I'm Certainly Not One of Those Farmers Happy to Take a 3% Return - Stafford Ives-Heres (Rabobank Partner Ep)

Fourth-generation beef producer Stafford Ives-Heres is building Shanford Park on Tasmania's north-west coast with one eye firmly on the generations still to come.

From starting with 10 cattle and working cray boats to fund his growth, to succession, leasing land and questioning whether owning more country always makes commercial sense, Stafford shares how he's thinking about building a family business that's valuable enough to be taken on, not simply sold.

We chat about:

Growing up at Shanford Park and being the last of four kids to become interested in farmingStarting with 10 cattle as a teenagerWorking cray boats along Tasmania's remote west coastUsing off-farm income to build livestock ownershipWhy the family moved from dairy into beefThe beginnings of Tasmanian Seaweed FertilisersSeparating family businesses to make succession workGrowing livestock numbers through ownership, leasing and share farmingWhy Stafford questions the need to own every hectareBuilding equity and optionality for the next generationCreating pathways into agriculture without owning landWhy professional development and strong networks matterChapters

00:00 The realities of regional connectivity

05:09 Meet Stafford Ives-Heres

06:17 Farming on Tasmania's north-west coast

10:21 Starting with 10 cattle

12:15 Leaving farming for the cray industry

16:24 Lessons from working at sea

18:01 From dairy farming to seaweed fertiliser

23:40 Separating businesses and navigating succession