How to reduce your farm’s operating costs

Managing a viable farm business is a challenge, especially in the current economic climate. Fortunately, there are proactive steps you can take to improve your profit margins and reduce overhead costs. 

In this article, we’ve pulled together a few tried and tested tactics to help you with your farm management. Remember to take the time to think about your options and identify what works best for your farm. 

Assess your financials

Before doing anything else, calculate your gross profit margin. This allows you to identify the items with lower profit margins and those that are currently making a loss. Based on your findings, you can focus your energy on the most profitable actions. 

Negotiate with suppliers

In many cases, you can ask your suppliers for a discount or offer to stock up in bulk. By storing stock and ordering all at once, you can often get what you need in a more cost-efficient way. Additionally, shop around with other suppliers to see if there are more cost-effective options elsewhere. 

Prevent theft 

Unfortunately, farms are vulnerable to theft and vandalism. By investing in security measures such as lockable machinery storage, you may be able to reduce the risk of this happening on your farm. 

This applies across all commercial and industrial businesses. Alongside our agriculture range, we also supply commercial sheds, industrial sheds, and workshop sheds. Browse our full range here >>

Manage your farm inputs with commodity storage

With sufficient farm storage, you can stock up on commodities like fertiliser and grain. This gives you greater control over when to restock. When supply is disrupted and prices spike, you can avoid the financial implications on your operations.

According to Rabobank’s Agribusiness September report, global demand for farm inputs remains uncertain. Some, such as urea, have seen modest month-on-month declines, though global demand is beginning to show signs of increasing. By keeping an eye on price fluctuations, you can make strategic decisions for your farm’s stock. 

At ABC Sheds, we design and build sheds to keep your stock safe and dry. Depending on your needs, we can also incorporate a range of features, such as: 

• Concrete walls and floors
• Vehicle access
• Enclosed bays
• Mezzanine floors
• Awnings

Browse our hay sheds, grain sheds, and fertiliser sheds for more information. Looking for a new shed to meet your storage needs but unsure what size you need? Try our commodity calculator. All we need to know is what you need to store and the amount.

Water harvesting 

Effective water management leads to significant savings and reduces your reliance on external overheads. By installing water-collection solutions on your shed, you could catch and store a significant portion of usable water. For example, a 15m x 32m shed can catch up to 240,000 litres of water annually, even when the rainfall is as little as 500mm.

Solar shed design 

One of the best cost-saving solutions is using solar panels to power your farm building and equipment. By using solar shed design, you can reduce energy consumption from third-party suppliers. We can even engineer your building for maximum solar gain, accounting for the best roof pitch, orientation, and structural strength. 

Build a machinery shed

A purpose-built shed or building provides a secure space for all your farm assets. By storing your equipment safely and securely, you can protect it from the weather, theft, and vandalism. This will reduce wear and tear and lower your maintenance costs. 

If your machinery or equipment runs sluggishly, it’s also worth upgrading to a more efficient model. This way, you can streamline your workflows and, in most cases, the cost will be quickly recovered in energy savings. However, we recommend waiting until you have a machinery shed to store this new equipment in. 

Download the complete shed range brochure

ABC Farm Sheds and Machinery Sheds

• Hay Sheds
• Grain Sheds
• Dressage Arenas
• Farm Machinery Sheds
• Feedlot Shelters
• Yard Covers
• Aircraft Hangars

Reliable communication

At ABC Sheds, we pride ourselves on responsive customer service and transparency. Throughout the manufacturing process, our Client Care team will keep you updated with photos as your shed progresses.

Durable construction

Our sheds are durable and built to last, which is why we offer a 25-year "You're Covered" guarantee. What’s more, our structural frames are significantly heavier than a purlin frame, meaning they can hold up against the harsh Australian climate.

Hot dip galvanised steel

To enhance the structure of our sheds, we hot-dip galvanise all the steel elements in molten zinc. This prevents corrosion, which is particularly beneficial for sheds built near the coast.

Design customisations

We offer a range of customisations and will partner with you to ensure your shed aligns with your needs. Popular design additions include insulation, roller doors, sliding doors, PA doors, mezzanine floors, windows, and vented ridges. 


Contact us for tailored advice about your new shed or check out the range of steel sheds we offer. Or, if you’d like to see what we can achieve, plan your perfect shed in our virtual shed builder.