Cropping Business Checklist
The Queensland Government’s Cropping Enterprises Checklist is a practical self-assessment tool designed to strengthen farm business resilience, particularly for grain, pulse, and horticultural growers facing risks like drought, market volatility, and climate variability.
This concise PDF checklist—part of the broader Farm Business Resilience Plan toolkit—guides cropping enterprises through key areas to evaluate and action for a robust business plan. It prompts farmers to assess critical elements including:
- Business foundations: Confirming clear goals, succession strategies, and off-farm income diversification.
- Financial health: Reviewing cash flow forecasts, debt management, gross margins, and insurance coverage.
- Production risks: Evaluating soil health, irrigation efficiency, input costs, pest/disease protocols, and machinery maintenance.
- Market and supply chain: Stress-testing contracts, alternative buyers, and transport/logistics contingencies.
- Resilience actions: Identifying triggers for scaling back operations, plus recovery steps post-disaster.
Unlike generic templates, this checklist is tailored for cropping operations, with yes/no prompts and space for notes on strengths, gaps, and priority fixes. It integrates seamlessly into Queensland’s Farm Business Resilience Plan framework, helping farmers qualify for state support programs while building standalone drought-proofing capacity.