Don’t gather data, just to gather dust!
Date published:
Farm businesses that understand where they are and where they are going are better placed to improve performance and build resilience. While farmers cannot control weather, market prices or input costs, many of the most important drivers of profitability remain firmly within the farm gate. “Benchmarking helps farmers focus on those drivers and make decisions based on evidence rather than guesswork,” says Faith Stewart, a Beef and Sheep Adviser at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE).
Alongside Ballycastle sheep farmer Ronnie Duncan, Faith explains how CAFRE benchmarking has helped improve performance and profitability within Ronnie’s flock. Ronnie participates in his local Business Sustainability Group (BSG), where benchmarking plays a central role in reviewing performance and guiding discussion with other sheep farmers.
As a BSG member, Ronnie has access to one-to-one support from his CAFRE Adviser, alongside clear and practical benchmarking reports produced by the CAFRE Business Team. These reports simplify complex information and help farmers focus on what matters most within their own business.
Benchmarking allows Ronnie to see how his farm is performing by presenting results on a per head, per kilogram and per hectare basis. Performance can be compared against industry averages and against the top and bottom performing farms within the benchmark. Ronnie has used benchmarking for over 30 years to track performance, understand trends and assess the impact of changes made on-farm.
Ronnie first recognised the value of benchmarking while studying at CAFRE and later through managing large-scale farming enterprises where regular monitoring of costs, output and targets was essential. He believes benchmarking only delivers value when figures are actively reviewed and used. “There’s no point collecting data unless you’re prepared to act on it,” Ronnie explains. “The figures give you the confidence to change things and invest where it really matters.”
CAFRE benchmarking breaks farm performance into clear financial components, including output, variable costs, fixed costs and margins. Output reflects livestock sales, adjusted for purchases and changes in stock value. Variable costs include feed, fertiliser and veterinary inputs, while fixed costs cover machinery, buildings, insurance and utilities. Understanding how these costs interact helps farmers see where money is being made and where it is being lost.
Alongside financial results, benchmarking provides practical physical performance measures such as lambs sold or weaned per ewe, concentrate use, lamb weights and carcass output. Ronnie uses this information to set clear goals for his farm and monitor progress year-on-year. Comparing his results with other farmers highlighted opportunities to improve efficiency, leading to changes in breeding policy. By focusing on carcass output per hectare, Ronnie moved from an all-Mule ewe flock to a mix including Texel crosses, improving carcass weights and grading.
Ronnie encourages farmers to use benchmarking to establish a clear baseline, compare performance with others and identify realistic opportunities for improvement. A strong understanding of production costs allows farmers to target efficiency gains, control spending and plan with confidence.
According to Faith, “Benchmarking is not about paperwork or ticking boxes. Used properly, it is a practical management tool that helps farmers make better decisions, improve profitability and plan ahead. Farmers who take the time to understand their figures and act on them are far more likely to build resilient and profitable businesses,” she concluded.
The CAFRE Benchmarking Tool is available to all farmers and is free to use. To find out how CAFRE Benchmarking can support your business, visit: https://www.cafre.ac.uk/business-support/agriculture/business-management/benchmarking/ or contact the CAFRE Business Team at cafrebusinessteam@daera-ni.gov.uk.