Preparing a Management Plan(First Start)

Your planA management plan is an essential tool for you to use to plan the direction of your new business enterprise over time. It will reflect your short and medium term initiatives and long term goals and set out the stages of a planned progression towards a viable first primary production or wild catch fishing enterprise.

Developing a management plan will also allow you to prepare for the future and any changes it may bring. Gaining an awareness of what is happening in the environment and preparing responses is critical to ensure your success and survival during a period of significant change.

This template will assist you in preparing a business plan for your farming or commercial fishing enterprise. It is essential that your plan be realistic and meaningful to the management of your business and incorporates the business objectives and future goals for your enterprise.

The plan should be used by you to determine the nature and type of financial assistance and other requirements that will deliver on the objectives and goals of your business.

While the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA) will use the information in your management plan to approve and agree outcomes, it is your plan for your benefit so give it the effort required to get your application approved and ensure your business’s ongoing success.

The planning processAssistance under the First Start program will enable you to get started in your first primary production or wild catch-fishing enterprise, or develop an existing non-viable enterprise to one of an economically sustainable size.

By completing this plan, you will adopt a timely whole of business approach to achieve this outcome. Consider how the initiatives you are proposing in the plan will fit within your overall primary production enterprise, and how over time they will impact on:

increasing your productivity and long term viability your natural resource base and other ecosystems climate and market risks

Completing your management planRural producers will need to complete Parts A, B and C (if applicable). Commercial fishers will need to complete Parts A and B.

Part A – You and your businessThis section is about you, your business experience and qualifications necessary to establish a sustainable primary production or wild catch fishing enterprise and achieve your long term goals.

Part B – Your proposalThis section is about what you propose to do and how you will go about it. You will need to detail what the activities are, who will do the work, the costs associated with each activity, commencement and completion dates and how it will be funded. Please provide any additional information which may help us in assessing your application for assistance.

Part C – Property mapFor rural producers, if your initiatives involve on-farm activities such as those identified in the table on page two (or similar), you will need to provide a property map showing the location of your projects and the features relative to each activity.

Mutual obligation Your plan, together with your projected cash flows, will form the basis of your application for finance from QRIDA and the project outcomes agreed to in any approval will need to be reported on at each annual review.

Contact usIf you have any questions in regards to completing your management plan, please contact our Customer Service Officers on Freecall 1800 623 946.

Alternatively, our Regional Area Managers (RAMs) are located in Bundaberg, Cloncurry, Innisfail, Kingaroy, Emerald (with an office in Longreach), Mackay, Rockhampton, Roma and Toowoomba are available to assist you.  

Preparing a Management Plan(First Start)

On-Farm Activities table

On-Farm Activities

Rec

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Are

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Fenc

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Deg

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Con

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Wat

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rigat

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Effi

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ater

Q

ualit

y P

rote

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Veg

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Man

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ent

Pre

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of S

oil

Deg

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tion

and

Ero

sion

Sal

inity

Con

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Effl

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and

Was

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Con

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nd D

ispo

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Mac

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ry fo

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in

Res

ourc

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anag

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iviti

es

Features to be shown on your property map FeaturesWatercourses Topography Soils Vegetation Degradation Infrastructure (e.g buildings/fences)

Project location & extent

Management Plan (First Start)

What is your trading business name? . (Please provide your full business structure on the application form)

If you are a current QRIDA customer please provide your Client ID (if known):

Part A – You and your business

Q1) Please describe your core business and related activities

Q2) Please tell us about your past experience and any qualifications which will assist you to achieve your business goals

Q3) Please tell us about any other people who will be involved in your business (consider: background and qualifications; decision-making; operations; finance and budgeting; business development and marketing; administration and recordkeeping)

Q4) What are your long-term goals?

Part A – Your business (cont.)

Q5) Please tell us about any particular business or risk management practices you propose which will increase productivity and long-term viability?(consider: livestock, stocking rates; crop rotation; pasture types; fencing; storage; equipment & maintenance; vessel maintenance; other [as relates to your business])

Q6) Please tell us about any risk management strategies you propose which will mitigate the effects of climate and market risks(consider: natural disasters [fire, flood, cyclones]; pests; vegetation and weeds; biosecurity [diseases]; drought management; marketing; fishing areas and/or species; other [as it relates to your business])

Q7) What succession or estate planning measures do you have in place or propose?

Q8) What financial risk management practices (e.g. life insurance, superannuation, investments etc.) do you have in place or propose?

Any additional information

Part B – Your proposal

Please tell us about your proposal (refer to the program guidelines for eligible activities). If there is a farming/grazing property or fishing vessel involved, please provide full details on page three of the QRIDA application form.

Your proposal

Consider: purchase details (cost, terms, conditions,

timing, vendor) leasing or share farming/fishing

arrangements. stages of development involved

activities to upgrade an existing non-viable business

machinery, infrastructure and stock involved in purchase

purchase of parents or family members assets

For on-farm activities or equipment acquisitions (fishing), please complete the activity schedules:

Activity 1a) Please describe the activity

b) Which component of sustainable primary production management does this activity address?

Productivity and viability Impact on natural resources/other ecosystems Climate and market risks

c) How will it address this component?

d) When will the work/activity commence?

e) When will it be completed?

f) How much will it cost? $

g) How is it to be funded?

Activity 2a) Please describe the activity

b) Which component of sustainable primary production management does this activity address?

Productivity and viability Impact on natural resources/other ecosystems Climate and market risks

c) How will it address this component?

d) When will the work/activity commence?

e) When will it be completed?

f) How much will it cost? $

g) How is it to be funded?

Activity 3a) Please describe the activity

b) Which component of sustainable primary production management does this activity address?

Productivity and viability Impact on natural resources/other ecosystems Climate and market risks

c) How will it address this component?

d) When will the work/activity commence?

e) When will it be completed?

f) How much will it cost? $

g) How is it to be funded?