Data driving decisions on the Clark family farm

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LITTLE is left to chance on Scott and Luke Clark’s Jamestown farm, where data and clear business roles are shaping on-farm decisions.

Together with their spouses and business partners, Jaimie and Bernadette, the Clarks have adopted a deliberate shift in mindset — treating the operation as a business first.

Scott will share their approach as keynote farmer speaker at the Hart Field-Site Group Getting The Crop In seminar in Clare on Wednesday, March 11.

“We really asked ourselves is this a family farm, or a family business?” Scott said.

With parents Denis and Mary retired into Jamestown, Scott and Luke formalised roles within the 2500-hectare enterprise, drawing on their backgrounds in finance and agronomy before returning to the farm.

“There’s an old saying that ‘if you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got’, but we really wanted to optimise our business and look at ways we could achieve that,” Scott said.

That shift has seen variable rate mapping introduced across their Bundaleer, Belalie East, Spalding and Hallett blocks, along with controlled traffic, disc seeding and targeted livestock management. 

Sheep now run only on non-arable country.

Technology plays a central role, including moisture probes, weather stations, PCT soil sampling and the Agworld farm management system.

“It means we know exactly where the season is tracking,” Scott said.

“There’s not a lot of guesswork anymore.”

Last season, moisture data showed stronger potential at Hallett than Spalding, guiding investment decisions and delivering higher yields.

The Clarks operate a legume, canola and wheat rotation. 

Scott said canola had been their most profitable crop for seven or eight years.

“It’s expensive to sow, but it stacks up gross margin wise,” he said.

Financial clarity has been one of the biggest gains.

“I can go to our bank manager and be able to tell them exactly what our crop is going to cost,” Scott said.

“I already know what my overdraft peak is going to be at the end of October and it means we can meet with the bank, have it all ticked off.”

Scott will also discuss variable rate lime applications to address soil pH, improvements in water use efficiency, early experiences with a centre pivot irrigation trial at Hallett, and variety selection to manage frost risk.

“Frost even more so than rainfall is our biggest downfall,” he said.

The free Getting The Crop In event runs from 8am to 12.30pm at Futures Church, Clare, with breakfast and morning tea provided.

A SA Drought Hub crop establishment forum will follow. 

Registrations are via Eventbrite or www.hartfieldsite.org.au.