From Wheat Fields to AgTech: The Story Behind P2P Agri | Mike Krause | Ep 10

What does it really take to help Australian farmers make smarter financial decisions? In Episode 10, host Tom Moir sits down with Mike Krause — agricultural economist, author, and founder of P2P Agri — to unpack his journey from wheat-breeding glasshouses at Roseworthy Ag College to building one of Australia's most trusted farm business modelling platforms. Mike shares the full story: growing up the son of a wheat breeder, studying agricultural economics at the University of New England, completing a Masters in computer simulation at Lincoln University in New Zealand (back when he was coding in Fortran), and cutting his teeth as a government ag economist in the Riverland. From there it was four years inside a bank during one of the toughest periods Australian farmers have faced — when keys were being taken off properties on Eyre Peninsula — before a move into ag insurance consulting and eventually launching his own farm business advisory practice. A conversation packed with practical wisdom for any farmer thinking seriously about profitability, succession, expansion, and long-term resilience. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: • Why financial literacy is the single biggest lever most farm businesses are underusing • The "Risky Business" simulation workshop that proved farmers love what-if modelling • Two real case studies — a citrus grower's seven-year forecast that hit "to a T," and the farmer who bought the neighbour at auction, weathered two droughts, and didn't lose a night of sleep • Why benchmarking against other farmers can do more harm than good — and what to do instead • The story behind "Farming the Business," the GRDC manual now in its 7th reprint (and how dyslexia helped Mike write it simply) • Mike's outlook for 2026: how AI, drones, satellite imagery and virtual fencing are reshaping farming — and how P2P Agri has 5x'd its development speed using AI • Advice he'd give his 20-year-old self about building a career in agriculture CHAPTERS: 00:00 Welcome & what is P2P Agri 02:23 Growing up at Roseworthy Ag College 03:27 University, Fortran & computer simulation 06:11 Government, banking & the keys-off-farmers era 10:07 Closing the farm business knowledge gap 12:08 The Risky Business workshop that changed everything 14:08 Why P2P Agri was born 15:47 Real client stories: the citrus grower & the drought question 20:37 Writing "Farming the Business" for GRDC 23:00 Dyslexia as a gift for simplifying complexity 25:21 Advice to 20-year-old Mike 27:36 AI, drones & the future of Australian agriculture 30:00 Benchmarking vs modelling: what actually works 32:07 Wrap up ABOUT THE GUEST: Mike Krause is the CEO and founder of P2P Agri, an Australian software and training business that helps farmers analyse profitability, model "what-if" scenarios, plan succession and make confident long-term decisions. P2P Agri also delivers financial literacy training one-on-one and in partnership with TOCAL Ag College in NSW. LINKS & RESOURCES: • P2P Agri: https://p2pagri.com.au • "Farming the Business" by Mike Krause (GRDC) — available in print or free on iTunes with 50+ embedded training videos SUBSCRIBE for more conversations with the people shaping the future of Australian farm business. #YourFarmBusinessPodcast #P2PAgri #AustralianAgriculture #FarmBusinessManagement #AgTech Learn more about P2P Agri: https://p2pagri.com.au (https://p2pagri.com.au/) (https://p2pagri.com.au/)