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(webpage currently under construction).
This major project is funded by the GRDC through their Validation & Integration Program. Our partners for this project include I&I (Industry and Investment) NSW, AgNVet Services and the CSIRO. The project is to run over a period of 5 years, commencing 1 July 2008 and to be completed by 30 June 2013; with GRDC contributing $1,721,500. This will be matched or exceeded by inkind contributions from the region. The project is designed to increase the WUE of cropping enterprises in central and south western NSW by 10% by 2013.
Activities to be undertaken to achieve this outcome include:
• Use of an established paddock database to determine baseline WUE and identify possible constraints.
• A research study into the interaction of livestock and cropping.
• Extension activities aimed at increasing change on farm; including workshops, structured field days, and on-farm monitoring of selected farms.
• Joint work with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) to improve the measurement and understanding of WUE, and the use of models to upscale from individual crop to across rotation and whole farm WUE.
• Establishment of a project steering committee to oversee the project.
Outputs to include:
• Initially, key sites for on-farm activities will be identified from the BettaCrop database. Three farms (3 paddocks per farm) spread across the target region at various stages in the rotation and farming systems will be selected for these activities.
• Six workshops (as identified by focus group meetings with stakeholders) to be delivered at key locations across the target region within the first year. As well, there will be continued development of the “Soil water and nitrogen management in a variable climate” workshops. All workshops will assist in understanding the impact of management interventions on WUE.
• Publications quantifying the impact of grazing animals on subsequent crop production, with recommendations on minimising negative outcomes, will be developed within 5 years.
• Management trials conducted at a minimum of 5 regional sites each year examining practices which increase crop WUE.
• Spring field days at research & extension sites each year, together with annual preseason and midseason activities to ensure grower involvement and rapid update of results.
• An annual publication with results/outcomes from research trials and from CSIRO modelling conducted during the previous year.
• Quarterly newsletters and email updates to keep growers up to date.
Outcomes from this project will include:
• Increased awareness and understanding of the management practices associated with improved soil/water relationships in the farming system
• Key soil/water measurements undertaken to assist validation of current crop models for the central west region.
• Increased landholder ability to manage seasonal risk associated with water storage, WUE and nutrient availability.
• Management practices which improve crop water supply and WUE will be identified, demonstrated and extended through on-farm research, development and extension.
• Improved farmer knowledge of the costs and benefits of grazing livestock on cropping land will be developed from the research module.
• Provide input into the CSIRO improved whole farm analysis WUE model, to enable growers to apply practices which improve crop and whole farm WUE efficiency.
For information about this project contact Jodie Dean, CEO on 02 6895 1015. For information about the CWFS Regional Sites, please contact Brad Davis, Regional Site Coordinator on 02 6895 1050.
This project is being funded by Woolworths & Landcare Australia through the Woolworths Sustainable Farming Program. This project commenced 1 July 2009 and will be completed 30 June 2010; with funding of $38,000. “Farmers Driving Sustainability & Innovation” supports the CWFS Regional Site program and allows the continuation of annual activities across all eleven of these sites. This includes, replicated trials on both a small and larger scale in addition to facilitating farmer run demonstrations. Furthermore, it supports the annual regional site field days and crop walks, and assists with the dissemination of information through production of our CWFS quarterly newsletters, the CWFS website, and the production of the CWFS Annual Compendium.
For information about this project contact Jodie Dean, CEO on 02 6895 1015. For information about the CWFS Regional Sites, please contact Brad Davis, Regional Site Coordinator on 02 6895 1050.
A second project to the value of $20,700 funded by Woolworths & Landcare Australia through the Woolworths Sustainable Farming Program will consist of a 3 day bus trip, through southern NSW and Northern VIC in mid-2010 to visit and observe a number of ‘champion farmers’. It will be designed to engage farmers directly in observing the benefits of sustainable farming practices, and to increase farmer decision making skills and confidence. This, in turn, leads to an increase in the adoption rate of conservation and sustainable farming practices on a regional scale. The project also incorporates the purchase of a hand held Greenseeker, and will allow farmers to see firsthand its usefulness as a decision making tool. This will then also be utilised in our current Precision Agriculture program.
The tour will aim to develop the skills and confidence of farmers in adoption of new technology, with a triple bottom line focus of improving the economical, social and environmental outcomes. Farmers will also be able to implement best management options in response to seasonal viability by the decision tools learnt on the study tour. Case studies of farmers will be produced to show adoption rates, with a report to be issued in the quarterly newsletter.
For information about this project contact Jodie Dean, CEO or Lisa McFadyen, Extension Officer on 02 6895 1025.
This project has been developed in partnership with the SPAA - Precision Agriculture Association. It commenced late in 2009 and will run until 31 July 2012. Funding has been sourced by SPAA through the GRDC for the duration of the project, with a total budget of $63,000 over the 3 years.
The aim of this project is to increase the level of adoption of precision agriculture (PA) ‘beyond guidance’ by broadacre grain growers. The project specifically aims to increase the level of adoption of variable rate by growers in the project to 30% by 2013.
CWFS will be coordinating 2 grower groups through this project, aimed to cover the southern and northern areas of the CWFS region. Four on-farm research sites will be run in conjunction with these groups. These hosts and trials they will be conducting in 2010 include:
Southern Group
• Mat & Andrew Ryan, Rankins Springs will be trialling variable rate seed and fertiliser
• Michael Pfitzner, Rankins Springs will be trialling variable rate lime
Northern Group
• Matthew and John Duff, Wirrinya will be trialling variable rate seed and fertiliser
• The Wass Brothers, Nyngan will be trialling variable rate Easy N on a canola crop
Each group will meet 3 times per year for pre sowing and harvest workshops and for in-season crop walks/field days.
For further information, please contact the Project Coordinator Neil McMillan on 0428 953 762 or Jodie Dean, CWFS CEO on 02 6895 1015.
A one day women’s agriculture and natural resource management (NRM) conference was held in 2009 designed to build the confidence and skills of women in both of these areas, and thus enhance their leadership and representative capacity and decision making skills.
The program for the day consisted of women speakers covering both technical topics as well as their experiences of ‘how to get involved”, how to get the community involved and positive ways to move forward, including major issues such as the effects of climate change and climate variability.
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