Summer is a critical season for Australian farms. Whether you’re harvesting crops, managing livestock through heat waves, or maintaining machinery working overtime, the warmer months bring heightened risks that can impact your operation and your bottom line.
At Findura, we work extensively with farming families and agribusiness operations across regional Australia. We see firsthand how proactive risk management during summer can mean the difference between a profitable season and a devastating loss. Here are three priorities every farm should address before the heat peaks.
Bushfire is the single biggest summer risk for most Australian farms. The combination of dry vegetation, high temperatures, strong winds, and the ignition sources present on any working farm creates serious exposure.
Start by creating and maintaining adequate clearance around buildings, machinery sheds, hay storage, and fuel storage areas. Remove dry grass, trim overhanging branches, and clear leaf litter from gutters and around structures. Your defendable space should extend at least 20 metres from buildings – more if you’re in a high-risk area.
Don’t forget about less obvious fire fuel. Old timber piles, discarded machinery, and overgrown fence lines can all provide pathways for fire to spread. If you’re storing hay or grain, ensure adequate separation from buildings and maintain clear access for firefighting equipment.
Check that pumps, hoses, and water supplies are operational well before you need them. Test your pump regularly throughout summer, not just at the start of the season. Ensure you have adequate water storage positioned strategically around the property – not just at the main homestead.
If you have firefighting units on vehicles or trailers, service them now. Check spray nozzles aren’t blocked, hoses have no cracks or leaks, and tanks are full. Battery-operated equipment should be charged and ready. In a fire situation, you won’t have time to troubleshoot equipment failures.
Your fire plan should be reviewed annually and shared with everyone who works on the property – including contractors and casual staff. Document evacuation routes, identify safe zones, list emergency contacts, and ensure everyone knows where firefighting equipment is located.
Importantly, review what gets protected and what gets left if you need to evacuate quickly. Livestock movement plans, protecting critical infrastructure, and personal safety protocols should all be clearly documented. If your circumstances have changed – new buildings, different livestock numbers, or changed water sources – your fire plan needs updating.
Extreme heat affects both animal welfare and business operations. It can also influence insurance outcomes if a loss could reasonably have been prevented. Many farming families take additional steps ahead of fire season to help protect livestock during high-risk periods
Preparing livestock for summer conditions often starts well before temperatures rise.
Many farmers check that there is adequate shade available across paddocks, particularly for stock that can’t easily access shelter during extreme heat. Natural shade is ideal, but purpose-built structures can help in more exposed areas. It can also be worthwhile ensuring shaded zones don’t unintentionally create crowding points that increase stress.
Water supply typically becomes a major focus during heatwaves, when stock water requirements can double or even triple. Ensuring troughs are functioning well, pumps are operating reliably and backup options are in place can help reduce the risk of water shortages if equipment fails during a fire event or extreme heat. Clean troughs also encourage stock to keep drinking when temperatures rise.
Some farmers choose to adjust handling or feeding times to the cooler parts of the day when possible. If livestock need to be moved, early morning or late evening is often preferred to minimise heat stress.
Having a plan for emergency relocation, temporary agistment or rapid destocking can also provide peace of mind if a severe fire-weather warning is issued and on-property protection options are limited.
Machinery works harder during summer, and increased heat can place additional stress on tractors, headers and other equipment. Breakdowns during critical periods like harvest can be costly, so many farmers choose to carry out servicing and maintenance well ahead of peak season.
Cooling systems, hydraulic fluid levels and air filters are often areas worth keeping an eye on, as dust and heat can contribute to common summer machinery issues. A simple maintenance routine – even a quick daily check during busy periods can make a big difference.
When possible, some farmers also choose to schedule high-demand work for the cooler parts of the day, as machinery operating in extreme heat can experience greater wear and a higher risk of downtime.
A bit of planning upfront can help reduce interruptions and protect both equipment and productivity during long, hot runs.
Summer is when many farm insurance claims occur – fire, storm damage, machinery breakdown, and livestock losses all peak during the warmer months. Yet it’s also when many farmers discover their coverage doesn’t match their current operation.
If you’ve purchased new machinery, built infrastructure, or increased livestock numbers since your last renewal, your sum insured may no longer be adequate. Underinsurance means you won’t receive full replacement value if you need to claim – and most policies include average clauses that can further reduce payouts if you’re significantly underinsured.
Review the declared values for buildings, machinery, and stock. Consider whether rebuild costs have increased (they usually have). If you’re unsure whether your coverage is adequate, ask your adviser to review it with you – don’t wait until renewal time.
Most farm insurance policies automatically include major events like storm, lightning and bushfire, but there can be important differences between insurers – particularly around machinery, fences, pumps, hay, and livestock cover, where limites and conditions vary.
Take the time to understand your policy conditions, especially around fire prevention, property maintenance, fencing, livestock management and machinery operation. Insurers may adjust, reduce or decline claims if losses arise from inadequate risk management or undeclared exposures.
When a major incident occurs, having a clear plan can make the recovery process much easier. Knowing who to contact, what documentation will be needed, and what immediate steps to take helps reduce stress and avoids delays.
Keep your policy numbers, emergency contacts and your adviser’s details somewhere accessible – not just in an office or filing cabinet that may be difficult to reach after a fire or storm.
Photograph your property, infrastructure and high-value assets now while everything is intact. These records can be invaluable when substantiating a claim later. Updating them after significant changes, purchases or upgrades ensures your insurer always has accurate information.
The farms that manage summer risks well are usually the ones that plan early. Fire breaks are typically cleared in spring, machinery is serviced before harvest begins, and insurance is reviewed ahead of peak season. A bit of preparation now can make all the difference when summer conditions intensify.
At Findura, we work with farming families to review coverage annually – ensuring policies reflect current operations, not what was true three or five years ago. If you haven’t reviewed your farm insurance recently, or if your operation has changed significantly, let’s have a conversation before summer peaks.