6 things on the minds of Australian farmers at Farmfest 2026

The DP Wealth Advisory team attended Elders Farmfest 2026, held 2–4 June in Toowoomba, Queensland. It was a few well-spent days on the ground. We reconnected with rural clients, met new faces and listened carefully to what producers are dealing with right now. The conversations were honest, wide-ranging and energising.

Six themes came through clearly. Here is what we heard, and why each one matters.

1. The long-term outlook is positive, but thinking is sharper

Most producers we spoke with carry genuine optimism about the direction of Australian agriculture. Demand fundamentals are solid, and the long-term story remains compelling. What has shifted is the thinking that sits alongside that confidence.

Input costs across fuel, fertiliser, and machinery are putting real pressure on margins. Interest rates remain a factor for businesses carrying debt. And seasonal variability adds another layer of complexity to forward planning. Rather than simply reacting to conditions, we are seeing more producers move toward deliberate, strategic thinking. That is a healthy shift, and one we are glad to support.

2. Technology investment is picking up pace

Precision agriculture, automation, and data-driven tools came up consistently across our conversations. The motivation behind these investments has evolved. Growth ambitions still play a role, but necessity is increasingly driving adoption too. Labour shortages, rising operating costs and the need to protect margins are pushing many producers toward technology they may have put off a few years ago.

As that adoption accelerates, the financial and tax implications deserve just as much attention as the tools themselves. How a purchase is structured, timed and accounted for can meaningfully shift a business’s bottom line. The appetite for proactive guidance in this space was clear throughout the event.

3. Cash flow is where the real complexity lives

Agricultural income does not arrive in neat, predictable instalments, and managing that unevenness is one of the most persistent challenges in farming. We heard a great deal about the difficulty of timing large capital purchases, servicing debt during lean periods, and spreading income effectively across different structures.

Producers want better cash flow visibility and more deliberate budgeting. They also want clear guidance on how to use trusts, companies and superannuation to their advantage. For many farming businesses, getting this right is about more than efficiency. It is about building the resilience to absorb shocks and keep moving forward across seasons and cycles.

4. Tax planning has moved to the front of mind

The recent Federal Budget sparked plenty of discussion at Farmfest. Capital gains tax, negative gearing and proposed changes to trust taxation were all on people’s minds and for good reason. For farming businesses, these are not abstract policy debates. They carry real implications for how profits flow, how assets change hands, and what tax obligations look like at year’s end.

Many producers are now seeking advice well ahead of year-end rather than scrambling under time pressure. The appetite for proactive tax planning was one of the strongest themes we observed, and one of the most encouraging.

5. Succession planning keeps getting deferred

Succession planning came up more than almost any other topic. It is easy to understand why. Many farming families have spent decades building significant wealth in land, machinery, and other assets, yet when it comes to what happens next, the plan is often incomplete or not yet in place.

Who takes over the business? On what terms? How do you treat family members fairly without destabilising what has been built?

These are difficult questions, and they rarely have simple answers. Add in the tax implications of transferring assets between generations, and it is easy to see why so many families keep putting off the conversation. The longer succession planning waits, the more complicated it tends to become. Early, structured advice can make a real difference to the outcome on both the financial and family side of that transition.

6. Trust in advisers who understand rural life

One message came through more consistently than any other. Producers want to work with advisers who genuinely understand rural businesses, family dynamics, and local conditions. Generic financial advice does not meet the needs of this sector. Context matters enormously, and so does the relationship behind the advice.

That kind of trust takes time to build. It develops through consistent engagement, genuine curiosity and a real understanding of what farming life involves. Events like Farmfest are a meaningful part of how those connections are established and maintained, which is why we make sure to participate each year.

What else did we take away from the event?

Beyond the themes above, Farmfest gave us something harder to quantify. We met like-minded professionals with complementary expertise and had conversations that opened up real potential for collaboration. The level of interest in what we do was encouraging, and the warmth of those conversations was a genuine highlight.

There is a lot to be learned simply by showing up, asking good questions, and listening carefully.

Have a question of your own?

Whether you are thinking about your tax structure, working through a succession plan, or looking to get better control of your cash flow, the right answer depends on your specific situation.

Call our Toowoomba office on 07 4690 2588 or get started with our advisory team today. Let’s build a strategy that works for you.