Interview with Michele Schiller, National Manager, Conservis
Michele Schiller is an accomplished finance and governance professional with deep roots in the agricultural sector. With a strong background in finance and significant experience as a Non-Executive Director, she has successfully transformed underperforming businesses into high-performing ones. Currently, Michele manages the Australian operations of Conservis, a global leader in farm management software. Her expertise in governance, risk, and financial management, combined with a passion for sustainability, positions her as a key driver of long-term growth in the agribusiness sector.
We sat down with Michele and asked her to share insights into the role of Conservis, the challenges they faced, and how Toustone’s data solutions have been instrumental in helping Conservis and its clients enhance sustainability. She also touches on the importance of data analytics, ESG in agriculture, and offers her observations on future-proofing operations in the industry.1. Tell us a bit about your company, Conservis. What does it do, and who does it service?
Michele: Conservis is a customisable farm management platform that originated in America. It is designed to help farmers manage their data effectively, particularly in the areas of planning, budgeting, production, inventories, harvesting, analytics, and reporting to meet regulatory requirements. We’ve evolved to address the specific needs of Australian farmers, especially as they navigate fluctuating input prices, less predictable seasonal cycles and complex regulatory environments.
When Conservis entered the Australian market about 12 years ago, it quickly gained traction, with Lawson Grains as one of its first significant clients. The platform allows farmers to plan and budget based on hectares and specific blocks, offering comprehensive inventory control that tracks chemicals, expiry dates, and storage conditions.In addition to managing production information—such as work orders for spraying crops—Conservis enables farmers to monitor yields, harvests, and on-farm storage. The platform focuses on providing analytical insights, helping farmers shift their success measurement from yield alone to profit per hectare. This is crucial, as high yields do not always correlate with profitability due to varying input costs across different paddocks.
Conservis also offers scenario modelling, allowing farmers to test various budget forecasts and planting strategies, thus empowering them to make informed decisions that enhance their operational efficiency and financial outcomes. By centralising farm data, Conservis transforms how farmers understand and manage their agricultural operations.2. Tell us about the challenges that led you to reach out to Toustone.
Michele: Originally the Conservis platform was designed for smaller-scale farms as this was more common in the USA, and this typically only required data from one source. However, entering the Australian market attracted enterprise clients with multiple farms that needed to connect all their data in one location. Before Toustone’s assistance, there wasn’t the capacity within the platform to do that in a way that was integrated, holistic and accurate.
For example, each ‘instance’ or package of our software was designed to manage a total of 10 farms. While this allows for multiple users, it also introduces risks regarding data integrity. Too many users could potentially compromise the data. For example in Australia, one ‘instance’ could easily result in 10 different farms across various locations and potentially have over 200 ground users! We soon realised that for the Australian market where we encounter large enterprise agriculture companies, it was better to maintain individual data sets for each farm. This approach also simplified the process in the case of sales or acquisitions, as farms can be added or removed without disrupting the entire data chain. But the issue is when we come across enterprise clients who have multiple farms across the country.“At the executive level they don’t want to have to deal with multiple dashboards and logins, they want a unified, consolidated and accurate view of their entire farm operations. This is outside of what Conservis can offer on a stand-alone basis. But we knew that this is exactly what Toustone was brilliant at doing.”
3. How was Toustone able to help your and your clients address the challenge faced by enterprise agriculture businesses?
Michele: We’d known the team at Toustone for some time so knew their skill set in all things data. And we knew they were experts in consolidating and making sense of multiple siloed and complex data sets. So, we asked them to help us with a particular client who had 11 sites.
Toustone has been able to gather all information from their 11 Conservis sites, along with additional data provided by the farm, clean it, unify it and provide a platform for analysing all 11 collectively. They’ve made data easy to understand by presenting it in a digestible format through a bespoke dashboard, tailored to whatever customer reporting our clients require. The ability for custom reporting has transformed the ways that our customers can use and integrate their data, and, any win for our clients is a great win for us. Partnering with Toustone enables us to meet all our clients’ needs, no matter their size or complexity. We are able to offer a comprehensive end-to-end solution – from budgeting and financials to specific agronomic metrics, like nitrogen levels in the soil, as well as opportunities for ESG reporting.“After this great experience, each time I meet with large corporate farms that have specific reporting requirements, we turn to Toustone for support. As a result, the partnership with Toustone has opened new doors for us.”
4. Why did you choose Toustone to support you and your clients with data analytics and reporting?
Michele: I was having a discussion with one of our founders the other day about how we’re going to address the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) challenges, and we’ve got a few options for partners
“His comment to me was, “I just feel like I can trust Toustone. I know they’re really good at what they do, they’re transparent, and we really enjoy working with them. If there’s something we can do with them, that would be my first priority.”
Toustone has built trust and respect over time through consistent interactions and the quality of services they’ve delivered, as well as their platform itself. They developed a bespoke platform for one of our customers, and they’re just really, really good at what they do.
We’ve worked with other providers in the past, but I was constantly getting calls from clients and having to intervene. In contrast, with the Toustone partnership, they just take care of everything. Their ongoing service has met our expectations, communication is easy, and the clients are really happy. It’s been a smooth partnership that works really well.5. Have you been able to leverage Toustone when defining your own product roadmap, given their expertise in exploring new technologies?
Michele: Yes we definitely have. I went to one of the CSIRO presentations, and I was really blown away, to be honest. We’ve been working with Toustone for a long time, but I’d never met Craig Lefoe (Toustone CEO) before. Seeing him present and hearing about the work they’ve done in the rail industry was just amazing. The level of understanding they have about the industry and the legislation that’s coming is really going to benefit us and our clients.
“It’s a great time for us to be working together as data has never been more important for our farmers. They are dealing with a rapidly changing legislative landscape and access to their data to support decision making has never been more important”
6. How has Toustone added value between Conservis and your agriculture clients?
Michele: Well, essentially everything we mentioned before—the ability to overlay the data collected through Conservis with more advanced analytics and combine it with other data sources—has given our customers a much deeper level of analytical ability. I heard Craig (Lefoe) mention “No data, no AI” during his presentation at the CSIRO AI Roadshow this year, and that’s exactly where Toustone comes in. They bring the AI, which takes everything to the next level.
I like to think of Conservis as the platform that collects the relevant on-farm data, anything and everything that impacts the bottom line financially. It’s cleaned, condensed, and stored in a data bank. Toustone can then take that data and add new insights to it as well, like weather stations, moisture probes, and more. By combining all this data, it makes it much easier for our customers to manage their systems. For us, that’s a huge advantage as our customers look to us for advice to help them manage their data effectively, even data that is outside our financial expertise. So having Toustone as a partner means that we can feel confident about whom we are recommending and partnering with.“Our clients don’t need to go elsewhere with Toustone — we can provide them with a one stop data shop.”
There are plenty of software providers out there that do bits of what we do, like managing finances and budgets, but we’re currently the only one offering an end-to-end solution.
“And what really sets us apart is the custom reporting suite that Toustone can provide. That makes us unbeatable, honestly. Our customers only need Conservis and Toustone—that’s it.”
7. How important is it for farmers to future-proof their operations by collecting and analysing data now, even if they don’t see an immediate need for it?
Michele: It’s incredibly important. Even if farmers don’t see the immediate need for advanced data analytics, collecting data now ensures they’re ready when those needs arise. Regulations and market demands are only going to increase—whether it’s around environmental compliance, greenhouse gas reporting, or product traceability. The data farmers collect today will be the foundation for meeting those future requirements.
Having that data already in a clean, centralised platform like Conservis and Toustone, allows for flexibility down the road. When the time comes to dive deeper into analytics or meet stricter agriculture compliance standards, they won’t be starting from scratch.“The key is for Australian businesses to get it in place now. The sooner you can start collecting data—and the easier we can make it for people to do so—the more success they’ll have down the track. It’s all about future-proofing the business and staying competitive in an evolving landscape.”
8. What are your observations and experience around ESG data and the agriculture industry?
Michele: Farmers in Australia have a huge opportunity to start considering ESG and sustainability as part of a solid strategy. It’ll support future market opportunities and the reality is that access to capital and various other stakeholder reports will demand it. Everyone upstream of farmers on the supply chain will be looking for this data.
The thing about farmers is that their impact touches so many companies. So much starts with farming, so they carry a big responsibility. The challenge is, you’ve got a lot of corporate players in Australia who have the resources to centralise all their administration and ESG data. These larger farming entities are already reporting much of this information to their boards and other stakeholders. They have huge advantages that family farms simply don’t. So there is some catching up to do and it’s important for us at Conservis with the support of Toustone to facilitate that. ESG has now become very real in the Australian agriculture scheme. I’m now seeing companies claiming they’ll grow net zero wheat next year! I even saw my first carbon-neutral steak at Coles the other day! So, it’s a matter of getting on board now.“If we can leverage the data that’s already there and make it easier for farmers—and also partner with someone like Toustone when it comes to more complex ESG reporting and analytics requirements—then we can help our agriculture sector comply. That opens up international opportunities for our clients. “
For example, at the 2024 cotton conference I attended in mid 2024, there was a lot of talk about the EU’s textiles legislation on traceability. It’s huge. If we can’t prove single-source origin and traceability on our cotton fibres, we may not be able to access those markets. Companies like Country Road want to advertise their products as “Australian cotton” or “sustainably sourced cotton.”
And the truth is you can’t do it without data. So ESG data is here to stay. And farmers who take it seriously now, will reap the rewards.9. How can governance, risk, and data work together?
Michele:There is a significant link between governance, risk, and data—not just in terms of analytics requirements to understand what’s happening, but also regarding the justification of any ESG claims made. Worldwide, there’s a clear stance against greenwashing, meaning organisations must provide robust, verifiable data to support their statements. Currently, we’re facing a disconnect in this area.
In our industry, we have individuals on the farm and various management levels, particularly in corporate farms, all the way up to board directors. The information needed by directors is likely quite different from what a farm manager requires. This is where Toustone plays a critical role, as it enables us to meet the diverse needs across the entire governance structure of an enterprise client using the same data.
With Toustone, we can provide tailored reports for everyone in the governance system. For instance, a farm manager might need insights on inputs, budget performance, or yield projections, while board directors require comprehensive financial data and validation of ESG reports. This ensures that when they sign off on reports, they can confidently state, “This is what we’ve achieved,” supported by all the relevant information.
Additionally, we need to ensure compliance with all regulations, such as our Fresh Care standards, and global gap reporting for the year. With everything documented in Conservis, retrieving that information becomes straightforward whenever needed.
10. What has impressed you about Toustone? Are there any particular strengths you find in the Toustone team?
Michele:Toustone have a great strength in understanding what data is needed to answer a specific question.
“They’re very good at reverse-engineering the process and figuring out, “Okay, if we combine A, B, and C, we’ll get the answer we’re looking for.” They’re excellent at data mapping and really excel at understanding the client’s needs and custom-building solutions accordingly.”
I’ve worked with developers before who sometimes go off on tangents, building something that doesn’t really align with the customer’s needs, which can be frustrating. But Toustone is very effective at connecting data to KPIs and understanding the bigger picture. They’re great at backgrounding and making sure everything is aligned.
And this strength is key. Take for example anything to do with AI—AI is powerful, but you still need to know what data is required to get the answers you want. Toustone is really good at identifying that and sourcing the right data.11. Any comments or recommendations you’d give to someone in your situation? Are there real ROI benefits for a company to invest in understanding their business through the lens of data?
Michele: What we often say is, that instinct is good, but it’s even better when backed by data. A lot of farmers might say, “I know what’s happening,” but do they really? Often, what we think is happening isn’t actually the case. Data helps us see the truth. Beyond that, it’s essential to have your data available and understandable, because using data to make decisions can supercharge those decisions. Plus, data can open up new opportunities—like accessing markets or proving claims. It’s a new world, and data is incredibly valuable.
“So, if you’re spending money to gather data, you need to make sure you’re leveraging it effectively. It’s also crucial to ensure your data is secure, that it’s not being misused or sold by providers. And of course, the data needs to be clean.”
Toustone really helped us, not only in gathering information but also in cleaning the data so that it’s in a format that can be analysed while keeping it safe and secure.
Investing in your data is a must. We all need to keep our data secure. Using software to manage a farm is still a relatively new concept. We’ve had software to help run different parts of farming, but a comprehensive software platform to manage the entire farm—that’s new. What Conservis provides is software for farmers to manage their entire business. Toustone builds on that by overlaying customisable insights on top of the data, making it more useful for them.
