Your Super Mate

Best super fund for farmers and agriculture workers

Farming mixes self-employment, family trusts, and income that can swing wildly year to year. The right fund handles lumpy contributions, catch-up concessional caps, and works for households with one primary earner.

Our pick
Australian Retirement Trust
7.70% p.a. 10-year net return · $410/yr at $50k · Performing

Australian Retirement Trust (Sunsuper + QSuper merged) has deep regional Queensland and NSW roots, strong long-term returns, and administration used to agricultural income timing. Competitive fees at higher balances.

Runners up

Solid alternatives if Australian Retirement Trust doesn’t fit your situation:

  • AustralianSuper7.90% p.a. 10y return, $337/yr at $50k. Australia's largest super fund by members and assets.
  • Aware Super8.10% p.a. 10y return, $547/yr at $50k. Public-sector-origin fund, now open to all Australians.

What to check before switching

  • Use catch-up concessional cap rules in low-income years to top up from better years — see our contribution caps calculator
  • Consider spouse contributions if your partner is the one doing on-farm work for little formal income
  • An SMSF can hold business real property (the farm) — but it's complex. See our SMSF setup guide before going down this path

The three things that matter for every occupation

  1. 10-year net return beats any marketing claim. Check the ATO YourSuper tool.
  2. Fees in dollars, not percentages. At your balance, what does each fund actually charge per year?
  3. Insurance defaults vs your actual needs. Use our insurance cost calculator to see the retirement-savings trade-off.

Use the calculator

Plug any two funds into our compare funds calculator with your actual balance — the dollar gap over 20 years can be enormous even between “similar” funds.

General information only — not financial advice. Super decisions are long-term; verify with a licensed adviser. This page is general information; the “best” fund depends on your personal circumstances.