Growers and farmers around the world face many of the same challenges – a desire to produce high quality food but in an environment of uncertainty caused by fluctuating market conditions and variable growing conditions. PLANtation has been developed to help growers better manage their uncertainty and proactively realise opportunities to improve their businesses.

PLANtation consists of two unique and related products, Business Planner and Profit Planner. Both play a complimentary role as a result of some unique and flexible programming.

Profit Planner is a BLOCK and TECHNOLOGY assessment tool which enables growers to compare different options with plans being compared over a period of up to 20 years.

Examples include: assessment of new technologies such as new varieties, cropping systems, risk management tools such as irrigation, protective covering and netting etc. The program can also assess viability of current blocks and in some way predict their future profitability by automatically inflating cost.

Business Planner enables growers to assess the viability of different options at a BUSINESS or ENTERPRISE level. Business Planner combines blocks developed in Profit Planner to assess the overall viability of the introduction of new technologies and helps growers prioritise their introduction and financing requirements.

Support and resources: By using the PLANtation products you also have access to a range of resources. Licensed PLANtation advisers, who have regular contact with growers, will provide a range of support services to growers. This will include the use of templates which can used to more quickly assist you with gaininganswers tailored to the grower’s own business.

As the program is developed, the website will become a valuable tool for PLANtation users. 

Other examples of support will include: program and on-line videos, program help screens

Who can use the program: The PLANtation programs have been developed predominantly for use in cropping programs. Initial use has been by horticultural growers both in Australia and the United States. The program has been extensively trialled. Growers should be aware of their responsibility to understand how the program works and of ensuring the accuracy and limitations of use of their own data

Program availability: the home of PLANtation is in Australia using technology developed over a number of years at Oregon State University in the USA. The program will be made available through licensed partners in a number of different countries around the world (excluding the USA).

The cost: PLANtation Profit Planner and Business Planner will be provided on a low cost annual user fee basis. Cost will be dependent on the country and the mark-up of the various distributors and advisors. In Australia the recommended retail price will be $330+GST.

Who is PLANtation: PLANtation is the business trademark of PLANtation Planning Solutions™. It is a company registered in Victoria Australia. It is owned by Andrew Dick who has many years of experience of working with farmers and the industry at large both in Scotland and Australia. Andrew has worked in both the grain, livestock and in the last 17 years in the fruit industry.

Making contact: To find out more, firstly read the website and then if interested complete the contact report whether you are a prospective growers, representative of a group of growers (such as a Co-op or service provider) or a technical or business advisor with regular contact with a defined grower base.