Resources
Newsletters, benchmarks and farm data
Quarterly newsletters on farm benchmarking, financial planning and tax, free to download.
R J Preston Ltd chartered accountants know that farm accounting differs from other business accounting. There are multiple factors, many unpredictable and uncontrollable, that directly impact how profitable a farm is. Our accountants compile a newsletter quarterly which is available to download at no charge.
If you are a livestock, dairy or crop farmer, you will find the information in our newsletters directly useful to your business. You can also find our documents and newsletters further down the page.
Benchmarking
Farm statistical surveys
Explore our 2021 farm statistical survey results below, with interactive charts and data tables. Select a farm type to compare the group average against the top three performers. Historical survey PDFs are in the archive at the bottom.
Survey overview: year ended 30 June 2021
Net farm profit by farm type
Operating surplus per hectare
The operating surplus per hectare is a key result for comparison.
Significant decreases in revenue rather than increased costs have driven the operating surplus down for both Downlands Livestock and Hill & High-Country farms.
Average sale value per kg milk solids
The overall average payout for 2021 recorded an increase on the previous year of 9c per kilogram of milk solids. This is the second highest average payout recorded.
Supplementary feed costs will continue to grow with the increase of grain prices. Farmers will need to maintain steady production under a regime of decreased fertiliser inputs.
Financial institutions continue to pursue principal repayments from the industry due to the higher level of debt within the dairy sector.
Total farm capital and total debt (average)
For this statistic we calculate the estimated fair sale value of land, buildings, livestock, plant, and dairy co-op shares.
Changes in Total Farm Capital are reflective of the differences in values of livestock, vehicles, and plant, as land values have been relatively static.
The average debt level across all farm types increased by $183,191 to $3,085,175.
Banks are continuing to seek debt reduction. Many farms are able to meet these demands with little effect on their cash flow due to reduced debt servicing from low interest rates.
Lambing percentages
The Downlands farms recorded a decrease in lambing percentages reflecting the significant animal health issues experienced by some clients in the survey.
Properties in North Otago and Marlborough had poor lambing compared to those in Canterbury.
| Farm type | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intensive Crop | 133.4% | 126.3% | 107.7% | 124.6% | 112.6% | 139.3% |
| Downlands Livestock | 125.9% | 135.5% | 133.0% | 142.9% | 141.1% | 122.9% |
| Flatland Livestock | 125.2% | 131.9% | 115.2% | 129.1% | 125.3% | 132.6% |
| Hill & High-Country | 105.0% | 110.6% | 112.5% | 116.9% | 115.4% | 116.4% |
Average sale values: lambs ($)
The 2021 year saw the lowest lamb prices since 2017 due to the influence of drought.
Average prices recorded for cattle with increased prices for farm types with irrigated land compared to those not irrigated.
| Farm type | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intensive Crop | $101.18 | $97.43 | $147.89 | $152.67 | $150.70 | $141.00 |
| Downlands Livestock | $77.66 | $91.29 | $119.50 | $120.43 | $118.67 | $114.20 |
| Flatland Livestock | $91.16 | $95.75 | $119.87 | $129.20 | $122.64 | $109.86 |
| Hill & High-Country | $67.75 | $80.18 | $98.91 | $109.36 | $108.27 | $95.73 |
Average sale values: heifers ($)
| Farm type | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intensive Crop | $774.21 | $1,009.00 | $1,183.00 | $980.50 | $1,326.40 | $1,348.29 |
| Downlands Livestock | $975.94 | $1,000.91 | $1,218.11 | $1,358.60 | $1,168.67 | $1,089.71 |
| Flatland Livestock | $841.32 | $1,129.00 | $1,279.67 | $997.70 | $1,018.00 | $1,218.33 |
| Hill & High-Country | $977.91 | $1,246.78 | $1,314.40 | $1,277.00 | $1,245.70 | $1,007.82 |
Average sale values: steers ($)
| Farm type | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intensive Crop | $1,240.35 | $1,486.50 | $1,315.60 | $1,114.00 | $1,303.60 | $1,525.14 |
| Downlands Livestock | $1,227.22 | $1,278.00 | $1,527.25 | $1,491.73 | $1,490.89 | $1,282.13 |
| Flatland Livestock | — | $1,112.00 | $1,137.75 | $1,105.30 | $1,351.00 | $1,041.33 |
| Hill & High-Country | $1,040.78 | $1,342.50 | $1,451.45 | $1,394.40 | $1,279.78 | $1,057.90 |
Interest and rent as % of T.G.F.P.
This statistic stayed relatively the same as the previous year across all farm types except for Flatland Livestock which recorded a marked increase due to considerable increase in debt for capital projects undertaken by two larger farms in the survey.
| Farm type | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intensive Crop | 15% | 17% | 18% | 17% | 16% | 14% |
| Downlands Livestock | 14% | 19% | 13% | 11% | 12% | 11% |
| Flatland Livestock | 24% | 24% | 20% | 15% | 16% | 23% |
| Hill & High-Country | 15% | 15% | 11% | 10% | 11% | 14% |
| Dairy Factory Supply | 28% | 23% | 20% | 20% | 16% | 15% |
Intensive Crop
This group must have a minimum of 60% of total gross profits being generated from cropping.
Net farm profit: group average vs top three
Operating surplus per hectare: group average vs top three
Total debt: group average vs top three
Group average results
| Metric | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Est Effective Farm Area (Ha) | 258 | 283 | 286 | 301 | 299 | 305 | 293 |
| Net Farm Profit | $122,366 | $87,763 | $79,109 | $97,742 | $103,526 | $131,751 | $155,610 |
| T.G.F.P. Per Effective Ha | $4,338.88 | $4,400.73 | $4,150.36 | $4,178.94 | $4,434.07 | $4,522.32 | $4,690.32 |
| C.F.W.E. as a % of T.G.F.P. | 62 | 64 | 65 | 65 | 63 | 64 | 64 |
| Interest & Rent as a % of T.G.F.P. | 17 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 14 |
| C.F.W.E. per Effective Ha | $2,725.55 | $2,868.33 | $2,734.79 | $2,714.85 | $2,842.86 | $2,884.12 | $3,068.63 |
| Irrigation Expenses per Irrigated Ha | — | — | $317.29 | $351.95 | $298.49 | $462.24 | $462.52 |
| Fertiliser Expenses per Effective Ha | — | — | $347.85 | $356.20 | $413.64 | $430.69 | $410.33 |
| Weed & Pest Expenses per Effective Ha | — | — | $445.86 | $396.31 | $391.08 | $388.11 | $441.82 |
| Operating Surplus per Ha | $1,613.33 | $1,532.40 | $1,415.79 | $1,464.09 | $1,591.21 | $1,638.20 | $1,621.69 |
| Return on Capital (%) | 9.1 | 10.6 | 8.2 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 3.0 |
| Total Debt Term & Current | $1,229,841 | $1,463,856 | $1,728,943 | $2,119,399 | $2,434,041 | $2,363,162 | $2,717,822 |
| Total Gross Profit to Plant Ratio | 1.9 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 2.9 |
Top three average results
| Metric | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Est Effective Farm Area (Ha) | 234 | 303 | 279 | 224 | 314 |
| Net Farm Profit | $193,232 | $276,471 | $286,055 | $199,936 | $182,618 |
| T.G.F.P. Per Effective Ha | $5,650.67 | $7,116.59 | $5,898.63 | $6,399.01 | $7,293.02 |
| C.F.W.E. as a % of T.G.F.P. | 54 | 63 | 56 | 58 | 66 |
| Interest & Rent as a % of T.G.F.P. | 20 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 15 |
| C.F.W.E. per Effective Ha | $3,125.33 | $4,517.54 | $3,423.06 | $3,788.22 | $4,842 |
| Irrigation Expenses per Irrigated Ha | $161.69 | $406.86 | $251.41 | $385.08 | $503.34 |
| Fertiliser Expenses per Effective Ha | $352.80 | $515.35 | $448.94 | $430.69 | $410.33 |
| Weed & Pest Expenses per Effective Ha | $663.25 | $572.69 | $360.02 | $367.85 | $576.67 |
| Operating Surplus per Ha | $2,525.33 | $2,599.04 | $2,475.57 | $2,610.79 | $2,451.02 |
| Return on Capital (%) | 20.1 | 5.0 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.0 |
| Total Debt Term & Current | $2,378,459 | $3,397,573 | $2,490,620 | $2,432,761 | $5,012,304 |
| Total Gross Profit to Plant Ratio | 1.7 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.8 |
Downlands Livestock
These properties are generally of easy contour with very little tussock. Most of the property can be cultivated by wheel tractors though a four-wheel drive tractor or crawler may be required occasionally.
Net farm profit: group average vs top three
Operating surplus per hectare: group average vs top three
Total debt: group average vs top three
Group average results
| Metric | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Est Effective Farm Area (Ha) | 695 | 751 | 742 | 726 | 693 | 742 | 758 |
| Farm Stock Units at Start of Year | 4,758 | 4,251 | 4,263 | 4,106 | 4,360 | 4,405 | 4,357 |
| Net Farm Profit | $57,937 | $3,687 | $28,967 | $66,421 | $139,806 | $120,851 | $20,898 |
| Lambing % (Ewes) | 126.7 | 125.9 | 135.5 | 133.0 | 143.0 | 141.1 | 122.9 |
| Lambing % (Hoggets) | 62.5 | 61.6 | 64.3 | 71.1 | 73.6 | 78.3 | 69.0 |
| Av Sale Value Lambs | $82.34 | $77.66 | $91.29 | $119.50 | $120.43 | $118.67 | $114.20 |
| Calving % (Cows) | 89.5 | 77.9 | 85.9 | 94.2 | 91.5 | 80.1 | 84.5 |
| Av Sale Value Heifers | $849.62 | $975.94 | $1,000.91 | $1,218.11 | $1,358.60 | $1,168.67 | $1,089.71 |
| Av Sale Value Steers | $1,068.62 | $1,227.22 | $1,278 | $1,527.25 | $1,491.73 | $1,490.89 | $1,282.13 |
| T.G.F.P. Per Total S.U. | $114.94 | $114.24 | $135.18 | $146.24 | $160.08 | $163.47 | $131.34 |
| T.G.F.P. Per Effective Ha | $965.87 | $870.58 | $937.59 | $1,022.41 | $1,224.83 | $1,206.30 | $897.08 |
| C.F.W.E. as a % of T.G.F.P. | 70 | 76 | 67 | 62 | 55 | 58 | 77 |
| Interest & Rent as a % of T.G.F.P. | 13 | 14 | 19 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 |
| C.F.W.E. per S.U. | $76.48 | $86.83 | $89.53 | $90.06 | $84.74 | $89.10 | $94.25 |
| C.F.W.E. per Effective Ha | $666.99 | $627.66 | $610.41 | $607.71 | $651.21 | $677.55 | $668.01 |
| Operating Surplus per S.U. | $38.46 | $30.45 | $45.71 | $56.24 | $75.34 | $74.37 | $37.09 |
| Operating Surplus per Ha | $298.88 | $242.93 | $327.29 | $414.71 | $573.62 | $528.75 | $229.07 |
| Return on Capital (%) | 1.2 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 0.3 |
| Total Debt Term & Current | $1,561,716 | $1,714,538 | $1,529,968 | $1,397,454 | $1,421,283 | $1,506,091 | $1,580,724 |
Top three average results
| Metric | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Est Effective Farm Area (Ha) | 346 | 449 | 247 | 322 | 337 |
| Farm Stock Units at Start of Year | 3,496 | 3,542 | 2,025 | 2,441 | 3,363 |
| Net Farm Profit | $186,648 | $241,308 | $199,025 | $220,160 | $139,843 |
| Lambing % (Ewes) | 154.7 | 125.7 | 135.1 | 113.0 | 118.4 |
| Lambing % (Hoggets) | 62.3 | 85.1 | 87.4 | 79.1 | 69.0 |
| Av Sale Value Lambs | $97.33 | $121.67 | $117.30 | $121.33 | $138 |
| Calving % (Cows) | 90.7 | 89.0 | 60.8 | 74.1 | 60.8 |
| Av Sale Value Heifers | $1,329 | $1,219 | $1,539.33 | $1,318.67 | $1,245.67 |
| Av Sale Value Steers | $1,036.33 | $1,904.33 | $1,506 | $1,462 | $1,463.67 |
| T.G.F.P. Per Total S.U. | $139.67 | $167 | $203.22 | $223.92 | $162.29 |
| T.G.F.P. Per Effective Ha | $1,386.33 | $1,388.67 | $1,558.80 | $1,558.62 | $1,256.18 |
| C.F.W.E. as a % of T.G.F.P. | 53 | 42 | 36 | 39 | 54 |
| Interest & Rent as a % of T.G.F.P. | 3 | 12 | 13 | 16 | 5 |
| C.F.W.E. per S.U. | $73.33 | $67.33 | $72.69 | $84.61 | $83.45 |
| C.F.W.E. per Effective Ha | $717 | $576 | $564.29 | $613.09 | $682.82 |
| Operating Surplus per S.U. | $66.33 | $99.67 | $130.52 | $139.32 | $78.84 |
| Operating Surplus per Ha | $669 | $812.67 | $994.51 | $945.53 | $573.37 |
| Return on Capital (%) | 1.9 | 2.6 | 12.1 | 4.3 | 1.8 |
| Total Debt Term & Current | $581,878 | $1,379,125 | $431,194 | $1,443,063 | $429,858 |
Flatland Livestock
By definition, these properties are completely flat.
Net farm profit: group average vs top three
Operating surplus per hectare: group average vs top three
Total debt: group average vs top three
Group average results
| Metric | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Est Effective Farm Area (Ha) | 416 | 370 | 347 | 355 | 367 | 345 | 317 |
| Farm Stock Units at Start of Year | 3,663 | 2,682 | 2,153 | 2,228 | 2,653 | 2,461 | 2,218 |
| Net Farm Profit | $84,867 | $10,343 | $12,752 | $62,984 | $107,234 | $70,711 | $50,963 |
| Lambing % (Ewes) | 127.6 | 125.2 | 131.9 | 115.2 | 129.1 | 125.3 | 132.6 |
| Av Sale Value Lambs | $95.10 | $91.16 | $95.75 | $119.87 | $129.17 | $122.64 | $109.86 |
| Calving % (Cows) | 73.5 | 87.3 | 95.0 | 101.0 | 89.9 | 89.6 | 89.6 |
| Av Sale Value Heifers | $978.08 | $841.32 | $1,129 | $1,279.67 | $997.67 | $1,018 | $1,218.33 |
| Av Sale Value Steers | $659.22 | — | $1,112 | $1,137.75 | $1,105.25 | $1,351 | $1,041.33 |
| T.G.F.P. Per Effective Ha | $1,519.16 | $1,337.05 | $1,238.73 | $1,382.29 | $1,456.04 | $1,549.86 | $1,539.36 |
| C.F.W.E. as a % of T.G.F.P. | 59 | 78 | 73 | 64 | 57 | 60 | 74 |
| Interest & Rent as a % of T.G.F.P. | 18 | 24 | 24 | 19 | 15 | 16 | 23 |
| Irrigation Expenses per Irrigated Ha | — | — | $367.32 | $348.36 | $467.20 | $363.33 | $320.35 |
| C.F.W.E. per Effective Ha | $896.79 | $832 | $835.20 | $909.43 | $910.44 | $955.36 | $1,021.10 |
| Operating Surplus per Ha | $622.37 | $505.05 | $403.33 | $472.85 | $545.60 | $594.50 | $518.25 |
| Return on Capital (%) | 7.4 | 8.1 | 4.4 | 5.9 | 8.5 | 5.6 | 3.4 |
| Total Debt Term & Current | $796,177 | $867,695 | $824,068 | $960,759 | $810,503 | $834,467 | $1,075,093 |
Top three average results
| Metric | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Est Effective Farm Area (Ha) | 159 | 357 | 445 | 185 | 262 |
| Net Farm Profit | $88,680 | $115,606 | $173,127 | $78,985 | $103,691 |
| Lambing % (Ewes) | 145.7 | 130.7 | 152.7 | 150.4 | 147.0 |
| Av Sale Value Lambs | $103.33 | $130.33 | $134 | $124.67 | $102.33 |
| Av Sale Value Heifers | $1,182.67 | $1,279.67 | $997.67 | $1,018 | $1,218.33 |
| Av Sale Value Steers | $1,212 | $1,205.33 | $1,208.33 | $1,527.33 | $1,041.33 |
| T.G.F.P. Per Effective Ha | $2,215.33 | $2,188.02 | $1,689.29 | $2,668.43 | $3,017.96 |
| C.F.W.E. as a % of T.G.F.P. | 48.0 | 48.5 | 45.5 | 58.2 | 56.2 |
| Interest & Rent as a % of T.G.F.P. | 17.3 | 18.9 | 16.7 | 20.6 | 18.4 |
| C.F.W.E. per Effective Ha | $1,111.33 | $1,175.89 | $761.11 | $1,618.41 | $1,730.78 |
| Operating Surplus per Ha | $1,104 | $1,012.13 | $928.17 | $1,050.02 | $1,287.17 |
| Return on Capital (%) | 3.5 | 2.7 | 3.2 | 1.0 | 0.9 |
| Total Debt Term & Current | $529,771 | $1,820,788 | $2,201,462 | $584,800 | $1,330,127 |
Hill & High-Country Livestock
These properties are obviously steeper by nature, and with small to moderate areas able to be cultivated by wheel tractor. These properties have portions of tussock and some native pasture.
Net farm profit: group average vs top three
Operating surplus per hectare: group average vs top three
Total debt: group average vs top three
Group average results
| Metric | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Est Effective Farm Area (Ha) | 1,756 | 1,788 | 2,163 | 2,144 | 2,139 | 2,274 | 2,208 |
| Farm Stock Units at Start of Year | 6,047 | 5,795 | 6,498 | 7,931 | 7,666 | 8,544 | 8,141 |
| Net Farm Profit | $83,566 | $52,384 | $89,580 | $223,015 | $227,745 | $207,837 | $86,556 |
| Lambing % (Ewes) | 114.5 | 105.0 | 110.6 | 112.5 | 116.9 | 115.4 | 116.4 |
| Av Sale Value Lambs | $74.68 | $67.75 | $80.18 | $98.91 | $109.36 | $108.27 | $95.73 |
| Calving % (Cows) | 84.6 | 88.8 | 86.5 | 88.9 | 90.2 | 85.2 | 86.9 |
| Av Sale Value Heifers | $1,075.07 | $977.91 | $1,246.78 | $1,314.40 | $1,277 | $1,245.70 | $1,007.82 |
| Av Sale Value Steers | $1,177.92 | $1,040.78 | $1,342.50 | $1,451.45 | $1,394.40 | $1,279.78 | $1,057.90 |
| T.G.F.P. Per Total S.U. | $84.95 | $83.01 | $93.36 | $103.35 | $121.67 | $106.23 | $98.20 |
| T.G.F.P. Per Effective Ha | $398.24 | $416.23 | $367.09 | $476.59 | $543.69 | $462.67 | $438.44 |
| C.F.W.E. as a % of T.G.F.P. | 57 | 65 | 65 | 56 | 56 | 59 | 70 |
| Interest & Rent as a % of T.G.F.P. | 16 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 14 |
| C.F.W.E. per S.U. | $48.59 | $58.92 | $62 | $58.15 | $68.07 | $62.66 | $67.09 |
| C.F.W.E. per Effective Ha | $220.96 | $254.38 | $233.73 | $266.15 | $304.07 | $285.99 | $296.39 |
| Operating Surplus per S.U. | $36.41 | $33.62 | $31.55 | $45.20 | $53.60 | $43.57 | $31.11 |
| Operating Surplus per Ha | $177.28 | $161.84 | $133.27 | $210.44 | $239.62 | $176.67 | $142.05 |
| Return on Capital (%) | 8.8 | 7.1 | 5.3 | 7.2 | 7.1 | 6.7 | 3.3 |
| Total Debt Term & Current | $820,103 | $701,734 | $657,097 | $662,751 | $736,740 | $663,414 | $1,010,633 |
Top three average results
| Metric | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Est Effective Farm Area (Ha) | 917 | 757.7 | 788 | 954 | 773.3 |
| Farm Stock Units at Start of Year | 4,606 | 4,150 | 4,788 | 4,711 | 4,206 |
| Net Farm Profit | $107,719 | $169,763 | $235,549 | $160,586 | $112,975 |
| Lambing % (Ewes) | 123.7 | 123.3 | 127.7 | 125.9 | 125.8 |
| Av Sale Value Lambs | $76.67 | $85.33 | $108 | $102.67 | $86 |
| Calving % (Cows) | 87.0 | 80.0 | 87.0 | 82.0 | 81.9 |
| Av Sale Value Heifers | $1,071.67 | $1,456.33 | $1,345.33 | $1,416 | $875 |
| Av Sale Value Steers | $1,372.33 | $1,462.67 | $1,371 | $1,374.33 | $592.33 |
| T.G.F.P. Per Total S.U. | $91 | $93.05 | $124.55 | $95.78 | $88.86 |
| T.G.F.P. Per Effective Ha | $499.33 | $540.56 | $797.94 | $495.75 | $438.44 |
| C.F.W.E. as a % of T.G.F.P. | 50.0 | 37.2 | 46.9 | 41.2 | 44.9 |
| Interest & Rent as a % of T.G.F.P. | 21.0 | 16.0 | 9.6 | 20.4 | 19.3 |
| C.F.W.E. per S.U. | $45.33 | $34.80 | $60.16 | $39.10 | $40.26 |
| C.F.W.E. per Effective Ha | $249.33 | $204.29 | $388.30 | $205.42 | $223.11 |
| Operating Surplus per S.U. | $46.33 | $60.08 | $64.39 | $56.68 | $48.60 |
| Operating Surplus per Ha | $249.67 | $336.26 | $409.64 | $290.34 | $267.33 |
| Return on Capital (%) | 7.3 | 12.1 | 4.5 | 10.8 | 9.0 |
| Total Debt Term & Current | $438,166 | $311,648 | $433,866 | $552,047 | $698,788 |
Dairy Factory Supply
All properties factory supply.
Net farm profit: group average vs top three
Operating surplus per hectare: group average vs top three
Total debt: group average vs top three
Group average results
| Metric | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Number Cows Milked | 737 | 676 | 793 | 892 | 753 | 859 | 860 |
| Effective Milking Area (Ha) | 216 | 194 | 224 | 249 | 215 | 230 | 238 |
| Net Farm Profit | ($100,242) | ($621,475) | $93,364 | $338,662 | $175,166 | $560,053 | $731,398 |
| Av Sale Value per Kg Milksolids | $5.41 | $3.64 | $5.51 | $6.34 | $6.36 | $7.12 | $7.21 |
| Milksolids per Cow Milked (Kg) | 439.3 | 482.3 | 465.1 | 469.3 | 473.8 | 481.6 | 489.3 |
| Milksolids per Ha of Milking Area (Kg) | 1,598.7 | 1,632.2 | 1,585.3 | 1,674.4 | 1,656.4 | 1,704.2 | 1,637.9 |
| Gross Income per Milking Area | $8,688.20 | $5,910.43 | $8,747.75 | $10,586.45 | $10,676.96 | $12,190.70 | $11,707.14 |
| T.G.F.P. per Effective Farming Ha | $5,831.18 | $4,935.38 | $6,894.13 | $8,123.85 | $8,519.81 | $9,570.72 | $10,143.73 |
| C.F.W.E. as a % of T.G.F.P. | 72 | 96 | 64 | 60 | 65 | 61 | 58 |
| Interest & Rent as a % of T.G.F.P. | 25 | 28 | 23 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 15 |
| C.F.W.E. per Kg Milksolids | $4.38 | $4.03 | $3.85 | $4.20 | $4.49 | $4.66 | $4.35 |
| Supplementary Feed per Kg Milksolids | $0.89 | $0.88 | $0.69 | $0.79 | $0.87 | $0.90 | $0.91 |
| Interest & Rent per Kg Milksolids | $1.44 | $1.55 | $1.42 | $1.45 | $1.43 | $1.38 | $1.19 |
| Operating Surplus per Kg Milksolids | $1.66 | $0.26 | $2.19 | $2.84 | $2.40 | $3.10 | $3.19 |
| Operating Surplus per Effective Ha | $1,633.35 | $255.91 | $2,516.63 | $3,236.88 | $2,848.29 | $3,931.86 | $4,606.81 |
| Irrigation Expenses per Irrigated Ha | — | — | $329.39 | $473.92 | $590.70 | $689.02 | $651.84 |
| Fertiliser Expenses per Effective Ha | — | — | $475.23 | $520.77 | $558.52 | $545.15 | $504.03 |
| Total Debt Term & Current | $6,956,077 | $7,164,806 | $9,004,939 | $10,655,003 | $7,865,566 | $9,142,788 | $9,041,605 |
| Debt per Kg Milksolids | $20.94 | $20.86 | $23.13 | $25.70 | $19.68 | $20.71 | $19.79 |
Top three average results
| Metric | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Number Cows Milked | 1,035 | 872 | 1,199 | 1,035 | 1,013 |
| Effective Milking Area (Ha) | 280 | 228 | 324 | 285 | 281 |
| Net Farm Profit | $316,070 | $373,746 | $201,093 | $818,193 | $1,111,369 |
| Av Sale Value per Kg Milksolids | $5.49 | $6.23 | $6.37 | $7.17 | $7.31 |
| Milksolids per Cow Milked (Kg) | 467.0 | 497.0 | 468.3 | 486.8 | 475.6 |
| Milksolids per Ha of Milking Area (Kg) | 1,746.0 | 1,897.4 | 1,767.0 | 1,797.8 | 1,695.0 |
| Gross Income per Milking Area | $9,574.33 | $11,791.76 | $11,263.13 | $12,881.72 | $12,325.85 |
| T.G.F.P. per Effective Farming Ha | $6,955.33 | $8,550.32 | $9,354.69 | $9,913.01 | $12,185.38 |
| C.F.W.E. as a % of T.G.F.P. | 57 | 59 | 64 | 57 | 52 |
| Interest & Rent as a % of T.G.F.P. | 22 | 19 | 21 | 15 | 14 |
| C.F.W.E. per Kg Milksolids | $3.39 | $4.16 | $4.35 | $4.43 | $4.17 |
| Supplementary Feed per Kg Milksolids | $0.67 | $0.98 | $0.87 | $0.93 | $0.94 |
| Interest & Rent per Kg Milksolids | $1.35 | $1.38 | $1.48 | $1.25 | $1.11 |
| Operating Surplus per Kg Milksolids | $2.57 | $2.87 | $2.45 | $3.39 | $3.83 |
| Operating Surplus per Effective Ha | $2,989.67 | $3,509.91 | $3,302.13 | $4,248.68 | $5,730.08 |
| Irrigation Expenses per Irrigated Ha | $206.30 | $586.09 | $515.53 | $677.36 | $576.56 |
| Fertiliser Expenses per Effective Ha | $495.09 | $607.31 | $639.85 | $541.55 | $493.22 |
| Total Debt Term & Current | $11,332,088 | $10,986,770 | $13,602,146 | $10,882,681 | $10,861,918 |
| Debt per Kg Milksolids | $24 | $25.14 | $23.78 | $25.12 | $22.05 |
Glossary
- T.G.F.P.
- Total Gross Farm Profit
- C.F.W.E.
- Cash Farm Working Expenses
- F.S.V.
- Fair Sale Value
- T.F.C.
- Total Farm Capital
- S.U.
- Stock Unit
Download survey PDFs (archive)
Farm Statistical Survey 30 June 2021
Farm Statistical Survey 30 June 2020
Farm Statistical Survey 30 June 2019
Farm Statistical Survey 30 June 2018
Farm Statistical Survey 30 June 2017
Documents
Client documents
- Terms of Engagement Our standard terms for accounting and advisory services. PDF · 140 KB
- Anti-Money Laundering Identification and verification information we need from all clients. PDF · 123 KB
Newsletters
Quarterly newsletters
- Newsletter, September 2026 1 Sep 2026 · Read online
- Newsletter, September 2023 1 Sep 2023 · PDF · 487 KB
- Newsletter, May 2023 1 May 2023 · PDF · 214 KB
- Newsletter, August 2022 1 Aug 2022 · PDF · 128 KB
- Newsletter, September 2021 1 Sep 2021 · PDF · 419 KB
- Newsletter, June 2021 1 Jun 2021 · PDF · 157 KB
- Newsletter, March 2021 1 Mar 2021 · PDF · 1.5 MB
- Newsletter, November 2020 1 Nov 2020 · PDF · 707 KB
- Newsletter, July 2020 1 Jul 2020 · PDF · 1.2 MB
The 2021 year again saw the Dairy sector with the highest Net Profits. This result has been the same for four of the past five years.
Net profits increased in only two farm types in 2021, Dairy and Intensive Crop. The increases were driven by the increased payout along with lower debt servicing costs (Dairy) and better margins on winter lambs (Intensive Crop).
The decline in income for the livestock-based sectors was due to the very dry summer which influenced the finishing ability for livestock, with many stock sold at discounted prices.