Farm Ready Tools for Sustainable Dairying
The aim of the Farm Ready Tools for Sustainable Dairying in High Conservation Value Landscapes project was to: • Deliver sustainable farming best management practices and enhance high conservation value native vegetation on Saddleback Mt, Jamberoo, NSW • Encourage stakeholder partnerships to undertake invasive weed control including weeds of national significance (WONS) and to improve the connectivity and integrity of native vegetation that included Endangered Ecological Communities • Increase capability and adoption of farm best management practices by trialling new perennial pasture systems to show they can be adapted to local conditions to reduce soil acidification and increase soil carbon • Engage and facilitate youth participation in natural resource management (NRM) • Encourage intensive level of engagement through extension activities and web materials to motivate stakeholders to adapt to dynamic natural systems
https://landcare.nsw.gov.au/groups/dairy-youth-australia/projects/farm-ready-tools-for-sustainable-dairying
https://landcare.nsw.gov.au/@@site-logo/landcare-nsw-logo-200.png
Farm Ready Tools for Sustainable Dairying
The aim of the Farm Ready Tools for Sustainable Dairying in High Conservation Value Landscapes project was to: • Deliver sustainable farming best management practices and enhance high conservation value native vegetation on Saddleback Mt, Jamberoo, NSW • Encourage stakeholder partnerships to undertake invasive weed control including weeds of national significance (WONS) and to improve the connectivity and integrity of native vegetation that included Endangered Ecological Communities • Increase capability and adoption of farm best management practices by trialling new perennial pasture systems to show they can be adapted to local conditions to reduce soil acidification and increase soil carbon • Engage and facilitate youth participation in natural resource management (NRM) • Encourage intensive level of engagement through extension activities and web materials to motivate stakeholders to adapt to dynamic natural systems
This project will build on research and development undertaken by sustainable farm
management consultancy SBScibus, a leader in this field to deliver measurable
outcomes under commercial dairy conditions.
Through successfully identifying and trialling new perennial pasture species systems
that are more water and nutrient efficient than traditional grass based pasture systems
in coastal dairy farms the project will deliver:
• Previously unavailable deep rooted perennial pasture options and hence the
potential to deliver uptake of coastal perennial pasture plantings by at least 30%
• Perennial deep rooted pastures that ensure year round ground cover, mitigate soil
loss through improved ecosystem wind and water erosion control, increase the
carbon content of soils and reduce nutrient runoff into waterways.
• Pastures that use less fertiliser and grow better on the moisture shoulders which
mean farmers can reduce both costs and emissions and reduce risk of practices
that deliver soil acidification.
• Drought tolerant pasture species with potential for rapid recovery after drought.
• Increase the biodiversity of pasture species.
• Less soil compaction and disturbance as less machinery traffic is necessary for
planting perennials.
• Productive soils which maintain resilience of the landscape to climate change and
farmers ability to increase productivity.
Whilst some relevant information already exists, its access and perceived relevance is
a major barrier to adoption by local farmers. In order to deliver an intensive level of
engagement & practice change we will show farmers deliverable outcomes in their
“own” backyard & clearly show links between profitable and sustainable farming.
This project will build on research and development undertaken by sustainable farmmanagement consultancy SBScibus, a leader in this field to deliver measurableoutcomes under commercial dairy conditions.Through successfully identifying and trialling new perennial pasture species systemsthat are more water and nutrient efficient than traditional grass based pasture systemsin coastal dairy farms the project will deliver:• Previously unavailable deep rooted perennial pasture options and hence thepotential to deliver uptake of coastal perennial pasture plantings by at least 30%• Perennial deep rooted pastures that ensure year round ground cover, mitigate soilloss through improved ecosystem wind and water erosion control, increase thecarbon content of soils and reduce nutrient runoff into waterways.• Pastures that use less fertiliser and grow better on the moisture shoulders whichmean farmers can reduce both costs and emissions and reduce risk of practicesthat deliver soil acidification.• Drought tolerant pasture species with potential for rapid recovery after drought.• Increase the biodiversity of pasture species.• Less soil compaction and disturbance as less machinery traffic is necessary forplanting perennials.• Productive soils which maintain resilience of the landscape to climate change andfarmers ability to increase productivity.Whilst some relevant information already exists, its access and perceived relevance isa major barrier to adoption by local farmers. In order to deliver an intensive level ofengagement & practice change we will show farmers deliverable outcomes in their“own” backyard & clearly show links between profitable and sustainable farming.
To see the final report Visit http://www.art4agriculture.com.au/images/yec/FarmReadyTools_Report.pdf
