Compost on farms

Using compost in grazing and cropping systems

Stronger Together - LLCI001-003

The issue

This project was aimed at normalising the supply of Recycled Organics (compost) on farms in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales and was funded by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) through the ‘Waste Less, Recycle More’ program funded by the NSW waste levy. This goal of the project was to stimulate the growth of the compost on farms market in grazing and cropping systems within a 200 km radius of Blayney in the Central Tablelands region of NSW. A further part of the project targets agronomy service providers, including agronomists operating within rural produce agents, fertiliser suppliers and spreaders, private agronomy services and specialised industry service providers and invites them to participate in training providing recycled organics (compost) knowledge will provide on-going support and advise that fosters further compost sales.

The solution

Central Tablelands Landcare was invited by MRA Consulting and ANL (Australian Native Landscapes) to deliver a series of "Compost of Farms" workshops across the Orange - Bathurst district. Farmers interested in building soil health and increasing production were invited to attend field days and to take advantage of a free trial or reduced bulk prices of compost as part of their participation in the project. The workshops were aimed to promote the use of compost in grazing and cropping systems and were coordinated by ANL across the central tablelands in conjunction with Central Tablelands Landcare.

Further work is now being directed at agronomist and rural supply centres in the central tablelands - so that staff in these workplaces can better support landholders wanting to move into application of compost on farms.

The impact

Central Tablelands Landcare hosted four compost on farm workshops in total. The workshops were located on properties that had undertaken compost applications so that participants could see first hand the results of the use compost locally. Workshops locations were Millthorpe, Calloola, Oberon and Rock Forest. Attendance at all workshops was strong - with over 75 attendees across the 4 workshops.

The workshop program resulted directly in more sales of the ANL compost products across the Central Tablelands. Farmers confidence in the use and application of compost in the Central tablelands was also increased.

As an addition to these workshops - we also ran a tour of the ANL composting facilities near Blayney for International Composting Awareness Week in the first week of May 2016. This was well attended and participants learnt about the scale of the ANL compost facilities as well as the process of making compost including quality control measures.

Author: alyssa