These job losses affect people working at the company’s head office in Adelaide and at other support centre locations across Australia.

The review is the second stage of the business transformation program that Elders committed to in June this year.

The first stage involved replacement of the company’s state-based management with a new regionally-based management structure, involving the placement of key leadership roles in rural and regional communities.

Elders Rural Services managing director, Mike Guerin, says the thrust of the review aims especially at identifying avenues for improving the cost effectiveness of its branch network operations.

“We want to ensure that the Elders network is properly supported so that it can deliver the service quality our clients expect from Elders on a cost-competitive basis,” Mr Guerin says.

“Australian farmers should have access to best-in-class agribusiness services that are as cost competitive as they are relevant.

"This is why we have undertaken this review of our head office and support centres.”

He describes the latest restructure as a net investment in the communities Elders seeks to serve in rural Australia.