Strengthening the farm business for the future

The Beers' enterprise, located near Deniliquin, produces rice, canola, wheat and barley, alongside a Merino sheep operation. Responsibilities are shared between generations - his parents leading the sheep side of the business while Anthony leads the cropping program.

This split in focus allows each side of the business to keep pace with research and innovation in their respective areas - whether that’s genetics in sheep or advances in crop management. Anthony credits his exposure to new ideas to connections with local advisors, farming systems groups, and Southern NSW Innovation Hub and its partners.

While some projects came to his attention directly, others were through family - his sister, for example, worked on a legume rotation project with Local Land Services.

Anthony said, “I enjoy watching things grow - not just the crops, but the farm as a whole. It’s rewarding to see it develop over the years.”

Improvements Anthony’s business has made in recent years include reconfigured stock water points, irrigation layout upgrades, and the construction of a confinement feeding area for the sheep – a feedlot set up. Anthony links many of these changes to knowledge gained at industry events and through Hub-connected projects.

The stock confinement area, in particular, has become a year-round asset.

“We didn’t have a feedlot during the 2018–19 drought  - we were feeding in paddocks, and it just wasn’t efficient,” he recalled.

“Now with the feedlot as an integral part of our farming system we’re able to finish the stock more effectively before sale. It’s been especially productive for the tail-enders – the sheep that might not have reached optimum weight yet – but after spending time in the feedlot, they often end up selling for us much as our best animals.”

"It's definitely improved our preparedness for dry seasons as well," Anthony said.

Professional development has also played a role in shaping Anthony’s approach. He cites a Young Farmer Business Program that he was part of, delivered by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, as particularly valuable. “It changed a lot of our mindset and perspective,” he says.

Anthony’s story reflects the value of long-term engagement between farmers, industry partners and research initiatives - translating ideas from workshops and projects into practical, on-farm improvements that strengthen both business resilience and legacy for the next generation.