Global topics. Future trends. Totally free. Australian grain industry looks into the eye of the global food system.

1. MEDIA RELEASE
Topic:
Grain Industry
Social Media
New Innovation
Online Forum
AUSTRALIAN GRAIN INDUSTRY LOOKS INTO THE EYE OF THE GLOBAL FOOD SYSTEM
Frustrated by the lack of long-term vision in Australia’s grain industry, South Australian agribusiness and
food specialist SOS Interim Management has launched an online information and discussion forum called
Big Picture Grain that the company is providing as a free service to grain industry participants.
The days of industry advocacy and lobbying as we know it are over. That’s the message from Jeremy Lomman,
owner of SOS Interim Management.
“The ability to look long-term has been bred-out of the industry under that structure. We discounted the
future” said Jeremy. “It’s now our legacy to fix and re-vitalise the way we plan.”
Jeremy says this means people getting more hands-on further down the industry, because the individual
success of their business now relies on them understanding Australia’s place in the global food system and
what others are doing; and not relying on someone else to understand it.
“But to achieve this, we almost need to re-teach ourselves how to walk the talk; how to find information and
use it to help us look over the horizon and envision a bright future for the grain industry” Jeremy said. “It’s
critical those with the most at stake are actually having these discussions and taking the lead on issues.”
So to kick-start this process, SOS launched Big Picture Grain to help people access ‘big picture’ information
about what’s happening in the world of grain and how it might apply to or affect Australia. Through online
discussion and debate, people can then decide what they need to do about it within their own business and
the greater industry.
“The cost of time is hurting the grain industry. There are too many periods of inaction.” said Jeremy. “The
great thing about on-line forums is that those involved in the industry can shake-out a strategy together pretty
quickly or identify new ideas and apply them straight away.”
However, Jeremy concedes changing peoples’ perceptions of the grain industry and their general industry-
outlook will be a challenge.
“Australia is a difficult place to grow something with any level of consistency. And there are many outside
influences that continually make business in Australia harder than it needs to be. So we tend to always be
drawn in to short-term battles; not the big picture.”
14 MARCH 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2. All media contact regarding this Media Release strictly through: Jeremy Lomman – SOS Interim Management
on 0417 567 148 or jeremy@sosinterim.com.au. Please also visit www.bigpicturegrain.com.au for further
information.