Kim Bigg
Hi everyone and welcome to our next episode of Show Me The Perks. This is episode number 14 and I am your host Kim Big and today I’m joined by Michael Williams from Fat Farmers, an incredible grassroots movement dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of rural communities through physical activity. So, Michael has just returned from an epic 2000-kilometre journey across Air Peninsula and mid-north in a Perks branded ute, which is fantastic.
Michael has been connecting with farmers during what has been an especially tough drought season in South Australia. Today we’ll hear about the challenges and resilience he witnessed on the road and the vital role that Fat Farmers plays in rural wellbeing and some practical advice for farmers navigating tough times. Michael, it’s great to have you with us today. Let’s start with a bit about your background. Please provide a background on yourself in terms of your career and also how you came to be involved with fat farmers.
Michael Williams
Thanks, Kim. Good to be here. So, my background is way back when I was a child, I did grow up on a farm, a small farm outside of Adelaide, but never went on to being a farmer myself. I went into various different other corporate world like most people do and went overseas and interstate did all that sort of thing, real estate and software and hospitality.
But last year I retired from selling a software business and I’d always wanted to get back into regional rural support areas. I reached out to my accountant and said I’d like to some volunteering, and he advised me that his brother was over in the Eyre Peninsula with an outfit called Fat Farmers. So got in touch with Fat Farmers.
They said that always looking for help volunteers. So, I ended up moving down in Millicent for a while down the southeast and I was distributing 5000 calendars all over the region. So that’s farmers calendars, fat farmers calendars. So that’s how I got involved there. And then this year, they offered me the job of General MManager. And so I took that and here I am today.
Kim Bigg
Fantastic. So you started out as a volunteer for fat farmers and now you they’re one of their only or is there several full time?
Michael Williams
Me and an assistant.
Kim Bigg
Yes. As well as the volunteers who can.
Michael Williams
Yeah. many volunteers.
Kim Bigg
Yeah. Fantastic. so that’s a little bit about you. Can you tell us a little bit about Fat Farmers and the story behind fat farmers, which I’m sure lots of our listeners may already know, but if you can give us a brief rundown, that’d be great.
Michael Williams
Yeah. So I started out in Maitland about…
Kim Bigg
Maitland South Australia?
Michael Williams
Yes. Maitland South Australia, 10 to 12 years ago.
Three farmers decided that they didn’t want to be fat farmers and lack of exercise.
Kim Bigg
athletic fit farms. Correct.
Michael Williams
You sort of notice that when you stop playing footy and cricket or what else do you do? So they decided that, let’s, let’s get a group going in the gym, come together once a week and do a bit of a workout and also reconnect with our, the local people, which you would normally have in like a sporting environment.
And yeah, so the name sort of one day someone just yelled out, ‘hey, you fat farmers’ and across the gym and then it just stuck and become sort of well known now and a quirky way of doing.
Kim Bigg
Yeah. I think it’s always good to have a catchy name. It makes people, makes people know who you are, which is important. Now there’s lots of diverse farming communities that come together for what is fat farmers. So can you give us a bit of a, you know, an outline of what the fat farmers communities are like and how many there are and across how broad a cross section they are across Australia really.
Michael Williams
Yeah, and it’s growing every day now, which is great in different areas. We’ve got about 22 fat farmer groups now across South Australia and a couple over in Victoria and one in New South Wales. Mainly crop and livestock farming, but we’re now getting into other areas where dairy farmers, et cetera, are getting involved.
So, anything from a workout in a gym to on the oval to a walking group or a yoga Pilates group, we’re sort of getting across in different areas. And then, hopefully expand out into all sorts of levels of farming.
Kim Bigg
And give us a bit of a description of fat farmers itself in terms of what is it that makes fat farmers unique in terms of getting people together, physical exercise and really, what benefits have you seen that come to these communities who develop the fat farmers groups that come together?
Michael Williams
I think one of our unique differences is that it’s a sort of non-confrontational, you know, less intimidating environment to be a part of. And hence the name, you know, also gets some interest. So, I think that’s our unique point of difference first, right? Rather than come in just get fit with us or do some work out. It’s what’s fat farmers about?
It’s about coming together in any sort of format you like, really. We let the towns, the group people decide what they want to do, what type of level of activity. And the model is that we support them, get them started, make them feel like part of a team again. So that camaraderie from when they maybe did play sport. So, I think that point of difference is just making them feel like, again, they’re part of a team. And that flows through to the community as well.
The community say that, these guys are another team in our community, another in that wearing the Fat Farmers T-shirts, doing some barbecues, different events like that. have certain events where we invite health initiatives in as well and speakers. So just making it a bit fun, but at the same time, focusing on doing a bit of a workout and reconnecting with your locals. Yep.
Kim Bigg
Fantastic. So what I’m hearing here is physical exercise and there’s a lot of fun. I think a side benefit is the mental health aspect of this as well. Obviously, it’s predominantly around physical activity and supportive sort of events that go with the physical activity. Did you want to sort of give a brief description of the benefits from a mental health side of things that fat farmers offers as well?
Michael Williams
Yeah, sure. Again, you know, one of our sort of our visions mission statement, I guess, is, you know, inspiring farmers and rural communities to look after their health and well being through physical activity. But, we are seeing obviously that getting active and doing the physical side of it is just a small part of it. Whereas in the by-product really is the reconnecting and connecting of communities and people that, you know, maybe are starting to come up, be isolated. And we have seen examples of that, especially when they do stop playing sports as a team, can do, you know, it’s very isolating, farms are, you know, isolating. So, the real benefit of the mental health is the reconnection and just having those conversations.
Kim Bigg
Now recently, recently as in, think, when did you come back from your recent trip? Monday, yes. Two days ago. So within the last few days, you’ve done a 2000 kilometre trip across South Australia. This is across Eyre Peninsula in the mid north. Tell us about your experience and the connections you made and were there any sort of magical moments that you had along your trip that you’d like to describe for the listeners?
Michael Williams
Yeah, well, I got to discover the EP again, which is so beautiful. really enjoyed it.
Kim Bigg
EP being Eyre Peninsula for all those international listeners on the podcast.
Michael Williams
It is a nice, decent drive to get to the first location, which was Streaky Bay, which is a seven and a half hour drive. So, it was good to get there and start meeting the communities. So visiting all the towns over there holding co-hosting barbecues with GPSA, which is Grain Producers of SA and PERSA and rural business support. So, getting out to those different towns over there doing that, it was interesting to meet the different people, hear about their side of things from what they do, why it’s different over there, as opposed to other parts of South Australia. And, you know, one of the good things is about just being seen in the towns, especially with the ute and my shirt and walking around going to the pub for a soft drink, of course, and just running into people, people naturally want come and find out what are you doing, what are you about? So it’s been really interesting from that point of view where not just the barbecues, but also just meeting the locals and the community and getting all sorts of different people interested and excited.
Kim Bigg
It’s just something that you’re likely to do more often or do you plan to do these types of trips a couple of times a year or what’s the plan with those?
Michael Williams
Yeah, we plan to do a lot more and we’re being invited now to a lot of different towns, a lot of different events. So my calendar is already filling out for the first quarter of next year of some long trips, especially over the border into Victoria. But yeah, we definitely want to wrap this up because we do see the need for it and smiles and the interactions that are you know, creates is really rewarding and obviously a need for it. So you’re kind of going to get out there more and more less of the office and more in the car.
Kim Bigg
Fantastic. And what sort of things are you seeing out there? This year’s been for all those farmers listening. I’m sure they’re more aware than what I am as well. But from my understanding, it’s been a very tough year, particularly in the mid north and Eyre Peninsula for drought related reasons and other weather impacts. What are you hearing? Sort of on the ground and what are people telling you around their experiences of how the season has gone?
Michael Williams
Yeah, definitely hearing that it is obviously tough, which is everybody knows that and just hearing the different levels of people all of a sudden being confronted with, know, looking at a quarter of their normal yield from their crops, etc. And how dramatically it has affected them so quickly, the lack of rain, etc. And the and the late raining period that started a bit late. So, just hearing that it’s impacting a lot of people, which is an inflow to the community to, you know, that I spent, they can’t, that I earned the money, they can’t spend the money in the towns and it’s just an inflow. So, sort of hearing a bit about that. but definitely down a lot of yield and, and expected income is a quite prevalent out there.
Kim Bigg
Yeah, there’s a, there’s definitely an effect on the wider community when the farmers don’t have a stronger year than it flows onto everyone else. There’s the local mechanic or the, the pub or the, you know, the cafe or really everywhere feels the effect when the farming community doesn’t do as well. And in terms of, there any discussions that you have with farmers? One of the things we always encourage SME businesses, including farmers is to really talk about their issues, both financial and sort of seasonal related issues to try to not put their head in the sand about certain financial issues that may arise in those situations.
What sort of discussions have you been having with people, you know, I imagine it does turn into financial discussions from time to time as well.
Michael Williams
It kind of winds up with that the end of the meetings and discussions, etc. always end up with that around the financial part of it. But you know, the key for us is first to go out and just listen and talk about, you know, fat farmers and the importance of connecting and they love hearing about that, which is great straight away. Generally, the farmers especially don’t want to talk about themselves too much. They do end up opening up a little bit.
But yes, I can see that with the seasons, the cropping seasons finishing early, especially they’re kind of focused on getting away early as well. So, celebrating Christmas a bit earlier than they normally do. But unfortunately, that might come at a cost because they’re not looking at taking stock of really what’s going on. So, we’re just trying to encourage that at the moment.
Kim Bigg
Encourage them to get in touch with their financial advisors to have a chat about those things to make sure they’ve got a plan for next year moving forward. Just on…
Slightly side note, there’s a recent South Australian government scheme released regarding on-farm drought infrastructure rebate scheme. I’m interested as to whether there’s any knowledge of that out there on the road. Have people been talking about those sort of things? It’s a useful, supportive scheme that’s been released by the government and I’m interested as to whether the government’s managed to get it out there.
Michael Williams
Yeah, so one of the topics that’s been discussed at the barbecue meeting breakfasts we’ve been having all across the town through the Eyre Peninsula and mid-north. That’s the people that we’ve been about. One of the funds I’m hearing, or initiatives is the PERSA rebate scheme, which is probably the one you’re referring to. So, there are ones out there. Drought Hub are doing something as well, I believe still have access to something. And then there’s other rebate schemes, but the one that they’re mostly talking about is the PERSA, which is primary industries, government scheme. So, they’re just encouraging them to apply. Yeah, because it goes quick.
Kim Bigg
There’s a certain amount of money there apparently. then if you don’t get you start that’s it
Michael Williams
correct. Yeah, I hear think it’s been extended out a bit more generous than normal. However, we’re just sort of saying, Hey, getting quick.
Kim Bigg
Any relief is good is useful for farmers at the moment. So I guess you’re encouraging people to, as we said before, not put their head in the sand on things, have a look what’s out there and really get involved and apply if they think it can assist. Very good. I just want to round that out. So really great to hear some of the feedback in what you’ve been hearing on the road. Perks has been committed to supporting SMEs and in particular, farming families and businesses for a long time now. And it’s never great to see farmers being challenged by drought or climatic conditions that are not favourable. So yeah, we really encourage any of both our own.
Perks clients, farming clients to reach out to us as well as anyone else who might be thinking about how to navigate these difficult times. We’d love to have a chat and see if they can help and maybe it’s at a future event where Perks is supporting fat farmers sitting around at barbecue and having a chat about these things as well.
Michael Williams
Yeah, and that’s one thing that if someone asked me or you know what should I be thinking about now, especially for a go on holidays? I said, just know again, taking stock, but knowing your numbers now. And even if it’s just writing it all down on a napkin, right on an envelope, just getting that in your head, getting started and working out, you know, most, unfortunately, I guess most people are running on some overdrafts. So, you should need to start having those conversations now.
Kim Bigg
I think conversations with your, your accountant as well as your bank as well.
Michael Williams
Accountant, bank because it takes a lot longer now, I believe to, you know, get overdrafts extended, et cetera. So yeah, do it now. then go away for your holiday knowing at you’ve got some idea of what you’re coming back into and start that rolling. Yeah.
Kim Bigg
Yeah. Excellent. And, and probably the other thing they can do is join a local fat farmers group and make sure that they continue to get some physical exercise and activity going to, cause that has such strong flow on benefits as you discussed earlier in the podcast.
Michael Williams
Yeah. Anything off farm is a good, good, good thing. You know, if you get off for half an hour, one hour, you know, just an hour a week. Get off farm and remove yourself from your working environment. That’s what it is because you are you live and breathe it. Yeah, just do as much as you can to get off and clear your head sometimes even go for a walk when you’re on the tractor stop for a minute. Go for a walk around the paddock around the tractor down to your mailbox front gate what have you just do those simple things. Just to clear your head sometimes and just get away from every day you work I guess.
Kim Bigg
Yeah, absolutely all need. Yeah, that’s right. I think the accountants could do with the exact same physical exercise, I reckon, from time to time. So, point noted for myself. Thank you very much, Michael, for coming in today. You’ve shared some fantastic insights and stories regarding fat farmers and given everyone, hopefully, a really good indication of what fat farmers is all about. A wonderful not-for-profit organisation and I wish you all the best over the next few weeks, months and years in where fat farmers is going and supporting those in regional Australia with their physical activity and mental health and all of those things as well. yeah, just want to reinforce the importance of reaching out to people for support in those regional areas. yeah, hopefully the seasonal conditions start to improve over the next six months, and we can get a much better year for everyone next year.
Michael Williams
Thanks, Kim. it is good. And I’ve been learning myself how important it is to speak to any advisers to start getting those conversations going. And I think especially in the farming community and people that have been doing the same thing for so long, they don’t realise what planning, know, an accounting service can do for them. You know, I found that myself, you know, with a big succession plan, get taking stock, helping with loans, et cetera. I think some of don’t realise that can do all that through it.
service like perks, example, I’ve certainly seen that and let myself and just a little side note to throw in the way we’re going in the future and the sign that we’re seeing more and more in the towns that we go to is the pop-up health checks. So, something that we’re looking forward to doing in 2025 and 2026 is bringing in also health initiatives to the towns with us like skin checks, blood pressure check bowel check, information nights, et cetera. So, we’ve been finding that the towns really need more of that. So, you know, the future’s good for us to come in and provide hopefully some more services that the farmers just don’t tend to do or get time to.
Kim Bigg
You’ve created a great environment for, you know, as you say, not just physical activity, but other, you know, health initiatives to get people together. You absolutely should be trying to take advantage of it, you know, and try to make sure that people are
looking after their health and maybe this is a good way to get people together to continue to think about their health as well as from a broad perspective as well as the physical activity perspective.
Michael Williams
Yeah, 100%. We’ve to look after our farmers.
Kim Bigg
We do. Absolutely. So, thank you again for coming in. Really great to get all these insights and look forward to seeing you out on the road, visiting people in your Ute moving forward.
