“Dam management is now erring on the side of caution, due to not knowing exactly where the weather is going,” said Tony Webber, spokesperson for Water NSW.

He and the water management team believe that there is no time for complacency.   

“Contingencies are now in place to ensure we keep the water flows that are necessary for farms and towns. We learned some tough lessons over the drought years and the government has made some great investments to improve facilities and services, so we are in a much better place now.”

Tony Webber, Water NSW

A year of extremes

Multiple 2022 La Nina weather events generated record inflow into major regional supply dams and caused widespread flooding, requiring months of carefully calculated water releases by expert WaterNSW dam managers to protect downstream communities. 

“I have never seen a year like 2022,” Tony said.  

He pointed to some of the statistics to show the extent of the challenge which has faced WaterNSW in the past few years: 

•             On the Gwydir River, Copeton Dam near Inverell exceeded capacity and spilled more times in the latter part of 2022 than the previous 40 years combined, from the amount of water flowing in. 

•             In the past 12 months Keepit Dam – the main storage on the Namoi River near Gunnedah that ran dry during the most recent drought – received and released water from rainfall and river flows equivalent to almost 2.5 times its storage capacity. 

•             If dams like Burrendong on the Macquarie River near Wellington and Burrinjuck on the Murrumbidgee River near Yass had both been empty in July, they would have received enough water since winter to fill and spill almost three times. 

Tony said most people in NSW have seen the news footage of Wyangala Dam spilling into the Lachlan River in November, 2022. This, he said, clearly showed the power and challenges facing WaterNSW dam operators on site, and the planning teams behind the scenes.

The outcomes were a good indication of the diligent and careful calculations and success achieved by WaterNSW dam operators in creating space in the dam between rainfall events to hold back huge amounts of water, before the frightening November deluge finally pushed the dam beyond capacity. 

Tony said they had received praise and thanks but also acknowledges there has been some criticism of WaterNSW, particularly over the critical weather periods and, most recently, with the impacts of the extreme rain and flooding events. While WaterNSW is always working hard to improve its services, he pointed out that the expert teams managing the water flows and dams across NSW often also live and work in the affected areas.  

“In some cases their homes, families and friends have been impacted by the floods. Nonetheless theirs was a major contribution to the flood mitigation efforts by WaterNSW in recent months to protect downstream communities,” he said of his frontline colleagues. 

“It has to be said that due to the efforts our guys made, the flooding was less intense and the impacts weren’t as great, especially when you consider that the dams would have filled multiple times with the rain. In other words, we are talking of extraordinary levels of water which have been above the average and above the forecasts.” 

Tony Webber, WaterNSW

Over the coming months, Water Ministers from the eastern states will meet with federal counterparts to discuss key issues around water management, with particular reference to the Murray Darling Basin Plan and a focus on the Menindee Lakes. 

With unprecedented rainfall in the Darling catchment the massive flows are making their way into the Menindee Lakes. 

Tony pointed out that the lakes were receiving 1.5 times their total capacity in a five-week period during the height of the La Niña rainfall period. With a floodplain that was already saturated, this meant inevitable higher downstream floods. Tony said that the Menindee Lakes are only now showing a fall from peak inflows. 

A better system

NSW Farmers Association has been brokering discussion between water policy makers, local government and farming communities across the state. They recognise that water management is a highly complicated issue and that dialogue with all the parties involved is a means to producing a better system. 

NSW Farmers have taken a strong stance on many water-related issues such as recent buy-back plans and the formulation of a consistent management plan which benefits farmers and the local communities.   

If you enjoyed this story on water management, you might like to read our feature on rebuilding Molong after the floods.

The post Water, water everywhere appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

Many operators source ingredients for their products from local NSW farmers, including grains for whisky and beer production, native fruits for unique tastes as well as local meat and vegetables for the dining experience. It’s an industry worth billions – and it’s still growing.

There is an added bonus to the growth of this new industry: in many country towns the local pub has often seen better days. With a diminishing clientele looking for a few beers with a schnitty and chips, the new local distillers and brewers have been taking over licences and providing a more modern experience.

Brewing in Braidwood

Gavin Gillin runs the Braidwood Hotel, a classic Georgian-style building built in 1859, in the Southern Tablelands town of Braidwood.

He and his partners have a grand vision for the hotel which includes returning the building to its former glory and providing a tourism drawcard to Braidwood with fine food and locally distilled spirits made from local products.

Already the owners have made a substantial investment in the upgrade, and they are looking at an expansion which includes accommodation.

In the basement of the old pub stands a shiny new 500 litre stainless steel and copper still which delivers a variety of gins, vodka, whiskies and now rum – all of which is produced with local and regionally grown grains and additives.

Marketed under Gavin Gillin’s Hold Fast Distillery brand, the expanding range is aimed at customers who are now demanding a family-oriented experience and fine food in an authentically restored colonial pub.

“Our vision is for a nationally recognised tourist venue. We want people to stop here, enjoy our hospitality and then stop and shop in other parts of Braidwood.”

Gavin Gillin, owner of Braidwood Pub and Hold Fast Distillery

The plans to renovate the pub took a hit through the Covid-19 pandemic as few tourists were visiting the town and finding staff to manage the restaurant and bar was difficult, however, Gavin says, as conditions have eased, increasing numbers of people are visiting the town and the Braidwood Hotel.

Having spent 19 years in the Australian Navy, Gavin is not only passionate about building job and career opportunities for locals, but he is also keen to provide a helping hand to the many veterans who are struggling to move on from their military service. 

He believes that when the hotel is fully functioning and the distillery is working at capacity, the venue will be able to employ up to 100 staff.

A win-win situation

Paul McLeay is the CEO of the Australian Distillers Association, which currently has more than 400 members across Australia with more than 75 per cent in regional areas.

“Distillers are producing locally, using grains and botanicals more often than not grown on nearby properties. Craft distillers are working with farmers to obtain the best grains and developing new and distinctive tastes for their products.”

Paul McLeay, CEO of Australian Distillers Assocation

McLeay says that the produce doesn’t stop at grains but also includes a variety of fruits including plums, apples and many others which are used in the
distilling process.

“Australian gin and whisky is selling well in export markets as we have a great diversity of flavours with our native flora that haven’t been seen before on international markets,” he comments.

Domestic tourism to rural and regional areas is also being developed by the new industry. In Tasmania, a whisky trail has been established, while distillery trails in northern NSW, supported by State Tourism authorities, are helping to bring people to
country towns.

Kylie Lethbridge, CEO of the Independent Brewers Association, says that the value of craft beers to the Australian economy is about $1.2 billion and growing.

“Our members are buying local and supporting local. There has been a proliferation across the country of old pubs which would have been boarded up but have been taken over by brewers and distillers who are revitalising them. They are creating skilled jobs in rural and regional areas. It’s a win-win for country towns.”

Kylie Lethbridge, CEO of the Independent Brewers Association

Crafty Craig

Craig Field is known as ‘Crafty’ to everyone who visits the Royal Hotel in Capertee, a village 46km north of Lithgow. Crafty is a larger-than-life character who from small beginnings has established a distillery at the back of the Royal Hotel producing a fine single malt whisky made from locally sourced malted barley.

“We use 100 per cent NSW malted barley from Voyager Craft Malt north of Griffith,” Crafty says. “It is absolutely true that the local distilling industry is on an upward trajectory. New distillers are starting in country towns and creating employment.

“The relationship with farmers is very important. It is a fact that a farmer who grows malted barley will get more per tonne in sales to distillers. We are also sourcing wheat, rye, quinoa, wattle seed, corn and now rice.”

Craig Field, distiller

Crafty says he started part-time distilling and five years ago took a redundancy from his paid job and started full-time production.

He has developed unique marketing processes, not only selling through the pub, but also going to farmers markets and making online sales. More recently, he has been providing tastings combined with a movie in beach theatres and in country towns.

Demand is growing rapidly, Crafty says, as more people recognise the unique Australian blends available in the now internationally recognised creation of whisky and of the range of other spirits.

“We were affected by the fire, Covid-19, flooding and mouse plague, but we are still here,” he attests.

Dangerously good ale

On the south coast of NSW lies the small town of Milton. The licensee of the Milton Hotel is Damien Martin, a chef, brewer, and owner of Dangerous Ales.

He took over the Milton Hotel after 23 years as a chef and changed the look and feel of the pub. Providing the full hospitality experience of fine food, the hotel now boasts recognition in the form of a chef’s hat, and various beverages made from local produce.

“I think what is happening is that country pubs are going back to the way it was in the past, with a brewery in every town. People want to see where the beer is made.”

Damien Martin, owner of Milton Hotel

He says that the clientele of the pub has also changed. “We are now operating under a different business model. We are after people who are looking for a different experience.”

The Milton Hotel operates a 2,000 litre microbrewery system, and its beers are now sold around Australia. The country pub is looking to add a still for the production of spirits to expand its offerings.

If you enjoyed this story on the innovation in country pubs, you might like to read our feature on The Apple Thief Cider in Batlow.

The post Something’s brewing in our country pubs appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

Over the past five years the sophistication and application capabilities of drones has also exploded. 

Drones are now in use helping farmers to manage and maintain vital aspects of farm life. Using remote cameras and other surveillance technology to monitor dams, water flow and water management, livestock movement and health, providing security on buildings and farm machinery, drones are saving farm operations thousands of dollars a year.

They can ensure greater efficiencies of operations by mapping water flow and identifying areas of properties that need fertiliser input and the level required for improved crop yields.

Heavy rains across much of eastern Australia and particularly throughout New South Wales has meant that vehicle movement has been problematic, and the number of farmers with bogged tractors and trucks has meant a limitation of full access to farms. However the issue has been alleviated somewhat by drones, because they are equipped with cameras and are able to go where the utes and tractors can’t.  

That is just the start of their usefulness. 

Highly sophisticated software is being developed which not only assists in efficient use of fertilisers and other inputs but also flow mapping, to measure surface water and to identify the best place to build a dam or the best place for higher yield crop planting. Drones can also identify pests such as weed infestation and feral animal tracking.

Hunter Precision agriculture

Based in the Hunter Valley, Hunter Precision Agriculture is owned and operated by Garth Short. He is developing a unique business base with some of the largest drones currently available on the market.

“We found a drone which is the largest commercial spray drone in the world. We can now compete with air tractors. We don’t need airstrips and we don’t use aviation fuel, so we have an edge.”

Garth Short, founder of Hunter Precision Agiculture

With escalating demand for specialised drone applications for aerial ag, Garth says he is now able to offer environmentally sustainable spray services.

The pride of the Hunter Precision fleet is the HPA Ag Spray Drone. This is a fixed wing autonomous system designed for broad acre spraying. 

Garth points out that many drones have smaller tanks and slow application rates, however, the new spray drones have advanced thrust vectoring and VTOL technology which allows fixed wing spraying at 120km/h (74mph) with a 7 metre (23-foot) boom and with very fast spray refills.

“With these drones we can go to a 30,000 acre cotton farm and have the whole place sprayed in a week.”

Garth Short, founder of Hunter Precision Agiculture

He points out that with many countries now paying a premium for environmentally certified crops, the new drones powered by lithium batteries and delivering highly targeted spray payloads where needed, offers farmers further environmental credentials.

“Major agricultural groups are looking for carbon neutral or negative inputs,” he says. “Our system provides that. This is especially important for European markets.”

The fixed wing drones have a massive 7.3 metre wingspan and a 2.7 metre-long body. They have a maximum take-off weight of 90 kilograms and carry a 45 litre spray payload.

With a claimed one-minute recharge and refill turn around, and the drones travelling at 100 kilometres per hour at a minimum of two metres off the ground, the spray is fast and efficient.

Garth says the company aims to have 36 of the drone units in operation in the next 12 months. 

Lyonag drone solutions

James Lyon says the heavy rains over much of New South Wales has meant that many farmers are not able to drive vehicles over their properties to spray, but at the same time the rains have meant weed growth is greater than it has been in many years.

“The demand to spray for blackberries and St. John’s Wort is huge at the moment,” Lyon says.

His company LyonAg Drone Solutions offers spraying, imaging and mapping and spreading services using a number of purpose-built drones including the DJI Agras T20, T30 and T40 carrying up to 40 litres of spray. 

A former agronomist, James is well versed in the need for effective and efficient spraying but also has a great awareness of environmental factors.

His team developed Artificial Intelligence (AI) software which, when operating through the drone’s cameras, can identify weed clusters and specific spray areas. This provides for economic efficiency in the use of expensive sprays, but also ensures trees and animals are not sprayed.

“I bought my first spray drone two years ago for my own use, I am now working full-time providing spray services,” he says. “There is a very high level of acceptance for the use of drones. I have 85-year-old farmers ringing me wanting to use the drones as a spray tool.

“Demand at present is so high that we are flying 20 days out of every month if the conditions are right.”

James Lyon, founder of LyonAg Drone Solutions

LyonAg also provides mapping services with specialised software and cameras on board the drones to deliver precision 3D mapping and reconstructions as well as a wide variety of multi-spectrum derived index maps.

James says the technical sophistication of the new range of drones means that training users is a vital component. He points out that there are certifications required from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and transport regulators for both the aircraft and the operators.

Understanding the safe and effective use of drones is of the greatest importance, especially in light of the fact that working drones can cost up to $50,000 and licencing and certification can add another $5,000 to that. 

Drone courses for farmers 

The increased interest in drones and aerial ag by NSW Farmers’ members meant that in 2022, specialised training days in drone use and management were provided to more than 500 farmers, contractors and workers.

NSW Farmers Regional Services Manager, Catriona McAuliffe, says that the age of participants in the course ranges from late teens to the 80s, with men and women from all parts of the farming business signing up.  

“It is important to not only have the younger generation undertake training, but all generations and sections of the business so that everyone is invested in adopting the technology and implementing the benefits on-farm.”

Catriona McAuliffe, NSW Farmers Regional Services Manager

The courses are a partnership between NSW Farmers, Tocal College and Bralca and funded by AgSkilled 2.0, the key NSW Government program in building capability and addressing rural workforce issues.

According to Catriona, increased interest in drones has meant that NSW Farmers will be providing more courses in 2023, to ensure farmers remain up to date with best practice and training.

The courses are focussed on safe and CASA compliant operations, increasing productivity on-farm by inspecting and mapping horticultural and cereal crops, irrigation systems, fencing, pest animals, and in recent times, levy banks, water inundation and animal welfare.

“Farmers get to learn how to  to use drones to collect farm data to help make informed decisions such as refined fertiliser, sowing, crop and weed management plans, as well as monitoring and maximising the efficiency of farmwater systems,” Catriona says. 

Tocal College developed the Drones in Agriculture course with leading drone operator and trainer Ben Watts of Bralca to meet an identified industry need to increase the uptake of AgTech. 

More information is available at: tocal.nsw.edu.au/courses/short-courses/agskilled/drones-in-ag

If you enjoyed this story on drones and aerial ag, you might also like to read about the top 3 uses of drone technology in agriculture.

The post Aerial ag is on the rise appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

Happily, there is a ground swell of regenerative farming activity, not only in NSW but around Australia and across the world, as increasing numbers of young farmers and rural business people look for new ways to manage the land. In the USA a recent survey showed that on any given day there is 227,965 acres of farming land undergoing regeneration.

Schools of thought

Over the past few years there has been a huge increase in the number of enrolments in agroecology, regenerative farming, organic farming and agricultural science courses at universities, TAFEs and colleges. 

The National Environment Centre – a TAFE college in Albury – is a case in point. The centre runs one of Australia’s leading agroecology courses – a Diploma in Organic Farming, turning out many graduates who have gone on to be practical examples of the new way of managing the soil, plants, animals and the general environment.

Gerard Lawry is the head teacher for the course, and he is also a 15-year veteran of teaching agriculture, permaculture, organics and practically allied courses. He has also been a mentor to hundreds of farmers looking to apply sustainable practices on their land.

Gerard says there has been a consistent rise in the number of people wanting to delve deeper into soil chemistry, plant biology and the full raft of agroecological teachings. 

“There is a massive change going on and it’s multi-generational,” he says. “The ideas around agroecology are getting a much better reception these days than they did in the past.” 

While he points out that there are now many courses being offered in regenerative agriculture, many simply focus on soils, which is only one aspect of the process.  He says that to be truly regenerative farmers need to look at the total environment and that includes such things as water management, revegetation, better soil testing, a greater understanding of plant biology, building habitats for native birds and animals and so on.

“We need to be thinking of the whole package, that is using ecological services to manage the entire agricultural production system,” Gerard says.

He delivers a strong message about the application of the total package to his students as he believes that unless we take into account the whole ecosystem, the ideal of regenerating land could fail. “To drag the luddites into the light, you have to be extreme,” he quips.

Dr Hanabeth Luke is the Senior Lecturer in Science and the course co-ordinator for regenerative agriculture at the Southern Cross University.

She says there have been 500 enrolments across the University’s regenerative agriculture oriented courses which include a number of Diploma, Graduate Diploma and Degree qualifications.

Dr Luke says the students are varied in age from school leavers to some in their sixties. The popularity of regenerative agriculture courses has prompted the University to look at obtaining farming land for a practical application of the courses. In addition, she says the university is now looking at the potential of a Masters Degree in Regenerative Agriculture. 

On the ground

John McKay is owner and Director of ECTOL – a family owned business created by farmers for farmers, and the provider of unique solutions for the changing climate and economic dynamic. Ectol specialises in plant and crop nutrition, developing products and protocols specific to each farmers’ crop and soil operation.

John says there is a lot of confusion around the definition of regenerative, and around the word sustainable. “In my mind they both mean the same thing,” he says. “Because in modern farming practices we are seeing a loss of production and of vital top soil. The rising costs of inputs such as fertilisers means farmers have to look elsewhere.”

ECTOL’s products include a core nutrient range, a certified organic range and extended nutrient range providing soil nutrition in 1000 litre, 200 litre and 20 litre volumes.

“We have always been in this spectrum of sustainability and regeneration, but my understanding is that the science behind it is to build up soil carbon. We have seen with the overuse of some chemicals and the resulting loss of soil carbon affecting productivity.

John says that in the past some farmers found inorganic elements stimulated production and provided higher yields, but he adds: “We have found that yields are declining because the elements are being bound up and can’t be used by the plant. We aren’t getting the response from a bag of super that we used to get.”

ECTOL was born with a long-term vision to improve farm production using smart science, in harmony with nature, says John.

Not just dirty water

It’s not just deep science that is helping in the regenerative process. Jason Nicholls is an entrepreneur who has built a large business from very small beginnings to service the growing needs of farmers looking for sustainable, environmentally friendly fertiliser.

He has turned “worm wee” (also known as worm juice) into a godsend for farmers unable to pay the escalating prices for fertiliser. “For us, the rising cost of fuel and fertiliser has been a blessing,” he says.

While worm juice was always known for its soil health benefits, there were detractors for its use. But Jason says the benefits are undeniable. From a credibility perspective Jason had his juice biologically tested. “It is full of microbes, and applying this into your garden or soil will unlock precious nutrients which are valuable for healthier, stronger plants and crops,” he says.

Jason began selling his worm juice by the bottle on an almost door-to-door basis, He says his wife accused him of selling people “dirty water”, but he was convinced in the benefits and the future of the product. His company Worm Solutions, which is based in Albury, is now producing tens of thousands of litres of worm juice a year.

Worm Solutions claims the added nutrient in worm juice helps build a soil profile capable of sustaining itself into the future without the requirement of adding synthetic compounds.

With the help of local farmers, Jason has been able to show the benefits of the worm juice delivering increased production and more sustainable land practices as an alternative to costly fertilisers. He is also encouraging others to compost base and worm juice production and he is producing worm farms for those who want to do it themselves.

““I am now manufacturing worm farms from Mackay in Queensland to Tassie, and 200 were made this year,” he said with “We have now sold worm farms from Mackay in Queensland to Tassie and 200 were made this year,” he said.

Actioning land management

The Green Collar Group is Australia’s largest environmental markets investor and project developer. 

It defines its services in four major areas – Carbon, Water, Nature and Plastic – and in each of these areas the company says it works in partnership with farmers, graziers, traditional owners and other land managers to identify, implement and monitor the projects that deliver economic, environmental and social benefits. 

According to Susan Horn, the company’s head of marketing, Green Collar has been working with farmers and others on land regeneration since 2008.

She says that the regeneration process is not just about storing carbon, it also involves high level management of water resources, ground cover and biodiversity to mention a few.

The company delivers diverse projects to assist in the maintenance of a healthy environment. In Queensland, Green Collar is working with farmers to improve water quality run off that can impact the great barrier reef.

Using a mechanism called Reef Credits – a voluntary environmental market that addresses the issue of poor water quality at the Reef – managers are paid for improved water quality resulting from their on-farm actions, without compromising the productivity of their land.

The projects focus on reducing the flow of nutrients (namely Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen) to the Great Barrier Reef through improved cropping practices, or by establishing wetlands. Repairing gullies also generates Reef Credits by preventing fine sediment erosion. Each Reef Credit is a tradeable unit representing a quantifiable amount of nutrient or sediment prevented from entering the Great Barrier Reef.

Reef Credits are sold to businesses, investors, philanthropists and governments seeking to reach water quality targets or achieve corporate ESG or compliance outcomes. The revenue generated from Reef Credits provides land managers with an additional and diversified income stream, that supports ongoing improved practices.

Eco-Markets Australia is the independent administrator of the Reef Credit Scheme.

The company is also involved in carbon farming which means that participating farmers are paid for undertaking environmentally positive land management actions such as looking after the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions or by storing carbon in vegetation and soil.

According to Green Collar, carbon farming does not mean locking up the land. They contend that farming and good environmental land management can work together.

Soil enhancement

A  new method of applying compost – in the form of compost pellets – is opening up affordable ways for graziers to use commercial compost.

High quality compost is set to become a major player in agriculture, after the NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) invested close to $100m since 2013 via its Waste Less Recycle More program to develop high-quality commercial compost industry. 

For graziers, commercial compost can be a wise long-term investment in the health and productivity of the land. It is rich in nutrients and can improve soils and boost crop yield. 

Commercial compost has traditionally been applied by spreading it over the surface of the soil. 

But to do this, graziers need large volumes and, even then, spreading compost across the surface doesn’t guarantee that it gets into the soil.

And that’s why applying compost in the form of compost pellets could be a game changer. 

To test the potential of compost pellets the EPA funded compost pellet trails by MRA Consulting group through an Organics Market Development Grant.

One trial site is Steve Leisk’s farm near Molong in the Central West where the compost use has been an element in transforming the property from sandy paddocks into rich fertile soil. 

As part of this trial, loose commercial compost was put through a pelletiser machine to make pellets.

The compost pellets were then put in the tube of an airseeder and planted with the seed, putting the compost exactly where it was needed – making it more cost-effective and easier to apply.

“The end result is a truly remarkable paddock, and its production is phenomenal,” says Steve. “We’re basically running at four and a half times our previous production levels.”

In promising news for the grazing industry, the trial more than tripled triticale yield, increasing revenue by $1,000 per hectare.

Compost expert Virginia Brunton from MRA Consulting Group says compost is a vital ingredient in farm productivity.

“I realised, principally talking to farmers, that a lot of their production problems were due to lack of carbon in the soil – a lack of organic matter.

“And one of the main sources of organic matter can be compost. Carbon in soil drives the chemistry and biology and everything that makes a farm productive.”

Phosphate solution as fertiliser prices continue to climb

With growing concern among farmers about soaring fertiliser prices brought on by supply chain disruptions, contemporary resource company Agriflex Pty Ltd is inviting farmers to consider finely crushed phosphate rock for direct application on crops and pastures.  

Agriflex Pty Ltd is wholly owned by Centrex Limited (ASX:CXM) and has recently begun mining at its Ardmore Phosphate Rock Project, just south of Mount Isa. The project has been several years in the making and is now operational at a very fortuitous time for farmers. 

Agriflex agronomist Walter van Leeuwen, who joined Agriflex in February this year from S&W Seed Company – where he was Vice President of MENA Sales – said that many farmers are unfamiliar with Direct Application Phosphate Rock (DAPR).

“We crush phosphate rock to less than 4mm so that it becomes a slow-release organic fertiliser which consistently adds phosphate to the soil profile and is therefore a very cost-effective way to augment crop nutrition,” Walter said.  

“We encourage farmers to talk to us about crushed phosphate rock and whether it is suitable for their needs.”  

DAPR is also known to strengthen biotic microbial activity and release additional tied-up nutrients. It is better suited to high rainfall areas or irrigated crops with acidic soils (pH6-6.5) and can be applied in conjunction with Single Superphosphate and other fertilisers to provide combined immediate and long-term benefits.

Centrex Limited’s (ASX:CXM) much anticipated Ardmore Phosphate Rock Project in North West Queensland mined its first parcel of high grade phosphate rock last year with an initial 25,000 tonne parcel being made exclusively available to farmers for use as direct application phosphate rock. 

The lion’s share of the mine’s future product is intended for the phosphatic fertiliser production market, and the company is already supplying finely crushed phosphate rock to an organic fertiliser producer on Australia’s east coast. But as contract negotiations with other producers intensify, it is eager to make local farmers aware that Australia’s reliance on imported phosphate could soon be over.   

Centrex announced its plans to mine phosphate rock at Ardmore in 2018 to help reduce Australia’s increasingly risky reliance on imported phosphate. Over the past year, economic conditions and phosphate rock prices have improved substantially, paving the way for the commencement of mining operations at Ardmore – a key contributing factor being the benchmark 70 per cent BPL rock phosphate price which has climbed month on month over the past year, reaching USD$250 per tonne in May.     

“Phosphorus is critical to the production of food crops and in pasture for livestock and yet we are almost entirely reliant on imported product,” Walter said.  

“Direct application phosphate rock (DAPR) is an effective and affordable soil nutrition solution and Agriflex can deliver direct to any farm in Australia.”  

Regenerative farmers can double income with carbon credits

One of the most important aspects of running a soil carbon project is adapting your management to build carbon rich, healthy soils with productive pastures. This is the core business of RCS and has been for more than 30 years.

RCS is Australia’s leading educator and advisor in regenerative agriculture and works with landholders to profitably build soil health and productivity in agricultural landscapes.

“We’ve had the opportunity to work alongside thousands of farmers as they transform their land and business, and we are now seeing how that can translate into soil carbon below ground,” said RCS chief of delivery David McLean.

Carbon aggregator CarbonLink recently released preliminary soil carbon findings linked to properties where landholders had graduated from RCS programs and adopted RCS principles. 

CarbonLink commercial director, Andrew Gatenby said: “The results showed that producers on extensive grazing properties can double their income by undertaking a soil carbon project that generates carbon credits”. 

“The top 20 per cent of beef producers in southeast Queensland implementing time-control grazing can generate $100/ha/year, and with a well-managed soil carbon project this can lift to $200/ha/year (net of costs-unaudited),” Andrew said.

“To build soil carbon your ecosystems need to be regenerating. That is, spiralling up towards greater diversity and health, rather than spiralling down towards degradation,” he said. 

“Combine this with more hydration, resilience and access to new income streams – like natural capital and biodiversity payments – and the health of the land, livestock, business and people will benefit.”

The evolve bladerunner

What originated as a cover crop crimping machine is quickly evolving to cater to changing conditions and benefit farmers in the short and long term. 

The Evolve Bladerunner’s first prototype was designed and built in November 2020 as a way to sustainably terminate thistles in pasture and crimp cover crops. “The results astounded us,” cattle producer Gus Hickman from Woodstock said. 

“Not only did we eliminate a variety of weeds, but we were also able to influence the growth of desirable grasses and clover which shot up. 

“Since then we have seen a dramatic change in weather patterns and an increase across the board in input prices. Evolve Engineering, as the name suggests, is evolving with these changes and paving the way for sustainable enterprises by allowing producers to reduce input costs and manage the challenges that come with increased rainfall. 

“We are seeing a number of key influences in why farmers are contacting us interested in investing in our machines and leaning towards a more sustainable approach to improving their seasonal practices both in pasture and cropping,” owner Joe Fleming said. 

Stock prices, the cost and availability of chemicals, fertilisers and inputs and increasing weed resistance are all weighing on producers and pushing them to seek alternatives. Evolve Engineering is providing this alternative and allowing producers to maximise production efficiency per acre by avoiding elimination of desirable pasture with broadleaf chemical sprays. 

“I think farmers are realising now how the continual increase of inputs is really hurting their profit margin. It’s just not sustainable anymore. It is really exciting that we can provide a multi-purpose alternative to Australian farmers, helping them to overcome these challenges and make the most of the good seasons we are seeing.

“The applications of these machines are only limited by the producer’s desire to innovate and implement new practices.   An example of this is Gus Hickman using the Bladerunner to knock down seeding Phalaris grass which drastically reduced the prevalence of Pink Eye in his herd. 

The team at Evolve is customising their patented Bladerunner machines to suit farmers needs across Australia.

If you enjoyed this feature on regenerative agriculture, you might like our feature on hydrogen powered haircuts.

The post Regenerative ag: the tides are turning appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

They have been working hard of recent time. Rain gauges which had stood dry for years in some cases, were overflowing. There were days when areas of NSW had up to 200mm in one day, and in many parts, more rain than we have had in years.

It has been a time to celebrate.

However, we can’t forget that we live on the driest continent on Earth. Two years of La Niña weather patterns and climate change have brought the east coast of Australia drenching rains but there is no room for complacency. We know that the spectre of drought is not far away.

A spokesperson for NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) explains the severity of the drought in some regions: “The 2017-2020 drought was the worst on record for most of the state’s key rural valleys.

“During the drought, many regional towns faced severe water restrictions, with some coming dangerously close to running out of water entirely. Dams were at record lows and farmers and irrigators saw some of the lowest allocations ever.

“The town of Walgett was among the worst hit, recording no flows for 364 days, marking the longest cease-to-flow period ever recorded in the Barwon Darling River.

“Water sources across the state hit record lows, with Wyangala Dam falling to just 8 per cent capacity, Burrendong Dam dropping to 1.5 per cent capacity and the Menindee Lakes left virtually empty with only 1 per cent capacity.”

Preparing for El Niño

The Bureau of Meteorology predicts changes in rainfall patterns with a steady decline in summer, winter and spring rains, but with a rise for autumn falls. 

New strategies are needed to safeguard the resource.  

A lot of work is going into solving the problem which will inevitably arise as La Niña turns into El Niño and the abundant rain patterns ease. The fact is, without water there will be no food from the farms and therefore the equitable sharing of this precious resource has to be high on the agenda for both regulators and government.

The jury has been out on some of the past water management policies on our major rivers and catchment areas which have highlighted some questionable practices in distribution. 

That is history and now is the time to review and revitalise where necessary.

A fresh new strategy

In September 2021 the NSW Government launched the NSW Water Strategy – a 20-year blueprint to deliver resilient and sustainable water resources to communities across the State.

As part of that plan the NSW Department  of Planning, Industry and Environment is focussing on 12 regional areas including Greater Hunter, Macquarie-Castlereagh, Lachlan, Gwydir, far North Coast, Border Rivers, North Coast, South Coast, Namoi, Western, Murrumbidgee and Murray.

Strategic investments are being made to upgrade the water capacity in these areas and therefore supply it to farmers and residents.

The review will look at the latest climate evidence, and work with stakeholders like farmers, water service providers, Aboriginal communities, local councils, and other interested communities across NSW to plan and manage the water needs in each NSW region over the next 20 to 40 years.

Kevin Anderson, NSW Minister for Lands and Water, said the importance of upgrading the State’s water management ahead of a potential dry period could not be overstated.

“I know the importance of water to regional communities, for everything from farming and agriculture, secure town water and the environment,” he says.

“Since I have taken up the responsibility as Minister for Lands and Water, I have been pushing hard to fast-track critical water infrastructure in NSW. This includes the Dungowan Dam, which I have been working hard to get moving, to get shovels in the ground and I believe we have made significant progress.

“It is very important that we get the balance right when it comes to water and making sure our farmers are treated fairly and equitably.”

All States and Territories are working to develop water programs that deliver an equitable distribution of water to farmers and city dwellers alike. The inevitability of a future drought is now spurring all administrations along.

In NSW, the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment is leading the charge.The Department is exploring new storage and pipeline options, desalination, water efficiency, additional groundwater schemes and recycled water options, among many other diverse and innovative solutions.

“These strategies will help us prepare for future extreme events to manage the risk to communities and industry,” the spokesperson said. The strategy is underpinned by climate modelling working towards improved water efficiency. The department also believes the implementation of the consulting work and the development of a strategic direction will guide how, where and when future investment is made in water infrastructure.

Metering our precious water resources

Strong lobbying from many farmers has resulted in better metering systems providing for smart, robust, accurate and consistent measurement.

The non-urban metering rollout is based on national non-urban metering standards, agreed by all Australian states and territories in 2009 and reaffirmed in 2018. The roll out has been underpinned by investment from NSW government including $18 million rebate to encourage users to adopt the telemetry program.

It is important to know that the non-urban metering reforms will be enforceable from December 1, 2022 in the Southern Inland and from December 1, 2023 in Coastal NSW.

Telemetry technology allows near-real-time monitoring of water use. These metering systems upload and transmit water use data, including extraction, flow and storage readings to the Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR), WaterNSW and the NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DPE).  

All this means water users can get instant access to their water information via a personal dashboard, NRAR can ensure water is being used according to the rules, and the NSW Government can make sure everyone’s water rights are being protected and water users and the environment are getting their fair share. 

There are a range of support programs farmers can access around the purchasing of metering equipment, including instant tax write-offs, as well as the NSW and Commonwealth Government’s telemetry rebate of $975 for telemetry units.

Irrigation Australia has been ramping up its training and certification program for meter installers, with the number of meter installers growing from around 30 in 2018 to around 160 today, with another 40 undergoing training.

“Whether you use a little or a lot of water, every drop needs to be measured,” the DPE
spokesperson says. 

“If you can’t measure it and monitor it, you can’t manage it, which is why we’ve committed to rolling out a modern, transparent and consistent metering policy across NSW. 

“Metering also provides farmers and irrigators with vital, up-to-date information on their water usage.”

The Government has made changes to its water management regulations to give legal effect to its Floodplain Harvesting Policy.

The amended regulation has created an enforceable regulatory framework for floodplain harvesting which will allow accurate measurement of the amount of overland flow taken by licensed floodplain harvesting water users, and ensure it remains within sustainable limits.

“Our floodplain harvesting policy is an Australian first, allowing us to measure this historically legitimate form of water take and ensure it remains within the legal limits,” the spokesperson said. 

“This reform offers significant benefits to both water users and the environment. By licensing floodplain harvesting and returning the water drawn from floodplains to legal limits, we are returning water to rivers and floodplains. 

“Water is our most precious resource, and the NSW Government is ensuring northern basin water users, downstream communities and the environment continue to benefit from our river systems in a sustainable way. 

“The reform will also provide certainty to farmers and communities who rely on floodplain flows.”

Delivery of precious water projects is critical

A key element in the upgrade of NSW’s water management and retention programme is Water Infrastructure NSW (WINSW)– an organisation established in November 2020 to lead the development and delivery of key water infrastructure projects and programs across the state. 

Since its formation, Water Infrastructure NSW has secured around $500 million in Australian Government funding to accelerate the delivery of critical water projects.

Some key projects in planning or currently underway include, the Belubula Water Security Project, a new pipeline to transfer water between Lake Rowlands Dam to Carcoar Dam when storage is full or spilling to improve water security for the Belubula Valley, as well as the option to increase the height of the Lake Rowlands dam by 2.2 metres.

WINSW is also working on options to improve water security for the Macquarie-Wambuul and as part of this is investigating storage to replace the existing Gin Gin Weir near Dubbo which is now more than 120 years old and currently restricts native fish species from moving along the river. 

One of the options being considered has the potential to hold an extra six gigalitres, and increase water availability by up to 17 gigalitres a year in the Macquarie-Wambuul region. 

A significant amount of development work being carried out to progress the Wyangala Dam Wall Raising Project, which is expected to increase storage capacity from 1,217 gigalitres to 1,867 gigalitres and will significantly improve water security across the Lachlan Valley. 

Construction has begun on the first stage of the new 55km underground Dungowan Dam Pipeline which will deliver greater water security to residents in Tamworth and the Peel Valley.

Stage one of the Dungowan pipeline construction is starting early February and is expected to take up to 18 months to complete.

If you enjoyed this feature on water, you might want to read our feature on biodiversity schemes that farmers can be paid for.

The post Watching out for our precious water appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

Not deterred by a decade of drought, followed by massive bushfires, then a global pandemic, and then floods and a mice plague, crises that would have been more than most businesses could handle, the rural sector is capitalising on two years of rain to plan ahead.

There will be floods, fire and drought, but with good planning and the right infrastructure, they will get through.

The global pandemic has added a few more hurdles such as massive global supply chain disruption causing upheavals in the buying and selling of goods. But this too has helped farmers to plan ahead, as product ordered can take months to arrive instead of weeks. Spur of the moment purchasing decisions for everything from trucks and tractors to silos and technology just doesn’t work. Forward planning is now becoming the name of the game.

La Niña sets the course

For many, heavy rainfall and flooding did setback what was to be a bumper grain and some horticulture crops were spoiled. But, commodity prices are strong, particularly in the livestock sector, and there is plenty of water to store. That has meant – cash in the bank and a chance to look to renewal and repair of important farm infrastructure.

The need for planning is critical as there will be many more challenges on the horizon as we experience more frequent and more severe climate events. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says a La Niña period has set in having become established in the tropical Pacific. This is having a major impact on weather patterns with higher than average rainfall throughout summer of 2021-22. BOM’s climate models indicate La Niña is likely to be maintained until late summer.

According to the BOM, Australia’s temperature and rainfall variability are also influenced by global warming caused by human activities. Australia’s climate has warmed by around 1.44 degrees centigrade for the 1910 – 2019 period. Rainfall across northern Australia during its wet season (October – April) has increased since the late 1990s. In recent decades there has been a trend towards a greater proportion of rainfall from high intensity short duration rainfall events, especially across parts of northern Australia.

In line with those predictions, eastern NSW has already experienced much higher than average rainfall and a very wet summer, the rainfall with the bursts of sunshine has made everything grow. And it doesn’t take an ag scientist to tell you that – all you have to do is look over the fence. Reports of record grain harvests, bumper crops all round are arriving in silos, sheds and warehouses across NSW.

Optimal growing conditions

Kirk Harberger, is the CEO of the family owned and operated Harberger agribusiness which supplies and implements premium equipment and facilities for the farming community. “We are a direct importer of infrastructure with our own building crews.”

While Kirk admits that availability of some materials have slowed down because of the pandemic causing shipping and ocean freight delays, the demand has continued to rise for a wide range of farm infrastructure.

“A large part of our program is almost full for next year on the building side,” he says.

Kirk believes that more and more farmers are planning ahead for their farming needs, in a more competitive and constantly changing domestic and global marketplace. He says many farmers are planning one to two years ahead as they realise that getting the infrastructure and equipment they need cannot be purchased in a short time frame.

“Farmers are very hungry for technology which will help them to be more efficient. It’s the way it has to go.”

Kirk says that the difficulty in getting labour, particularly skilled labour means that farmers are looking for more tools that will allow them to farm with fewer employees.

“Most farmers are happy to pay for good skilled labour. When you think that some equipment, like a header, is very technical and can cost up to $1 million, you don’t want someone who is not skilled driving it into a fence.”

He says that the technology being applied, like automated satellite controlled driverless machinery, Artificial Intelligence software that can help to increase output and maintain product, such as grain monitors, is much sought after.

“There has been a culture of change growing in the farming community that has been needed for some time.”

The timber shortage

Ian MacArthur, of Norwood Products, says that despite the bumper crops across many parts of Australia, a lot of stock such as timber is extremely hard to get.

He says there are even suppliers who are approaching Norwood Products to get product. But part of the reason for the scarcity is, according to Ian, due to the fact that the building industry is going crazily well.

Established in 1992 – Norwood Products is an Australian owned business, providing quality outdoor timber products including morticed timber post and rail fencing, gates, bollards, landscaping timbers supplying individuals and large scale operations such as the building and construction industry.

Norwood supplies to contractors, councils developers, management committees and individual clients. Ian says that that most farmers are aware of the supply constraints and are prepared to be patient.

“If you are building a fence and using a contractor, there can be a 12 month wait,” he says. But despite that, contractors he has spoken to are still taking orders.

Many farms are now replacing fences washed away in recent floods or damaged by the fires in 2020.

Implementing renewables

One of the key areas for infrastructure upgrade is the implementation of renewable energy supply. For many farm operations, the cost of diesel is, alongside labour, a sizable and growing impost. With farmers being one of the first sectors in Australia to embrace emission targets, the adoption of renewable energy such as solar, batteries, wind and hydrogen power is rapidly increasing.

Red Earth Energy Storage Solution is an Australian company, using mostly Australian manufactured equipment to deliver solar powered battery solutions.

Jeremy Whaley, Red Earth’s head of engineering, says farmers increasingly need reliable, scalable energy supply. 

While Jeremy does not dismiss other renewable energy solutions he says that at this time, the sun with constant free energy is the best and most reliable option.

“We have moved exclusively to Lithium Ferro Phosphate batteries and we provide a very modular and scalable solution,” he says.

Working with a farmer to work out exactly what their most efficient mix of power supply needs might be is an important part of Red Earth’s implementation strategy. That way the farmer gets the most cost effective solution but always with an upgrade path and an eye to the future and potential for growth.

“We work with the farmer to find out first what their kilowatt or power requirement would be and secondly what kilowatt hours, or storage, is needed. So, we audit and assess power usage such as how many fridges are on the farm, how many machines need to be powered and then we can work out system size.”

As businesses across the country move to reduce their carbon footprint in order to reduce costs and to comply with growing global demand for low emissions production, more and more farmers are assessing their power needs. 

Supply and demand

Andrew Kotzur of Kotzur says the past two years of good growing conditions means that the Australian agriculture sector is “going gangbusters”, but despite there being more cash available for vital infrastructure upgrades, everyone has been forced to look ahead due to supply issues. “We are all learning to be patient,” Andrew says.

Kotzur Silo is a family owned operation which has manufacturing sites in Walla Walla, near Albury and in Toowoomba, Queensland. The company makes silos of all sizes and is an end-to-end supplier.

Andrew says that there have been some issues with scarcity of materials but he argues that because his company uses almost exclusively Australian product and because the company is a large scale producer, there have been few problems meeting customer demands.

“We have a preference to use Australian made steel where we can. Some of our heavier materials are not made here and we are seeing more imported materials than normal. But, because we are a significant user, we have supply chains in place,” he says.

“Some of the smaller components can be a problem for example, one major component we use in the fans is imported and the factory that supplies had been hit by COVID-19. We had to scramble to find another supplier.”

Andrew explains that there have been some issues with components such as printed circuit boards from Europe, and with delays due to the pandemic, he has had to fly the components out from Germany in order to keep manufacturing on schedule.

Kotzur makes silos up to 12,000 ton capacity. He says demand is now very high due to the good cropping of the past two years.

He predicts there will be several stand out issues in 2022 which have to be solved for the rural and general business community.

“We are all a bit gun shy about making predictions given what has happened over the past few years,” he says. “But clearly labour force optimisation is vital in the effort to provide higher efficiency in farming.”

Andrew says that issues such as pricing and production, changing weather, supply chain management and efficiencies in bulk handling and road efficiency linked to a national heavy vehicle regulation and accreditation are all issues of concern for the coming year.

If you enjoyed this feature on farming infrastructure, you might like our feature on R&D in agriculture.

The post Plan ahead: farmers & infrastructure appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

Many people may still think that unless you own land there are no jobs in agriculture, but with more and more universities joining TAFE colleges and offering a diversity of agricultural qualifications, that’s simply no longer true.

Agricultural consultancy, animal nutrition, ecology, environmental engineering, farm management, hydrology, marine science, cell biology, coastal and ocean science, computer and earth science, ecology and conservation, biology, food science and nutrition. These are just some of the many sectors in farming, and the list goes on.

Off-farm agricultural careers are also growing as support networks in the industry expand. Artificial Intelligence is a case in point, as more farmers use technology to provide them with the competitive edge. Information technology graduates are also needed to develop the tools that the modern farm requires. Using robotics combined with AI, farmers can access better information about crop yields and they are better able to project their eventual income levels. 

The use of drones is now almost commonplace, as farmers apply the technology to everything from property security to water, soil, stock and plantation management.

The need for people entering agricultural career options with backgrounds in the sciences, biology, chemistry and physics – allowing them to better understand soil management and plant growth – is becoming critical as global markets adapt to climate change. 

Changing perceptions

As the CEO of the Primary Industries Education Foundation, and a former secondary schools agricultural and science teacher for 10 years, Luciano Mesiti knows about developing secondary and tertiary level courses aimed at encouraging young students to take up agricultural career paths.

He admits that developing teaching material in the agricultural careers space is difficult, largely because of the prevailing perception that owning a farm is the only way to have a career in agriculture.

“In many schools it is challenging because the curriculum doesn’t encourage agriculture. There is still this stereotypical image incorrectly attached to agricultural employment, of a bloke on a tractor. That perception, along with the idea that remuneration levels are too low, and that there are no career paths in the industry. However, research shows that wages per hour in agriculture are higher than hospitality at entry level.”

Luciano Mesiti, CEO – Primary Industries Education Foundation

Luciano says that students need to understand that agriculture is not just farming, but that there are many jobs along the chain in the development, marketing and sale of food.

“The fact is that 80 per cent of agriculture happens beyond the farm gate,” says Luciano. “Getting that into the minds of young people is difficult.” 

Agriculture is booming

Australian farmgate production is on track for a record-breaking $66.3 billion year. 

The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) June quarter 2021 Agriculture Commodities report shows how the sector has navigated the uncertainties and challenges posed by COVID-19 and changes in the international trade landscape.

The ABARES report states: “Australian farms employed 326,000 workers on average across 2018-2019, including full-time, part-time, casual and contract employees. 

“Total farm employment varied from 356,000 in February to 311,000 in June 2019, reflecting the timing of relatively labour-intensive operations such as planting and harvest. Variation in total employment on farms is driven by changes in the use of casual and contract labour on farms (often known as seasonal workers).

“Broadacre farms are the largest employers in Australian agriculture, accounting for an average of 159,000 workers in 2018-19. Fruit grape and nut farms employed around 104,000 workers, vegetable farms employed 38,000 workers and dairy farms employed an average of 24,000 workers over the year.”

Luciano says that the statistics speak for themselves and there is a growing understanding of the need for professionally trained people in the ag sector.

“Many young people think the work is boring and while this is changing slowly, many urban people have a lack of connection as to where food actually comes from.”

Luciano says that the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures showing the increasing move of urban dwellers to regional and rural centres is also helping to change the erroneous perception. 

Raising awareness of careers in agriculture

In the past three years the NSW Government and the education standards authority have been moving to increase exposure by students to potential agriculture careers and to a greater understanding of the paddock-to-plate food production chain. 

As a result, all students now have to do 50 hours of agricultural studies at high school.

“NSW now has the largest number of students doing agriculture as an elective. In Australia overall there has been a 30 per cent jump in ag degrees offered by universities and agricultural related courses through TAFE,” Luciano comments.

But the reduction in funding and support for the TAFE sector has created many issues for continuing education in rural and regional areas. 

“We have a crisis in the education system in schools across Australia,” says Luciano. “There has been a decline in the number of teachers in the tech areas such as woodwork and specialised ag areas. We have found that some schools have removed their ag programs because they don’t have the teachers. There has to be a high priority to think about ag from a technical perspective,” Luciano says.

He points out that many TAFE colleges are still offering these specialised tech short courses, despite the cuts to funding and he says other educational institutions such as Tocal College are implementing specialised courses such as drone use and management as well as robotics and AI development. 

Increasing study options in agriculture

The NSW Government has a range of courses and study options in the agriculture industry at all stages of a person’s career. The School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBAT) is currently available through the TAFE curriculum.

There are SBATs in agriculture, horticulture, conservation and land management related areas available at NSW Government Schools. There are currently 101 Government schools across the state that offer these courses. 

The NSW Education Standards Authority also has an Agricultural Technology Syllabus available for study for students in Years 7-10, and an HSC Syllabus in Agriculture for study by students in Years 11 and 12. 

Enrolments in all qualifications with the exception of Production Horticulture and Production Nursery are placed in the NESA Primary Industries Course, which is an Industry Curriculum Framework course which contributes to the HSC, ATAR and VET qualifications. 

The NSW Government has also introduced the AgSkilled 2.0 program which funds fee-free training for job seekers looking to work in the plant-growing agricultural industry sectors of cotton, grains, production horticulture, viticulture and rice growing.

AgSkilled 2.0 training is also available for existing workers seeking to upskill or change their careers in agriculture. 

This program is designed to help develop career entry pathways, employment, and career progression by providing the industry-relevant skills employers want and need.

These courses are designed in consultation with the plant-growing sectors and have a focus on skills in production, technology, business and safety. 

The AgSkilled 2.0 training is available across rural, regional and metropolitan NSW.

Want to find out more about possible careers in agriculture? You can read about the fantastic courses available at NSW’s regional universities here.

The post Careers in agriculture: the brave new world appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

The trend to educate and stay at home has been amplified by the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Preferring to stay close to home where the chances of catching the virus are lower, country student enrolments have risen dramatically in the past year.

According to Dr Caroline Perkins, executive director of the Regional Universities Network (RUN), seven out of ten regional university graduates stay and work in their region once they complete their degree or diploma, which is adding a vital resource to the regional economy.

RUN represents seven regional universities in Australia, specifically in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria: Charles Sturt University, Southern Cross University, the University of New England, Central Queensland University, University of Southern Queensland, University of the Sunshine Coast and Federation University.

Caroline comments that enrolments in regional universities have been increasing over the past few years as people living in regional Australia opt for local vocational development rather than travelling to the major cities.

She says that the development of courses designed to meet regional needs, such as agricultural science, nursing, healthcare – including aged care and childcare – and teaching, have become a strong offering for all regional universities in Australia.

High demand, low budget

Caroline says the recent federal budget failed to recognise the increasing demand for regional education, and despite the undeniable statistics, regional universities were largely ignored in the budget’s allocations. 

This is particularly the case where infrastructure is concerned. Infrastructure benefits the whole community as assets such as sporting facilities, concert halls and other services can be accessed by locals.

The chair of RUN, Professor Nick Klomp, who is also vice-chancellor and president of Central Queensland University, says the lack of funding for infrastructure at regional universities is a major gap in the federal budget.

“RUN has long argued that regional universities in Australia should be eligible for relevant infrastructure programs in the regional development portfolio, such as the Building Better Regions Fund.

“Regional universities are anchor institutions for their regions, and make a fundamental contribution to regional economies. Infrastructure at our universities improves research capacity, supports the engagement and partnership with regional industry, and provides broader social benefit to towns. Government should support the establishment of innovation precincts at regional university campuses.”

Prof. Nick Klomp, Chair of the Regional Universities Network

TAFE pulls an even shorter straw

The impact of federal government cuts has been even greater on the TAFE college system, with funding slashed by 24 per cent over the next three years. It is TAFE colleges that provide vital hands-on training and certification for the trades and agriculture, disciplines vital to our farming communities.

Colleges such as TAFE’s National Environment Centre (NEC) in Albury, NSW, which provides a wide range of agriculture, business and community-based courses, will be forced to reduce or combine courses as the financial cuts take hold.

The NEC operates a large organic farm where the disciplines of organic farming, regenerative agriculture and advanced farming techniques are taught to a growing cohort of farmers and would-be farmers.

Gerard Lawry and Rob Fenton are the key teachers of the range of highly respected, internationally recognised agricultural courses available through TAFE Albury. They support distance students, mature age students and young school leavers who want to develop skills they can take back to their farms, or indeed to help them find meaningful work in rural areas.

Gerard is one of the very few organic farming teachers in Australia, and has honed his skills by drawing from academics, farmers and researchers around the world. He has inspired many farmers to embrace agroecological practices to manage scarce water resources and to better understand soil chemistry and plant biology as an integral part of the growing global demand for better and more sustainable food production.

He says there is a growing number of mature age students: people who have lived and worked in urban centres and who are now gravitating to rural areas and want to gain a better understanding of farming techniques.

“Many of these people are making life-changing decisions to give up city living and to move to a farm environment,” Gerard says. “What we are really teaching is a way of thinking differently about diplomas. Any student can do it and go away questioning the processes and the prevailing methods with the aim of doing it better.”

A reinvigorated interest in ag

TAFE currently has more than 130 locations around New South Wales providing a wide and diverse range of courses, most of which are practical and lead to jobs for the participants. TAFE offers a range of degree, diploma and certificate qualifications in disciplines such as agriculture, accounting, legal studies, human resource management, bookkeeping, IT software and hardware, business management, healthcare and many more.

Professor Paul Prenzler is the acting head of the School of Agricultural & Wine Sciences at Charles Sturt University, based in Wagga Wagga. He says the number of students doing the range of agricultural science courses has increased dramatically in the past year.

“We have a mix of country and city students and we provide an online learning facility for all courses to distance students,” he says.

“The Bachelor of Agricultural Science has proven to be our most popular course, and we have developed a new stream of business-related courses as well. Wine science, viticulture and agriculture business management are all increasing.”

Within the courses, the university is providing students with information to help them better manage the land. Regenerative agriculture, environmental awareness, water management as well as crop and livestock management are all becoming mainstream subjects.

The university also offers the full range of undergraduate opportunities, which aim to feed into the commercial and social needs of rural towns and cities. 

Micro credentialing, a pathway to employment

Several regional universities in Australia are looking at innovative methods to deliver targeted and relevant education to students. A new concept of micro credentialing is being trialled by a number of institutions. 

For many people, having a degree or diploma is not relevant to their needs – but elements of the courses are important for their job or potential job. Therefore universities are looking to break up degree and diploma courses into modules and provide more targeted accreditation.

These courses can be as short as eight weeks, allowing students flexibility to work and study.

Sydney’s Macquarie University has also been developing links to regional NSW, with the creation of courses and services for rural and regional students.

Macquarie established the Widening Participation Unit, which regularly visits regional, rural, and remote areas of NSW to engage with primary and high school students to outline the benefits and accessibility of tertiary education.

The aim is to give young students in regional areas a taste of university and to provide information, awareness and confidence in accessing higher education pathways. 

Students from regional backgrounds are also provided the opportunity to participate in multi-day on-campus experiences, giving them exposure to university life and study.

In catering to the trend of country kids wanting to stay home rather than move to a city campus, Macquarie has become a key player in the online learning space, including having a major role in Open Universities Australia. 

Since COVID-19, the investment in online delivery and comprehensive learning support has increased.

Some regional universities and colleges have spread their courses across multiple country towns. For example, Charles Sturt has campuses in Wagga Wagga, Albury, Bathurst, Port Macquarie, Orange and Dubbo, and each campus offers a range of courses relevant to local needs. The Wagga campus is the centre of agricultural, veterinary, medical and business studies, for instance, while Albury focuses on healthcare, environmental sciences and teaching. The full range of the courses is listed on the university’s website.

In addition, online courses include law, accounting and business, IT and education studies.

Tocal College is located in the Lower Hunter region, and has a second campus in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area at Yanco, near Leeton and Narrandera. 

The Tocal campus shares its site and resources with the famous Yanco Agricultural Institute (YAI), which has provided generations of NSW farmers with specialised agricultural training.

James Hook, deputy principal of Tocal, says the institution is offering a wide range of courses, including many short training courses for primary producers, owners of small farms, new entrants to agriculture and horticulture, and to those thinking of investing in a rural enterprise.

Recently the college ran a specialised 4WD course primarily for forestry officers and regional council rangers. The intensive driving and knowledge course was run in the Cooma area and featured hands-on experience for participants.

James says that, aside from its agricultural and business courses, the Yanco campus also runs the highly regarded Aboriginal Rural Training Program, and co-ordinates skills training programs across NSW and interstate.

He says Tocal works closely with TAFE NSW on courses that will meet the needs of industry. 

He adds that the college has been providing educational support to farmers and regional residents for generations: “This year we have a few students whose parents were students, and one whose grandfather was a student.” 

Fundamentals of business and grazing success

One way to combat uncertainty caused by uncontrollable markets and weather is education. Through upskilling and improving our working knowledge, it’s possible to grow more grass and crops using the free inputs available – namely sun, rain and ecology.

“The interest in learning how to use more of what we have for free and less of what we need to pay for is gaining momentum,” says RCS trainer Nic Kentish. “We don’t want to lose gross margins per hectare. Rather, we want to gain overall production as well as focusing on soil health to hold as much moisture as we can.”

Through courses like the Farming & Grazing for Profit School and the RCS Business Fundamentals Workshop, participants gain intensive training in ecology, grazing systems, drought management, decision-making based on meaningful data, and the essential components of profitable agribusiness management. 

Grazier and participant Guy Watson, says – “It was a hugely valuable program, as it provided a large amount of detail on the science behind the regenerative grazing approach. It has given me the tools to start applying the techniques, with a greater understanding of the processes involved.”

A push towards regenerative agriculture

The introduction of studies examining the impacts of climate and environment has increased the focus of agricultural studies courses.

“All units look at environmental impacts and the triple bottom line. We have introduced a unit of livestock organics and looking at soil health. Regenerative agriculture is an area where we want to work,” James says.

Tocal also offers a range of online courses for people wanting to upgrade their knowledge in a specific area. James says recently many former students have been looking to upgrade their qualifications to make themselves more employable.

“We have lots of farmers looking for graduates for work placement – they are sought after as they have technology, business and agricultural skills to offer.”

The University of New England’s 14th vice-chancellor is Professor Brigid Heywood. UNE is based in Armidale and services a wide area of regional NSW. 

Brigid takes the view that regional centres can have a major impact on innovation and new business development, which helps drive regional jobs and career opportunities.

The UNE provides the full spread of undergraduate and many postgraduate courses, similar to those offered in Sydney’s universities. In addition, Brigid points out that UNE operates a number of Smart Region Incubators (SRIs), where innovative development of new technologies and services is the order of the day.

The SRIs are in Armidale, Moree and Taree. These centres, Brigid says, provide capacity for economic diversity in line with the university’s prime objective to skill and upskill the workforce.

Macquarie University has a large online cohort, which it believes is being increasingly accessed by students, young and old, in rural and regional NSW.

Recently the university began sending teams out to regional centres to promote its undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

With the downturn in foreign students and reduction in government funding, all universities have been looking at better ways to service the local community. Macquarie says that regional enrolments have been rising slowly over the past few years, but the impact of COVID-19 has meant that more regional and rural students than ever are looking for online courses, which allow them to get high-level education without having to relocate to the city.

The steady flow of coastal and city dwellers moving to the country shows that many Australians are ready to embrace the bush, but reports Michael Burt and Ian Neubauer investigate one important question: will regionalisation make the bush great again?

The post Students flocking regional universities appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

Despite the fact Watson was in the next room, that transmission began the greatest change in the way we communicate, setting in motion a rapidly evolving development of scientific innovation in telephony and communication. Now, 145 years later, Bell would be shocked to see the way his invention, the telephone, has evolved.

For people living in rural and regional areas, the advancement in communication technology has also brought huge advantages to the way we farm and do business. 

The exponential leap forward in the technology surrounding telephony seen in our lifetime includes a move from the local country exchange and party lines to the delivery of high-speed internet and WiFi via satellite. This allows us not only to make phone calls but to download movies, send vital medical information such as X-rays and scans to hospitals in major cities for instantaneous consultation, attend conferences via video link and interact virtually with other attendees, and use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to send data to central computers to evaluate crops and stock and improve farm productivity.

But with all that choice comes a great deal of complexity and, of course, confusion. Working out exactly what services you need to procure for your farm can be mindboggling. How much bandwidth will you need? Do you need satellite, or will the terrestrial services suffice? Are there black spots on your property that WiFi and other forms of communication don’t reach?

The NBN test 

Sam Dimarco is NBN’s general manager for Segment and Stakeholder Relations. He is also a farmer running cattle on his property at Dorrigo in the Northern Tablelands.

With his unique insight into the needs of farmers and people living in rural and regional areas, he can empathise with the confusion surrounding matching the right technology with the right farm.

“I would say that farmers generally know what access to data can mean for them and their farm businesses,” Sam says. 

To help farmers and other rural residents understand the technology and decide what’s best for them, NBN has developed the Digital Capability Assessment Test. 

According to Sam, “It’s a five-minute test that provides a score that helps you understand how connectivity will work for you.”

As part of the test, Sam gets farmers and other rural users to develop a digital plan on a page. Then, with the results of the Digital Capability Assessment Test, they are able to fill in the gaps and understand what is available to suit their needs.

NBN also ran a Flexible Lifestyle Survey, to gauge how people were using their connectivity facilities during the pandemic, and how they were changing their lifestyle to get optimal balance between work and home life.

“The survey found that many people were more productive working from home. It also found that with the productivity there was a rise in the trust factor of employers. In addition, a third of people surveyed were keen to move away from urban centres, with most wanting to head to the regions.”

Sam says NBN is providing the infrastructure to allow this move to rural and regional centres to continue, with people being able to maintain high-level telecommunications connections. NBN has already rolled out Business Fibre to 230 towns across Australia, allowing businesses to tap into high-speed fibre optics for their data needs. 

On his own property, Sam says he is running several communication links, including cameras for security, to maintain a watch for wild dogs and to check on his cattle. In addition he is able to run video conferencing facilities from his farm to keep in touch with his NBN team.

While he admits it’s still early days in some parts of the country, the range of technologies – fibre, WiFi, 5G, satellite and so on – are coming together to allow rural uses to get the same level of coverage as urban subscribers.

Alternatives for connectivity in the bush

For more than a decade, Rod Hill has been helping regional and remote customers select the telecommunications services that best suit their needs.

As National Channel Manager for Activ8me, Rod specialises in working with agriculture and remote work camps customers.

He has sorted out the data and telephony needs of customers as diverse as a mining camp in the Northern Territory and a caravan park in New South Wales. In all cases the needs vary. The mining camp had 70 users, all of whom moved around over wide distances, but still required high bandwidth connectivity. 

“Workers needed reliable connectivity in very remote sites, so a mobile satellite-based solution was the best option. It is a portable service that you can pack up and take with you to the next location.”

National Channel Manager for Activ8me, Rod Hill.

Rod describes the equipment as a tripod with a dish, which is set up to align with a satellite using an auto finder. “Activ8me is the only operator offering a portable solution like this,” he commented. 

“The caravan park had 126 users, and they needed WiFi mainly for email and to check availability at the next park. That’s okay as long as you’re not streaming data, but when Mum and Dad are streaming Netflix and the kids are playing online games, you might have a problem. Sky Muster Plus is a better option here.”

He says Sky Muster Plus provides faster speeds than other base residential satellite offerings, but adds that the different requirements of each individual case will dictate different solutions.

“We were dealing with a farmer who had to drive 100 kilometres a day to check water. With the satellite connection, WiFi and a water sensor, he could do that from home, saving thousands of dollars and a lot of time that could be spent on other, more productive activities,” says Rod.

He adds that many people are not aware of the range of services available, and often, without professional advice, they opt for something that does not meet their actual needs and costs them too much. He urges farmers and rural users to seek advice before committing.

Ramping up radio

Another alternative in the connectivity puzzle is RF or Radio Frequency solutions, using the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) and Very High Frequency (VHF) bands to provide radio communications across a range of activities, including emergency beacons.

GME is an Australian owned, Sydney-based electronics manufacturer specialising in the design, engineering and manufacture of RF communications products.

According to Lewis Pascoe, GME’s head of marketing, radio is often the only solution available to farmers and others working in remote areas. 

“The fact is that phones only cover 14 per cent of the nation geographically, and therefore wireless, UHF, is really the only way many people in remote areas can communicate.”

Lewis Pascoe, GME’s head of marketing.

The solutions available within the RF range are increasing rapidly, and are far more than the ubiquitous CB radios installed in many off-road vehicles. GME is trialling new technologies for commercial and military use at their research and development lab in Sydney.

Ruggedised farm-wide wifi

Dan Winson is the founder and CEO of Zetifi, a wireless networking company that creates ruggedised, off-grid optimised wireless network devices and systems. The company provides, among other things, innovative solutions to deliver connectivity in rural and remote locations using solar-powered WiFi networks. 

According to Winson, the company is building the platform of choice for cost-effective, farm-wide voice, video and data connectivity. By providing fast and reliable WiFi, their solutions offer improved productivity for farmers and other business operators in rural and remote areas.

One example is Bob McKay, Executive Director of inventory management platform AgriDigital. As well as his work with AgriDigital in Sydney, Bob also runs a grain farm near Warren, NSW, and balancing the demands of these two ventures was made even more challenging by persistent coverage issues at the farm.

“We were working in the city trying to get to the farm as often as possible, but it’s a six-and-half-hour drive. When we did get to the farm, communication was difficult because we are outside the coverage area for NBN fixed line and wireless. We had to walk around holding a phone in the air just to get a signal.” 

Bob McKay, Executive Director of inventory management platform AgriDigital

COVID-19 meant that Bob was often working from home so he decided it was time to address his connectivity issues, so he could make it a more regular and productive base for work. He met the Zetifi team at a trade show and the rest is history.

Zetifi team assessed Bob’s property and came up with a solution using a proprietary ZetiCell with high-gain antennas fixed to the roof to capture and boost the 4G signal, which was patchy at ground level. This strong signal then connected to an access point inside the home. The end result was fast and reliable connectivity inside the home, and a 300-metre field of WiFi outside via the roof-mounted ZetiCell.

“We now also have a weather system and a watering system running on an Internet of Things (IoT) connection, and cameras for security so we can watch the property when we aren’t there.” 

Bob says he is now spending more than 50 per cent of his time in Warren on the farm while continuing to run his business. The new technology has provided connectivity and speeds in excess of 85/40 megabits per second. 

“The speeds at the farm are faster than what we have on NBN in Sydney,” Bob says. 

Get audited for better connectivity in the bush

In the future, technology will reach out and cover rural and remote Australia with the full scope of connectivity options. But there are already plenty of options for farmers and regional residents if they know where to look, according to Ran McDonald, director of Powertec Telecommunications.

“We are the largest distributors of the legal mobile signal booster called Cel-Fi,” Ran says, adding that in many cases this is a good solution for farmers and rural business users. 

In order to decide on the best solution, Ran recommends farmers have an audit done of their property. Powertec maps out a farm using geospatial technology and determines the best site for a tower, if that is what’s required. Boosters can then be used to enhance the signal.

Ran’s company has had a major increase in business over the past year as more people have moved their business into rural areas. He’s found many people don’t know which solutions are the most cost effective for them, while remaining realistic. 

“Farmers are often a bit sceptical about many of the solutions, A lot are on Sky Muster and are aware of the bandwidth limitations.”

Ran McDonald, director of Powertec Telecommunications.

He says the future of an alternative, highly effective solution such as low orbiting satellite technology is, unfortunately, a long way off for Australian users. “Reports are that by 2026 the US will have their country covered this way. The US and Europe are spending a lot of money on low orbit – but we are five to 10 years behind.”

He says 5G offers the best solution in the meantime and, with boosted signals, most people will get the connectivity they want and need.

If you enjoyed our feature on connectivity in the bush, you might like our feature on farming trends on the rise.

The post Connectivity in the bush – bring in the experts appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

It’s the event of the year for the town of Wombat, 15 kilometres south of Young in the South West Slopes region and it draws tractor enthusiasts from all over south eastern NSW.

This year, 2021, there was a fear that the pandemic would mean the event would not go ahead, but an all clear was given by the council in the nick of time. 

For Chris, who currently has more than 100 vintage tractors on his block, it is always a chance to show off the best Australian built machines and to provide a walk-through of the history of local and imported tractors.

“We have Chamberlains, AW6s, Internationals and well over 100 other tractors,” he said.

“The Chamberlain Super 90, which is an Australian made tractor from the early 1950s, is still our best pulling tractor. Up against some of the modern tractors of its own size, it goes pretty well.”

Tractor collector Chris Holmes.

Chris says that he buys his tractor exhibits from farmers around the country where many an historic gem can be found rusting away and forgotten in farm sheds.

“We just started out with a couple of tractors we were trying to get parts for and it grew from there. We are always looking for more,” he says.

Tractor talk

The oldest tractor in Chris’s collection is a 1920s Ford and a McCormick-Deering. He explains that these tractors have now entered the antique market and that over the years there has been a lot of trade internationally in vintage machines. In fact, he gets people coming from all over the world just to look at his tractor collection.

Last year a tractor made in 1912 by Melbourne company, A.H. McDonald, sold for more than $400,000 at an auction in the US. 

The Imperial EB model internal-combustion tractor is a two-cylinder, 20 horsepower machine and state of the art in its day.

A. H. McDonald was Australia’s first tractor manufacturer, starting production in 1908. There were numerous others as the delivery of tractors and other farm machinery from England was expensive and took many months.

Most Australian tractor brands, like Chamberlain, were bought up by large US and European manufacturers. Chamberlain was purchased by John Deere in 1970.

But the traditional source for machinery including tractors was England, and the first internal combustion tractors to be sold in Australia were English Ivels which arrived in 1903. 

Twelve months ago, auction house Donington sold more than 100 restored vintage tractors.

Donington Director, Cameron Sabine says, “We sold everything and at good prices too. All of the tractors came from a single collector and most were in good running order. While some of the tractors went overseas, a vast majority went to collectors in New South Wales and Victoria.”

Cameron says his background is in classic cars, however, the wide interest in tractors meant that he would be running more auctions for vintage farm machinery in the future. “There are definitely a lot of people interested in tractors,” he says.

A silver lining in tractor town

While COVID-19 almost derailed the Wombat Australia Day Tractor Pulling Competition, 2020 had something of a silver lining for the tractor and farm machinery industry. 

According to Gary Northover, Executive Director of Tractor and Machinery Association of Australia (TMA), a record number of tractors were sold in 2020 to farmers taking the opportunity to capitalise on the wet and the optimal growing, planting and general farm maintenance weather.

The addition of the federal government’s Instant Asset Write Off Scheme made it a perfect time to buy. The Asset Write Off provided a much needed boost to both farm machinery sales organisation and farmers.

Essentially the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) allowed eligible businesses to claim an immediate deduction for the business portion of the cost of an asset in the year the asset is first used or installed ready for use.

Claims of up to $150,000 for each asset are allowed and businesses can claim multiple assets, such as new or used farm equipment, utes, tractors etc, with the proviso being that the cost of each individual asset must be less than $150,000. 

This allowance is available for assets bought before 30 June, 2020 and first used or installed ready for use between 12 March 2020 until 30 June 2021.

“2020 didn’t start out well for tractor people, but then the instant asset write off and the rain helped to make it the best year.”

Gary Northover, Executive Director of Tractor and Machinery Association of Australia (TMA).

He says the major growth sector has been in the smaller acreage and the development of the ‘leisure market’ for tractors and farm machinery.

“The broadacre farmer is a steady end of the market. The growth is in the 60 horsepower sector which is expanding each year. They are the lifestyle, hobby, vineyard and orchardist farmers, not the big end in terms of land holdings. This market also includes councils and private use.” 

Overall Gary says this group constituted the majority of tractor buyers in 2020, and he says NSW farmers were the major buyers with sales up 84 per cent on the same period in the previous year. 

He says that Australia has always had a role in the tractor and farm machinery industry and although the days when tractors were made in Australia are long gone, local input to research and development for future tractors is driving the global manufacturing innovation.

“We’ve been working with the Department of Environment looking into emissions and we are now looking at product too,” Gary says. “Over time there will be an evolution with electric tractors coming on to the market for some early adopters who are always going to be there.”

There are already a number of electric engine battery powered tractors on the market and hydrogen fuel cell drive train tractors are beginning to emerge as hydrogen fuel sources becomes more available.

However no matter how shiny, slick and fancy the new breed of tractors might be, it seems there will always be a special place in the market for tractors of yesteryear.

If you enjoyed this feature on Australian tractors, you might like our story on seed singulation.

The post A short history of Australian tractors appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.