Martin Hawes, author on financial and business topics, will speak about off-farm investments at the Smaller Milk and Supply Herds (SMASH) Conference in Northland this month.
Mr Hawes said he believes farmers need to invest some money outside of farming as a way of reducing investment risk.
"Making off-farm investmentsdoesn't have to be difficult. If you know how to run a farming business, you can quickly learn the key areas for successful investment. The most important thing is to get the overall strategy right at the beginning," he said.
Wrapping up the SMASH conference with inside stories from his wins, his latest adventures and crashes is adventurer Steve Gurney, who has won the Coast to Coast nine times.
"I've worked quite a bit with farmers and I love their attitude. Speaking about motivation and resilience in hardship is also my favourite subject, so I'm passionate about making a difference here," Gurney says.
Other topics will include the feeds farmers can use to cope with climatic variability and a discussion about the challenges facing the dairy industry in achieving environmental sustainability.
Farmers are urged to register early for the conference online at www.smallerherds.co.nz. Registrations close June 18.
