Let’s talk important basics
Author: Ryan Cameron – Director of Broking
I’ve said it before. It’s not like me to get philosophical but the absolute madness of recent times has me turning to some of the great thinkers, poets and songwriters of ancient and more modern times.
Pliny the Elder was an ancient Roman who is credited with writing the pithy line that “The only certainty is that nothing is certain.” Centuries later, the French philosopher, Voltaire was more comedic when he said, “Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd.”
More recently I read on social media that “embracing uncertainty is the ultimate act of balance.”
I’m not sure if the kind of uncertainty that’s been thrust upon the Western Australian agricultural sector lately is worthy of any kind of embrace. I’m talking about the geo-political conflict no one could have predicted, a cyclone menacing us which the experts tell us are incredibly rare, supply shocks, eye-watering input costs, unprecedented climate pressures and now a mouse plague of biblical proportions.
And none of it within the control of the people hardest hit.
In the insurance business, we hear all sorts of heart-breaking stories all the time. And you never get used to it. Most of it has been caused by something or someone outside the control of the person sharing their story. It’s our role as their insurance broker and risk adviser to provide guidance and relief to the circumstances they find themselves in.
We’re kidding ourselves if we think we can control life. Isn’t it John Lennon we have to thank for that famous quote – “Life is what happens to you, while you’re busy making other plans.”
So, I want to grab your focus for just a few minutes and turn it to something you can control and that’s an effective Crop Insurance program. We can’t control weather systems, but we can control financial losses resulting from the reduction or total destruction of potential crop yields caused by unexpected events, including but not limited to what we call ‘major perils’, hail and fire.
Depending on where you are, it may not be your current focus, however having comfort around financial predictability in an unpredictable environment goes a long way for peace of mind.
So please take the time to check in with your insurance broker to ensure you are effectively protecting your investment. There are many Crop Insurance policies and covers available within the general insurance market and your insurance adviser can assist you in tailoring protection specific to your own farming operations.
All the very best to you all for a decent season with hopefully less volatility going forward.
*This article first appeared in Farm Weekly, June 2026.
