INCREASED personal development and self-investment has paid dividends for Central Queensland farmer Ben Jarvis winner of Rabobanks prestigious 2012 Farm Managers Program business development award.

Ben was awarded for his presentation of his personal development and business plan where he proved that by investing in himself as well as improving his business management practices his farming operation benefited.

Mr Jarvis said his experiences undertaking the program were life-changing.

The Program reinforced how important it is to set and maintain your goals on the personal side of things and the business side, Ben said.

By tweaking a few things, changing my approach towards certain things, I had really started to notice how the small things can make a difference.

I really applied myself to develop a business management plan aimed at reducing costs, increasing efficiencies and reducing debt and these actions generated some surprising outcomes.

The Rabobank Farm Managers Program is a business management course designed to develop the operational and strategic business skills of young farmers who represent the next generation of leading farm business owners. Now in its seventh year, the 2012 Program was held in Brisbane this month, attended by 35 participants from both islands of New Zealand and all states of Australia and representing a wide range of agricultural commodities.

Ben is one of the managers of Liberty Fields, located in Monto, Queensland. His family business runs a 500 sow piggery and farms 200 hectares of irrigated crops and 200 hectares dry land.

After meeting his wife Kylie, Ben moved back to Monto in 2004 and bought into the family business. Bens project is his account of the changes he has made to his farming and family life since returning from last years Farm Managers Program. He developed a personal development plan taking into account his mental and physical health, marriage and children, family and business and personal wealth.

I really found some self assurance and confidence in what were doing with our business knowing were on the right track, Ben said.

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CQ farmer wins Rabo award