A new online personal finance tool has been launched to assist primary producers and students interested in a career in agriculture.
The tool has been developed by AgCard – a centralised online farm safety induction platform – with the support of Rabobank's Southern Victoria and Tasmania Rabo Client Council.
The personal finance tool will be the sixth unit to be housed on the free, simple-to-use, AgCard platform.
An initiative of Primary Employers Tasmania, AgCard was founded in 2020 as a preparatory farm employment resource designed to assist farm employers and employees with the basic knowledge to ensure they create healthier and safer workplaces. The other five units provided on the platform are safe farming, human resources, wool harvesting, managing livestock for red meat production and biosecurity.
AgCard project officer Clare Peltzer said more than 3,600 people have enrolled to access the platform since it was launched, sharing positive feedback about the benefits of the online portal.
"Almost 50 per cent of users are students," Ms Peltzer said, "many of whom aspire to work in agricultural careers. Farmers, teachers and industry representatives believe AgCard will be instrumental in reducing the number of injuries and fatalities in the rural sector, as AgCard-certified employees identify, call out and manage potential risks".
Ms Peltzer said with support from Rabobank, the new personal finances tool in the "AgCard toolbox" covers wages, benefits and entitlements, starting a new job, personal taxes, superannuation, managing debt, insurance and protecting yourself against scams.
Rabo Client Council manager, Yvette Loyson said the bank was pleased to be able to back an initiative that supports people – particularly younger people and students – prepare for a career working in agriculture.
"The Rabo Client Council – a group of the bank's farming clients who volunteer their time implementing programs that contribute to the sustainability of rural and regional communities – were keen to support such a successful and practical resource," she said.
Ms Loyson said Rabobank recognised the important work AgCard, Primary Employers Tasmania and Farmsafe Australia teams are undertaking in the agriculture sector.
The AgCard program has recently become part of the national induction resources of Farmsafe Australia, the national industry entity that promotes and supports activities relating to on-farm safety to ultimately reduce on-farm fatalities and injuries.
Farmsafe Australia chair and Tasmanian beef producer, Felicity Richards said AgCard is a wonderful example of industry collaboration and the agricultural sector recognising the need to merge the development of online tools targeting people entering the sector, ensuring that young farm workers are able to easily find trustworthy, potentially life-saving information.
