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Abstract
Australian farmers are feeling the effect of declining onfarm terms of trade along with their international cousins. The tendency of policy makers and program managers to jump to 'management skills training' as the solution to this problem threatens farmers already suffering from low selfesteem. Self esteem lowered by the diminished value of agriculture to the national economy, inability to maintain a comfortable lifestyle for their families and accusations of environmental vandalism. A humanistic approach to facilitating change through learning has been developed in Australia. It uses whole systems business planning as its learning structure and adult learning practices in its delivery.