Luke Kenniff is the founder of Harvest Agents and Advisory, a specialist agribusiness advisory firm. With a background in global commodities and finance, Luke supports agricultural investors across the value chain. He also knows farming firsthand, having grown up on a farm in Wee Waa and worked extensively with both corporate and family farming businesses.

At the Cotton Collective 2025, Luke will join a panel discussion on Growing a Successful Family Farm Business. Drawing on years of experience reading hundreds of profit and loss statements, touring farms, and having honest kitchen table conversations with producers, he’ll delve into the 10 key fundamentals that set the most successful farming businesses apart:

1. Scale — but not at all costs. Growing bigger helps competitiveness and efficiency, but only if you maintain the precision and discipline that built your business.
2. Diversification — with control. Spreading risk across different enterprises smooths income ups and downs, but you can’t afford to be average across the board.
3. Knowing the value chain — get closer to your customer. The most profitable operations understand their buyers well—whether through branding, direct marketing, or strong processor relationships.
4. Differentiate your commodity — or stay in the crowd. Having a clear point of difference, like Best Management Practices, carbon neutrality, or traceability, helps avoid being just a price taker.
5. Efficiency and cost control — what gets measured gets managed. Small improvements in fuel use, labour, yield, and machinery downtime add up to better profitability.
6. People — the biggest difference maker. Having the right people in the right roles, clear expectations, and a strong culture makes all the difference.
7. Risk management — anticipate, don’t react. Risk is everywhere, from finance to weather, so having clear plans to manage it proactively is essential.
8. Strong management, reporting and control — corporate head, family heart. Successful businesses balance strategic planning and accountability with the family’s long-term commitment.
9. Structure and stability — don’t let governance be your weak link. Clear roles, aligned values, and solid succession plans keep family tensions from damaging the business.
10. Adoption — always open to new ideas. The best farms stay curious and willing to try new practices, varieties, or technology to keep improving.

For Luke, growing a farm business isn’t just about doing more—it’s about doing it better, together, and with purpose. He’s looking forward to exploring these ideas on the panel at Cotton Collective in Toowoomba this August.

Book your tickets to the Cotton Collective today.