Strategic thinkers hold the key to agriculture's future

摘要

Australian agriculture is going to increasingly need people not only with a passion for the land, but also with a mindset to take control of their destiny and to think beyond the farm gate. Australian Rural Leadership Program executive director JohnQuantrill says modern-day farming already requires people who are global and strategic in their outlook. "No longer can farmers be concerned just with the processes up to the farm gate," he says. "More and more we see evidence of the way farmers are farmore globally oriented than many of their city cousins. "Farmers are getting up in the morning and turning on their computers to find out the latest commodity prices around the world - there aren't too many city folk who start the day like that." Quantrill says the future of Australian agriculture lies with the development of an educated, innovative farming community full of people with a passion for improving every aspect of rural life. "To sit back and look at just addressing the economic factors inthe bush isn't going to work," be says. "We also have to look at the social and environmental fabric, if farming is to maintain a very positive future then all these areas have to be worked on in a coordinated effort."