marketing options for their crops.

Proving these farmers are not just Smart, they’re bright too.