“It’s not just about having someone who can drive a tractor. It’s about having someone who understands how that system integrates with software, diagnostics and data. When that skillset isn’t available, that can create additional operational exposure.” In larger or aggregated enterprises, these considerations can become amplified. For brokers, understanding workforce structure can provide valuable context when assessing liability exposure, machinery risk, and overall continuity planning, as it can have a direct impact on claims. “It’s not just about having someone who can drive a tractor. It’s about having someone who understands how that system integrates with software, diagnostics and data. When that skillset isn’t available, that can create additional operational exposure.” Gilmore adds, “From a claims perspective, where there’s strong training discipline and structured maintenance processes, we tend to see better outcomes. “Conversely, where there’re capability gaps, the frequency or severity of incidents can increase.” Growing enterprises, growing risks
are buying neighbouring properties, and that changes the exposure profile significantly.”
“When you aggregate farms, you’re not just increasing land size; you’re increasing capital intensity, machinery concentration, workforce complexity and governance requirements. The exposure becomes more complex because you’ve got more moving parts and often more stakeholders involved.
“That means the way we think about risk has to evolve alongside the way farms are evolving.”
Larger operations may benefit from economies of scale, but they also introduce increased concentration of assets and potentially more complex governance arrangements. This structural shift alters the lens through which exposure should be viewed. Gilmore says, “When operations grow, it’s not simply a case of adding more of the same risk. Asset concentration increases, machinery values increase, and interdependency between properties can increase. That requires a more holistic view of the enterprise rather than a line-by-line review.” The succession plan – what happens next? For many, farming has traditionally been a family business, but with larger organisations buying smaller farming businesses, that’s not always the case today.
Another evolving change that it’s important to be across is the structure of the farming sector itself.
However, an important conversation to have with farming clients is ‘what happens next?’
“The farm aggregation dynamic is changing,” Richards says. “Farms are getting larger. Corporate organisations
Ownership transition remains one of the most significant
11 A NIBA Brokers’ Guide: to farming the future
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