Farm Business Management Enquire Now The range in financial performance between farm businesses has never been greater. In today’s challenging and fast-evolving agricultural landscape, having a firm grasp of your farm’s finances is essential to controlling costs and maximising profitability. Our experienced consultants understand the pressures facing farm businesses. We provide practical, informed support to help you assess your current position, identify opportunities for improvement, and make confident decisions for the future. Whether you’re looking to reduce costs, invest wisely, or plan for succession, we can work with you to achieve your business and personal goals. The full range of our Farm Business Management Services are listed within this section. We offer a free initial consultation for new clients. This is an opportunity to talk through your plans and get clear, practical advice from the outset. Budgeting & Cash Flow Management A budget and cash flow forecast is a powerful tool for managing a farm business. Just by producing a budget it makes you think about the future direction of your business and what your targets should be. Then, by periodically monitoring against budget, you know whether the business is on track. Lenders are also reassured where budgets are in place. The Andersons Centre’s consultancy team is highly skilled in producing budgets and cash flow forecasts together with the client which are accurate and practically sound. Our services include: Gross Margin and Overhead Analyses Profit Forecasts Balance Sheet Analyses Cash Flow Budgets and Monitoring Enterprise Sensitivity Analyses Partial Budgets Performance Analysis In conjunction with planning for the future, it is important to examine the historical performance of your business. This enables us to really understand you and your business aims so that we can help you to achieve your targets. It will identify areas for improvement, the changes that may be required and the benefits that will result. This includes explaining how output and cost structures will change as a result of practical changes on-farm. This ensures plans are realistic and credible. Business and Enterprise Planning In the short-term this may vary from resolving periods of immediate cash flow difficulties to preparing business plans to support new long-term loan applications. Longer-term, it might be dealing with succession and generational change, setting a plan for business growth, or a strategic review of the farming business. Our consultants can work with you to present a business plan which is financially and practically sound, whilst clearly presented and achievable. We also have the unique advantage of drawing upon the expertise of our business research team to provide up-to-date insights on market and policy developments which gives a much clearer context and direction to long-term business planning. In addition to general business planning, we also have specialist consultants for your farm enterprise, whether it be arable or livestock farming. For businesses expanding, changing or investing heavily, ensuring that the system is the right one for the farm, and then is run effectively is the key to profitability. Pasture Coaching Read More GROW MORE, GRAZE MORE, EARN MORE Increasing yield from forage from 2,500 litres/cow (UK herd average) to 3,500 litres/cow could save approximately £104/cow/year on feed costs, saving approximately £20,800/herd annually (200 cow herd)*. The cost of grazed grass is your cheapest feed at £59/t dry matter, as opposed to silage and concentrate at £96/t and £182/t dry matter respectively. *Our aim is to increase forage utilisation/hectare and consequently profit/ha which we would benchmark on a litres from forage/ha basis. Andersons Pasture Coaching assists livestock farmers in PLANNING, COACHING and REVIEWING grazing strategies in order to maximise grazed grass growth, utilisation and therefore profitability. Our goal is to coach the skills into you so you can improve the profitability of your business. Planning Grazing infrastructure Dry matter feed budgets (grass, wintering and supplementation budgets) Yield from forage targets Spring/autumn rotation planning (turnout and housing plans) Coaching Understanding the benefits of pasture management Online grass management software training Interactive farm walks Weekly phone calls to aid decision making Wet weather/drought strategies Reviewing Dairy costing (with full yield from forage calculations) Paddock dry matter production (reseeding/soil health reviews) Actuals Vs. Targets Discussion Groups As well as providing advice on a one-to-one basis we work with groups of farmers through the facilitation of discussion groups in the following areas: Beef and sheep production Crop production management Milk and feed predictions Grassland management Livestock nutrition and health advice Machinery and labour profiling This is a route for cost-effective consultancy and, working through a group, the members are able to offer encouragement and spur each other on to make improvements. Key Contacts Joe Scarratt Partner & Head of Farm Business Consultancy Farm Business Management Partner & Head of Farm Business Consultancy Joe Scarratt is a Partner and Farm Business Consultant at The Andersons Centre. He specialises in assisting arable and mixed businesses, as well as some estates, with long term strategic business planning. Joe undertakes one-off business reviews as well as ongoing consultancy support to long term clients, focused on maximising profitability. He spends a considerable proportion of his time establishing and managing joint ventures and contract farming agreements. Qualifications & Experience 2018 to date - Head of Farm Consultancy at The Andersons Centre 2018 to date - Partner of The Andersons Centre 2009 - 2018 – Business Consultant at The Andersons Centre Delivers business advice to a wide range of farming businesses, focusing on the arable and dairy sectors Oversees the operation of a number of Contract Farming Agreements across all sectors Approved deliverer under DEFRA’s Farming Advice Service delivering group advice to farmers and agricultural professionals Approved deliverer under the Welsh Assembly’s Farming Connect Scheme, delivering advice to farmers across Wales Undertakes commissioned research projects 2005 - 2009 – Harper Adams University College. First Class BSc Hons Business Management with Marketing. The course focused upon the agri-food industry 2000 to Present – Working in and developing the family farming business. The farm is predominantly arable with a small beef enterprise Areas of Expertise Farming Joint Ventures and Contract Farming Farm Business Management Technical Farm Business Advice Farm Strategy and Succession Planning Farm Investment Appraisals and Loan Applications Farm and Rural Grant Applications Farm Business Tenancies Farm Business Administration Farming Connect (FC) accredited Oliver Hall Partner & Senior Farm Business Consultant Farm Business Management Partner & Senior Farm Business Consultant Oliver is a Partner and Senior Farm Business Consultant within the Andersons Consultancy Team. He plays an active role in his own family livestock enterprise and also invests in several dairy businesses across the UK, giving him first-hand insight into the commercial realities faced by farmers. Oliver’s specialist skills include developing farming joint ventures such as contract and share-farming arrangements, as well as providing farm business management advice, budgeting support, and long-term strategic and succession planning. He undertakes detailed investment appraisals and loan applications, alongside coaching businesses in high-utilisation grassland systems. His dairy expertise covers infrastructure design, technical KPI development, and quantifying the financial benefits of performance improvements, as well as overseeing transitional and turnaround management. He also facilitates farmer-led dairy discussion groups. Outside of work, Oliver enjoys weekend farming. He also values time with his family and takes every opportunity to play sport and keep active. Qualifications & Experience 2021 - Partner, The Andersons Centre 2017- Senior Farm business consultant, The Andersons Centre 2014 –ILM- Lean Management In Dairy Farming 2010 - Co founder of Evolution Farming – Multi Site Pasture based dairy business 2009-2010 – Farm business consultant, The Andersons Centre 2008- Family farming partnership, West Yorkshire 2005-2008 – The Royal Agricultural College – Bsc (Hons) Agriculture Areas of Expertise Farming Joint Ventures, Contract Farming and Share Farming Farm Business Management and budgeting Farm Strategy and Succession Planning Farm Investment Appraisals and Loan Applications Grassland management Practical knowledge of farm management George Cook Senior Farm Business Consultant Farm Business Management Senior Farm Business Consultant George is a Senior farm and rural business consultant with the Andersons Centre team. He has over 35 years’ experience working with a wide range of businesses across all sectors. His approach is to bring practical reality to sometimes difficult financial and family challenges. On the more practical front he has an ongoing interest on the soil and land management topics of the businesses he deals with. Prior to joining the team, he had the benefit of 15 years of practical farming and formal training. This included manging a large estate farm in Suffolk and taking his father out of farming on the family rented farm. He is formally qualified with and HND (Ag Sc) Diploma in farm business management. He also has BASIS Facts and L6 quality of soils qualifications. He is a keen and competitive sportsman and has a team of working gundogs. Qualifications & Experience FBIAC and PIAgM BASIS L6 Quality of Soils BASIS FACTS Qualified 2015 Soil Health & Management Masters Module 2012 BASIS Certificate in Conservation Management - June 2007 BASIS qualified Soil and Water Management December 2011 1978 - present DEFRA Cereal Seed Inspector 1971 - 1975 Royl Agricultural College, Cirencester HND in Agricultural Science Diploma in Farm Management 2000 to Present - Senior Consultant in The Andersons Centre team 1993 to 2000 - Senior Consultant in Andersons’ Special Services Team 1987 - Joined Andersons’ Melton Mowbray office as a Farm Business Consultant 1975-1987 - Managing Partner 320 acre rented family farm, Surrey Assistant Farms Manager on a 2,500 acre beef and arable farm in Suffolk Farmers assistant 550 cow dairy unit, Dorset Areas of Expertise Whole Business Strategic & Detail Planning; a Practical Approach Problem Solving & Dispute Resolution Soil Health, Management, Cropping and Cultivation Strategies Investment Appraisal Practical approach to CSS and SFI Schemes Rural Plaaning Appraisals Joint Ventures and Business Tenances Anna Bowen Farm Business Consultant Farm Business Management Farm Business Consultant Anna is a Senior Farm Business Consultant at The Andersons Centre, specialising in dairy consultancy and nutrient management planning. Her work encompasses financial, strategic, and technical advice for dairy farmers; succession planning and people management, benchmarking; facilitating a number of dairy discussion groups across England and Wales, and working alongside the research team on dairy projects. Anna is FACTS qualified. Prior to Andersons Anna spent ten years working for a dairy consultancy in West Wales and read BSc (Hons) International Equine and Agricultural Management and MSc Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security at the Royal Agricultural College. Anna manages a spring block calving dairy farm through a contract farming agreement and grew up on a dairy farm in West Wales. She sits on the AHDB Dairy Sector Council as a farmer representative and from 2023 to 2025 was a Trustee of the Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust. Qualifications & Experience February 2022 to Present Day – Farm Business Consultant at The Andersons Centre Previously worked as a farm business consultant in West Wales Contract farms a 300- cow spring block calving herd in Ceredigion FACTS qualified RoMS accredited mobility scorer Approved Mastitis Control Plan and QuarterPro deliverer 2021 Nuffield Scholar- “Can the UK improve the ethics of its dairy calf management whilst retaining profitability?” 2019 Entrepreneurs in Dairying course 2017 Richard John Memorial Trust Scholarship, studied the sustainability of the Australian dairy industry 2016 MSc Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security (Royal Agricultural College) 2014 BSc (Hons) International Equine and Agricultural Management (Royal Agricultural College) Fluent Welsh speaker Areas of Expertise Farm business consultancy and budgeting Business reviews and strategic planning Practical experience of farm management Dairy farming, particularly spring block calving Nutrient management planning (Farming Connect approved) Herd health Publications Bowen A. (2023) Cow Calf Contact: Dairy’s Ethical Future Interim Nuffield report investigating the prevalence of calf euthanasia on UK dairy farms Edward Calcott Farm Business Consultant Farm Business Management Farm Business Consultant Edward is a Farm Business Consultant at The Andersons Centre. He works with most farm sectors, specialising in poultry, mixed farming, and on-farm diversifications. He works with numerous clients across England Wales, under Farming Connect. He provides services such as budgeting & cashflow monitoring; borrowing proposals for new investments or debt restructuring; supporting agricultural reports for planning applications; investment appraisals; the setting up and management of contract farming agreements; grant applications; and business reviews. Edward comes from a mixed family farming business in Staffordshire which incorporates poultry, grazing livestock, arable and diversifications. He holds a BSc degree in Agriculture with Farm Business Management from Harper Adams University. Qualifications & Experience Joined The Andersons Centre in January 2019 BSc (Hons) Agriculture with Farm Business Management (2:1) Harper Adams University (2016 Graduate) Part of the winning team for the Institute of Agricultural Management Farm Planner competition whilst at Harper Adams. Placement year was spent with a large UK integrated poultry company. Time was spent on various breeder farms; the hatchery; and commercial farms for broiler chickens and turkeys. Part of the 2017-18 NFU Poultry Industry Program (PIP). A continued involvement with the mixed farming family business in Staffordshire. The farm enterprises include combinable crops, sucker cows, sheep and some agricultural contracting. Areas of Expertise Experience in most aspects of lowland agriculture including arable, beef, sheep, dairy and potatoes. On-farm diversifications including direct sales; marketing and holiday lets. Practical experience within the UK poultry sector, including layers, broilers, turkeys. Business consultancy advice, budgeting and financial planning for agricultural, food and rural businesses. Accounts analysis; investment appraisals; business reviews; strategic planning and enterprise costings. Contract farming and joint ventures. Practical knowledge of farm management. BPS, grant applications and farm assurance. Farming Connect (FC) accredited. Kerry Jerman Farm Business Consultant Farm Business Management Farm Business Consultant Kerry has over 13 years of experience as a Farm Business Consultant for The Andersons Centre, with particular expertise in the beef and sheep sector, and Welsh Farming Policy. She specialises in strategic, financial and technical advice within her consultancy work with a wide variation of clients including small family farms as well as livestock enterprises on larger estates. This work is a mix of one-off jobs aswell as ongoing management work. She facilitates a number of Farming Connect funded discussion groups and has also done a wide range of work with benchmarking, particularly within the Welsh Beef and Sheep Industry. Outside of farm consultancy, she runs a small upland flock of 200 ewes and is also heavily involved in her family farm, comprising of 1,300 breeding ewes and 70 suckler cows. Qualifications & Experience December 2014 – BIAC Rural and Agricultural Consultants Foundation Course August 2013 to Present Day – Farm Business Consultant at The Andersons Centre April 2013 – July 2013 - Lambing assistant and sheep worker for a local sheep and beef farmer July 2012 – April 2013 - Assistant Dairy Herdsman on 450 cow herd near Hamilton, New Zealand 2009 - 2012 – Aberystwyth University. 2:1 BSc Hons Agriculture with Business Studies. The course focused on the UK agricultural industry with business principles built in 2006 to Present– Working in the family farming business. The farm is predominantly sheep along with a small suckler herd which sells offspring as forward stores Areas of Expertise Farm Consultancy Farming Connect (FC) accredited Farm Consultancy Services Business Strategy & Performance Farm BusinessManagement Investment Appraisals & Finance Partnershipsand Enterprise Environmental & Sustainability Consultancy
