Matt is a fifth-generation farmer in central NSW, who began working with RCS in a part time role in 2007. At University he studied accounting and finance, completing his Bachelor of Financial Administration in 1987. He worked in the financial markets in Sydney and held the role of Corporate Treasurer for a mid-level miner before returning to agriculture in the mid 1990’s. While in Sydney he completed a post-graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment and his professional accounting qualifications.
On returning to agriculture one of Matt’s first endeavours was to re-educate himself on industry best practice and there his partnership with RCS began. After completing GrazingforProfit® in 1996 and as part of ExecutiveLink®, Matt implemented strategic changes to his business and became involved in the early adoption of pasture cropping. He used pasture cropping for both cash cropping and ecological regeneration, incorporating sheep and cattle in the off season. In conjunction with RCS, Matt developed Farming & GrazingforProfit in 2007.
Matt is part of the RCS team as a teacher, advisor and facilitator. He brings a number of attributes to the RCS team, from experience in the corporate and investment sectors of our economy through to sheep, cattle, farming and pasture cropping operations. As an advisor, Matt is able to engage and advise at the operational level and investor/corporate level. Matt’s time in agriculture and RCS involvement has added cropping into the RCS framework. His on-ground understanding of the economic and ecological pressures facing cropping and mixed farming add an important dimension to the RCS team.
Matt’s specialties include:
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Old friends, deep talks. That's what happened on the Warble podcast with Gina and Tony "Chongy" Howard. Our shared history, especially teaching at an Indigenous Grazing for Profit® School in Kunanara, 2024, made for an incredible conversation. Watching Gina and Tony connect with the students was truly inspiring. RCS' Nic Kentish was just happy to witness their magic.
David McLean and Matt Barton from RCS discuss the importance of financial literacy for agribusinesses, particularly in managing market variability. They emphasise the need to differentiate between gross margins and profitability, focusing on analysing overheads and enterprise comparisons. They highlight the value of regular management accounting and the control it provides, advocating for their Business Fundamentals workshops, available both online and in-person, to help business owners gain financial control and make informed decisions, ultimately reducing stress and improving profitability.
Join David McLean and Matt Barton from RCS as they discuss the critical link between grass management and profitability for graziers. Straight from Matt's "territory" in Dubbo, they share insights from the recent Executive Link meeting, where feed inventory was a hot topic!
We've all been there: waiting for the next rain, hoping for a market upturn. But successful farming isn't about waiting; it's about acting. It's about taking control of the variables you can manage—your grass, your finances, and your livestock—and positioning your business for resilience, regardless of what the season throws your way.
What if the key to regenerative agriculture isn't about cutting out inputs, but about boosting profits? Turns out, that's exactly what many successful farmers are discovering. Learn how a focus on the bottom line can lead to unexpected ecological benefits, and why the term "regenerative" needs a fresh perspective...
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