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110 STATION WAGON 110 CREW CAB PICK UP
For over sixty years Land Rover has backed Australia. From the Snowy to the Kimberley, FNQ to Tassie. Now Land Rover
announces the Defender model line up: five 110’s and three 130’s. From two seats to seven. With all new powertrain, anti
stall, and all new levels of comfort, including air conditioning as standard. So maybe it’s time you put Defender back on
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CONTENTS
VOLUME 10 NUMBER 1
AGRI
Published by:
business
3 Beef Industry
9 Cattle, Meat + Livestock
ABN 30 007 224 204
430 William Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
10 Future Farming
Tel: 03 9274 4200 Fax: 03 9329 5295
Email: media@executivemedia.com.au 12 Cashflow Management
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14 Agricultural Chemicals
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Ric Navarro 23 Risk Management
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26 Best Practice
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40 Education + Training
Printed by: Arena Printing Pty Ltd
42 Salinity
Front Cover: Goulburn-Yass Superfine Wool
Breeder John Ive, measuring dam salinity on
his property, Talaheni. Read John’s Dam
45 Farm Machinery + Equipment
Salinity Report Card on page 42.
Photo by Graham Tidy, The Canberra Times. 52 Water
53 Crisis Support
54 Rural Property Market
The editor, publisher, printer and their staff and agents
are not responsible for the accuracy or correctness of
the text of contributions contained in this publication 60 Irrigation
or for the consequences of any use made of the
products, and the information referred to in this
publication. The editor, publisher, printer and their staff 63 Landscapes
and agents expressly disclaim all liability of whatsoever
nature for any consequences arising from any errors
or omissions contained in this publication whether
64 Innovation
caused to a purchaser of this publication or otherwise.
The views expressed in the articles and other material
published herein do not necessarily reflect the views of
66 Research
67
the editor and publisher or their staff or agents. The
responsibility for the accuracy of information is that of Breeding
the individual contributors and neither the publisher or
editors can accept responsibility for the accuracy of
information which is supplied by others. It is impossible 69 Soils
for the publisher and editors to ensure that the
advertisements and other material herein comply with
the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth). Readers should
70 Crops
make their own inquiries in making any decisions, and
where necessary, seek professional advice. 71 Weeds
© 2009 Executive Media. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part, without written
permission is strictly prohibited. 72 Wine + Viticulture
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“A vegetarian in a Hummer
produces fewer carbon emissions
than a meat eater in a Toyota Prius”
A child, from the film Meat the Truth.
T
his statement sums up the growing rhetoric against to include the agricultural sector as an emitting industry
agriculture, and in particular beef and livestock, under the scheme. So far, almost all of the debate has
from many in the world who are concerned about focused on the emissions side of the scale, that is the
climate change. role of agriculture in producing GHG emissions, and the
Much of the debate emanates from a report published point in the market chain at which entities are required to
by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation hold permits to emit GHGs.
(UN FAO) in 2006, Livestock’s Long Shadow, which The future of agriculture in a GHG obsessed world
attributes 18 percent of global green house gas (GHG) does not look bright. As it currently stands, carbon
emissions to livestock, more than that generated globally trading is all downside for the Australian farm sector.
by transport. In Australia, agriculture is attributed with There is hope however, which has been ignited and is
contributing 16 percent of national GHG emissions, 75 now being flamed by the Carbon Farming movement in
percent of this from livestock, mainly in the form of Australia and internationally. The hope lies in the other
methane from ruminants. Methane is about twenty times side of the scorecard which is the role of agriculture in
stronger than carbon dioxide in its greenhouse effect, so reducing GHG emissions. Agricultural systems and land
when methane emissions are converted to “carbon management practices for crops and pastures which
dioxide equivalent” (CO2e) as a common denominator lead to the sequestration of carbon from the atmosphere
for measuring GHG emissions, methane tends to tip the into long lived soil organic matter pools are slowly being
scales. recognised as a major “sink” for carbon. What is slowly
As advances are made in strategies to reduce fossil emerging is that the farming system used makes all the
fuel based energy and transport, the next big focus for difference between food and fibre which is “carbon
climate change mitigation is on the food system, with negative” versus food and fibre which is “carbon neutral”,
beef being singled out for particular attention. Anti-meat or even “carbon positive”. These practices, which can be
campaigns are multiplying, with a multitude of movies referred to collectively as “carbon farming” are the
such as Meat the Truth, websites and books suggesting antithesis of the high GHG emitting, industrial agricultural
that we humans must drastically reduce or even stop systems which are the basis of the 2006 UN FAO report.
eating meat altogether, in order to mitigate serious As these systems slowly gain recognition, and the
climate change. potential of soil as a significant sink for the existing
From the Australian livestock farmer’s perspective, this legacy load of CO2 in the atmosphere, interest from
must seem ludicrous, yet another assault on farmers farmers is mounting. “Growing” soil carbon while they
who are already struggling with drought, decreased grow food and fibre may lead to an additional revenue
terms of trade, increased input costs, succession issues stream in the form of carbon credits. Instead of just
and in some cases, banks hovering with threats of bearing the cost of GHG emissions, farms which are
foreclosure. demonstrably sequestering soil carbon will generate
Whether you agree with the notion of human induced tradeable credits in the carbon trading market. Whether
climate change or not, that fact is that the world is now or not these soil carbon credits are tradeable under the
slowly grinding its way towards economies which rely CPRS will depend entirely on whether, after 2013, the
less on the emission of carbon dioxide and other agricultural sector is permitted to generate and trade in
greenhouse gases to provide energy – be it fuel, such credits. Until that happens, soil carbon credits
electricity, or food. The agriculture and food production remain tradeable in Australia on the voluntary market,
sectors will be required to make adjustments in this which is not insignificant.
transition, just as the energy and transport sectors are. So what is carbon farming? It is not a silver bullet, but
The proposed Australian Carbon Pollution Reduction a range of farm land management practices which lead
Scheme (CPRS) is not adding much comfort to the to the net sequestration of carbon out of the atmosphere
farming sector, with the treatment of agriculture and into the soil. These practices have in common a
remaining uncertain. The Australian government has series of basic principles, including:
stated that it will wait until 2013 before deciding whether • Maintenance of 100 percent ground cover
GRACEMERE SALEYARDS
For fifty-six years the Gracemere Saleyards has been used as a marketing vehicle by cattle
producers to trade livestock whether they be prime or store cattle to a bevy of buyers
competing in an open market. This time honoured tradition has witnessed little change other
than the introduction of liveweight selling in the late 1970s. Liveweight selling saw the
imposition of curfews with carriers having to deliver stock before the 9pm deadline [twelve
hours prior to the commencement of sale].
Improved facilities have seen enhanced service delivery with new selling pens,
unloading/loading ramps [single & double deck], truck-wash, clearing dip, high-mast
lighting, selling ring, agent offices, buyers lounge, cafeteria, toilets, conference facilities,
undercover arena, stables, small stock facilities, truck parking and car parks, reticulated
water and sewerage.
What does the future hold for producers? In the past two decades many producers have
sought to maximize their returns by selling direct bypassing saleyards. This has seen the
demise of a number of saleyards and the development of new facilities in many of the
regional centres. Issues of animal welfare, environmental controls, and safety all add to the
changes incorporated in a modern selling centre and it is apparent these changes will
continue as the industry develops. The modern producer is taking advantage of technology
whilst developing skills in better managing his or her business. Saleyards are no different,
embrace change, use it or lose it.
BEEF INDUSTRY
• Reduced soil disturbance such as zero till Group of farmers who are focusing on growing
• Increased soil biota, by reducing application of perennials to combat erosion and salinity. Wilson has had
chemical pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. great success with growing deep rooted evergreen
• Utilisation of deep rooted perennials as grazing perennial tagasaste in the sandy soil of his farm in the
fodder, or in conjunction with cropping West Midlands region, 400 km north of Perth. Farms in
• Increased biodiversity, both in flora and fauna this region have suffered with significant salinity and
• Increased farm and soil hydrology erosion problems under “traditional” farming methods.
Carbon farming covers a fairly broad church of Using tagasaste as fodder for cattle, and also as a wind
systems and approaches and farmers who utilise these break has reduced erosion to zero and helped
systems have experimented with various aspects of one significantly with managing salinity issues. Wilson’s farm
or more of these methods to work out what suits their has maintained an income in the significantly drier years
farm the best. What is common to all of them however, is that the west has experienced in recent times (the
the increased levels of Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) that records show that climate change has already hit the
are generated. hardest in that region of Australia). By implementing
There are a number of recognised land management carbon farming methods, Wilson and other farmers using
systems which come under the banner of carbon this approach have actually reversed the grave threat of
farming, and which utilise these principles in various desertification of this particular region by building and
ways. These include: maintaining soil health and preventing sandy topsoil from
• A range of grazing management systems and blowing into the sea.
approaches which regulate the time and intensity of In Western NSW, farmers Col Seis and Bruce Maynard
stock access to pasture, followed by long periods of have spent the past twenty years developing innovative
time for plant recovery cropping and grazing systems which utilise deep rooted
• Pasture cropping, a zero till, direct drill system of perennials. Seis practices “pasture cropping”,
planting annual crops into perennial pastures maintaining native perennials and cropping directly into
• No kill cropping, a system which utilises Coulter type the thick litter that they produce. He has discovered that
implements to sow into existing plant and litter cover perennial and annual species grow happily together.
• Water management systems which manage the Sheep are also grazed in this system. His chemical
overall hydrology of the farm, including natural inputs are dramatically reduced, which lowers the overall
sequence farming and Yeoman’s Keyline System cost of production. Seis has been measuring soil carbon
• Biological Farming, a range of natural products used on his property for a number of years, and notes that in
to stimulate the growth of soil biota addition to increasing soil carbon, the ecological function
• Composting of the soil has improved, which has led to increased soil
• Restoration of grassy woodlands by planting trees as water holding capacity and improved nutrient availability.
supplemental livestock fodder Maynard has taken a similar approach. His “no kill”
The good news is that Australia has some amazing farming system also utilises native perennials, but
“Carbon Cockies” who are already putting the theory into eliminates chemical and fertiliser inputs and uses
practice, with incredible results. Farmers across Australia tyneless Coulter type implements to sow dry in order to
are now utilising these systems across a wide range of minimise land disturbance. Input costs, including fuel, are
farm types including beef, sheep, cropping, mixed significantly reduced. Diesel use for example has been
cropping and livestock and horticulture. For some of reduced by 80 percent. Maynard’s system also utilises
these Carbon Cockies the key issue has been land time control grazing, and he is finding that increased
regeneration, for others drought proofing has been the plant biodiversity supplies secondary compounds to
prime motivator to make the change to these systems cattle which can assist rumen function and reduce
which work more closely with the ecology of the land. methane production.
The benefits to these farmers extend beyond just Tim Wright from the Northern Tablelands in NSW is a
increasing soil carbon. pioneer of cell grazing, and has spent seventeen years
WA farmer Bob Wilson is a member of the Evergreen drought proofing his farm by increasing stock levels but
Brisbane handles 56% of the country’s containerised market, of which 35% is chilled and 65% is frozen. In the past 12 months
to June 2009, shipments of meat through the Port of Brisbane totalled 51,554 teus up 2% compared to the previous year.
Over 30 shipping lines are actively involved with the export of beef through the Port of Brisbane, and the port’s two container
stevedores, DP World Brisbane and Patrick Terminals, offer over 2,350 reefer points. Patrick is increasing its reefer plug
points from 1,124 - 1,348 to accommodate future growth in the trade.
The Brisbane Multimodal Terminal the logistical interface between rail, road and sea offers exporters an efficient and reliable
supply chain network, with the capacity to store over 80 containers at any one time.
The two new emerging markets of East Asia and South East Asia continue to drive volumes, compensating for the decrease
in volume to the more traditional market of South Korea. Queensland, as the nations largest beef producer with 12.2 million
head of cattle in June 2008, is a major driving force in Australia’s export beef market.
The Port of Brisbane Corporation is optimistic about long-term growth, and is committed to the continued investment in
port infrastructure that will help sustain Australia’s trade well into the 21st century.
If you’ve got beef to export, why not speak to Australia’s leading beef port? At the Port of Brisbane, we
provide specialist advice and logistical assistance to all customers of our world-class, purpose-built
facilities. For more information please contact our Business Development Manager, Andrew Brinkworth.
P: +61 7 3258 4728 E: Andrew.Brinkworth@portbris.com.au portbris.com.au
ACN 124 048 522
grazing them intensely for short periods of time. His levels on registered farms, and conducting ongoing
average paddock size has gone from 240 acres to 32 measurement and audits to determine increases in soil
acres. Wright argues that traditional European based carbon levels. Credits are collectively marketed by Prime
approaches to grazing do not provide enough time for Carbon to companies that are seeking to offset their
soil and pastures to recover from droughts. By allowing GHG emissions. Prime Carbon envisages that by 2013,
pastures sufficient recovery time following intense one million hectares of Australian farming land will be
grazing, the hydrology of the soil is improved, leading to converted to carbon farming practices. It aims to provide
increased water holding capacity which is maintained the benchmark for regionally focused carbon exchange
during dry periods. programs in Australia.
Ann Williams is a member of the Conservation Farming SA farmer Errol Koch who has been farming in upper
and No Till Association (CANFA). Williams has South Australia for over fifty years, attended the Carbon
significantly increased carbon and nematode levels in the Farming conference in 2008. He is not too sure about all
soil on her Central West NSW farm, by implementing No this “climate change business”, but he came away from
Till in combination with composts. She has been so the conference filled with hope. After ten years of dry
impressed by the improvements to her soil and resulting seasons and sparse spring rains, with neighbours who
yields that she is now undertaking a master’s research are on a knife’s edge with bank finance and farmers in
program at the University of New England to investigate the region on suicide watch, it was a wonderful thing for
the biological properties and soil amendments in the No him to listen to the “Carbon Cockies” get up and talk,
Till cropping system. farmer after farmer, about how excited they are to be
These farmers and others have showcased their farming. They shared their stories about the rejuvenation
approaches at the annual Carbon Farming conferences, of their land, the drought proofing of their farms, and the
held in Orange NSW over the past three years. These increased profitability of their businesses.
conferences, convened by Carbon Coalition leaders Carbon arming is the reply to the anti-beef and
Michael and Louisa Kiely, are a gathering of farmers, agriculture rhetoric. The goods news is that carbon
scientists from CSIRO and universities across the farming systems are not only good for the climate, they
country, government agriculture and climate change are also good for Australian farmers, and that is good
departments, Catchment Management Authorities and news indeed.
vendors who have cottoned on to the potential of carbon
For more information:
farming, and are now working collectively to ensure that http://www.carbonfarmersofaustralia.com.au
agriculture does not get left behind in the great climate http://www.carboncoalition.com.au/
change debate. The Kielys have worked tirelessly to get http://www.canfa.com.au/
soil carbon sequestration onto government and scientific http://www.pasturecropnokillcrop.com
agendas and have networked internationally to ensure http://www.evergreen.asn.au/
that Australia is leading the world in the development and http://www.primecarbon.com.au/
recognition of carbon farming practices.
Of major note at the 2009 conference was the Written by Andrea Koch, Sustainable Food Advisor, Sydney NSW.
announcement that it is now easier for carbon farmers to ajkoch@bigpond.net.au
Andrea Koch is a writer, educator and adviser with a specialist focus on
generate tradeable credits on the voluntary carbon sustainable food. She works with government, business and consumer groups
trading market in Australia. Prime Carbon operates the on finding sustainable solutions to issues of food security, urban food supplies
and sustainable agriculture. Andrea can be contacted at ajkoch@bigpond.net.au,
scheme, providing baseline benchmarking of carbon or on 0408 030 081.
producers?
This extraordinary decade has
thrown challenge after challenge, yet
Australian livestock producers have
responded to them all with gusto. Stay on top of the latest
livestock & red meat market
T
he 8-year drought (including two one-in-one news, analysis & forecasts in
hundred year events), BSE and food safety Australia & around the world.
scares, volatile currency markets and now the Read MLA’s publications
global credit crisis and recession have all been for the latest news
and statistics – Meat
extraordinary on their own, let alone in the same decade.
& Livestock Weekly,
Yet Australian producers have expanded beef and Cattle & Sheep Industry
Projections, Red Meat
lamb production since 2000 by making changes such as
Market Reports, and
increased specialisation in breeding, growing or finishing; many more.
building feedlots; adopting drought strategies; and
Get up-to-the-minute information on
making feeding and breeding changes and general cost
MLA’s website www.mla.com.au
savings.
red meat market news
Market signals have played a major role in ushering in daily & weekly livestock market reports from
the National Livestock Reporting Service
these changes, with generally strong prices on offer for
on-line access to one of the best red meat
the right article. Unlike previous severe droughts and databases in the world & ABARE farm data
market downturns, prices did not fall below the cost of overseas market information & detailed
export data.
marketing stock and producers generally ensured that
Talk with MLA’s specialised market analysts
stock were turned off before it was too late.
Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA’s) market 77% use MLA Market Information to stay informed
56% use it to help make buying/selling decisions
information is designed to assist producers (and those
96% find it valuable to their business
businesses upstream and downstream) in making 97% rate it as accurate and timely
* results from MLA Market Information subscriber survey
successful strategic production, marketing and – conducted in August 2009
Future of farming
a question of scale
D
espite several external elements overwhelming the space of giving farmers skills and market knowledge and
Australian agricultural industry, the sector has managed understanding.”
to boost its production. The gross total value of While it hasn’t been the VFF’s core role to assist with
Australian agricultural manufacture increased 4.4% from 2007– advancing technologically, the VFF has worked closely in
08 to $45.2 billion in 2008–09. The increase was attributed to partnership with Geelong’s Southern Farming Systems. “We’ve
improved seasonal conditions in some areas, but varied from provided a lot of market intelligence, so we’re helping people
commodity to commodity and region to region. understand the market and how to grow their business and
Australian farms directly employed 317,730 people from increase their profitability,” Mr Broad said.
November 2008, though a decade of drought has resulted in The VFF believes there needs to be a significant effort in
approximately 90,000 job losses. As the nation’s largest food regional development to diversify regional economies not just in
and fibre exporting territory, Victoria generates 26 per cent of Geelong and Ballarat, but in towns like Horsham, Kerang,
the nation’s total goods produced, valued at $9 billion per Ouyen and others, to encourage investment in farming.
annum. Victorian farmers have proved resourceful in the face of
According to the City of Greater Geelong’s Bulletin report, protracted drought and
the estimated annual total output for the Barwon region’s economic downturn by adopting innovative crop production
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing sector is $794 million. methods. In particular, the grain sector has developed an
Ensuring our agricultural future remains robust means we will improved no-till technology, better spray management and has
need to replenish approximately one-third of farmers within the trained in how to calendar sow. Dairy sector farmers have also
next ten years due to an ageing workforce, according to discovered how to milk on minimal water allocations, and for
Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) president Andrew Broad. Mr the land sector, farmers have learned how to grain feed
Broad says the primary focus for the VFF is ensuring farms are livestock.
brought back to full production, lobbying the government for “It’s been really quite dramatic, the ability of the farmer to
assistance for drought-ravaged farmers and farming safety, adapt in a dry environment,” said Mr Broad, who reports that
rather than focusing on re-skilling those leaving the sector. the procedure of altering crop-sowing dates has also proved
“We’re not in the space where we’re re-training; we’re in the effective.
T
he availability of cash is critical for business However, prioritise purchases and look at how these
success through good and bad times. Being out assets are funded, as there may be alternatives such
of pocket can have a domino effect on other as leasing.
parts of the business. 4. Manage risk to protect profits and create
According to Khan Horne, General Manager of certainty.
Agribusiness at NAB, businesses need to tighten their Protecting your future cashflow from the effects of
belts when conditions are tough to squeeze cash out external influences can be a smart move. Risk
of the business while still remaining profitable. management solutions can include fixing interest,
“If a business has cash available there may be hedging exchange rates and taking a forward position
attractive investment opportunities that can be fully on prices. The right insurance – for people as well as
maximised in the short or long term,” he says. “If the buildings and equipment – is also important.
money will be needed in a few months for planting or 5. Use your networks.
restocking, there is no point locking it up long term, See what the neighbours are doing, attend
but that doesn’t mean it can’t be put to good use.” courses, and keep learning. It’s also a good time to
High interest Business Cash Maximiser accounts be talking to your team of experts -your accountant,
can be a good short-term solution, as can term financial adviser and your local NAB
deposits. Agribusiness Banker - about your business, where
Farm Management Deposits are a good option if you want to take it and what the economic
cash is available over a longer period. environment means for you.
Important Notice: NAB has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs and recommends that you consider whether any
advice in this article is appropriate for your circumstances.
I
t is estimated that 1 in 5 Australian and help protect the environment for
households have a used automotive future generations.
battery on their property, which poses Steve Hermann, General Manager of
a serious environmental and health risk, CenturyYuasa’s Automotive division says:
particularly when we consider that 98% “As a responsible business it is
of a used lead acid battery is recyclable important that we manage the ‘cradle to
CenturyYuasa, Australia’s oldest and grave’ process of manufacture,
most recognised automotive battery distribution and responsible disposal of
manufacturer has launched a National used batteries.
Battery recycling program designed to In many cases we have found that
help reduce the impact of scrap batteries people are simply unaware of how or
where to dispose of their used batteries
correctly and as a result we often see
batteries discarded with household
waste, at local refuse sites or dumped on
road sides.
Our scheme provides motorists,
homeowners and businesses with the
outlet and resources to dispose of and
recycle their used batteries correctly.
Through a national network of
CenturyYuasa approved battery recycling
centres people are encouraged to return
their used automotive batteries for
recycling and responsible disposal.”
For more information on the Century Yuasa recycling program or to find your nearest
approved Battery Recycling Centre call Century 1300 650 702 or go to:
www.recyclemybattery.com.au
The Farmer
wants a future
Special Feature: Adapting to a Changing Climate
The future of
farming in Australia,
and our access to
the freshest food at
the best price, will
depend on how well
farmers adapt to the
changing conditions
they face on land.
Story: Georgie Oakeshott
and Geoffrey Maslen
Plenty to think about In 2007, Dr Howden shared a Nobel Peace Prize for his
Most farmers are already weather obsessed. They have to be. contribution to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Their livelihood depends on the right mix of temperatures and Change, which identified Australian agriculture as particularly
rainfall. Timing is everything. There’s talk of ‘good years’ and vulnerable to changes in climate.
‘bad years’ but not much talk of a ‘normal’ year anymore — if The panel’s report warned of potential negative impacts on
there ever was such a thing. the amount of produce, quality of produce and reliability of
Because of this long history of dealing with changeable production, and on the natural resource base on which
weather, farmers have developed a great deal of skill in agriculture depends.
managing variations in climate. But what if some of these These conclusions are based on projections of hotter, drier
changes become permanent? What does a hotter, drier, more conditions across much of Australia, including temperature
variable climate mean for Australia’s $33 billion agricultural increases between 0.6 to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2030 and
industry? between one to five degrees Celsius by 2070.
According to one of Australia’s leading scientific researchers, These projections, on the CSIRO website, say rainfall over
climate change is already having an impact on the way we farm southern Australia is expected to decrease by 10 per cent,
while northern area may see changes between minus-10 and
in this country.
plus-five per cent. This rainfall is expected to be more intense
“Looking at average temperatures across Australia, a cold
over most areas in summer and in autumn, and in northern
year now is a warm to hot year in the time of our grandparents.
areas in winter and spring.
At current trends of temperature increase, it’s probably only
In its submission to the House of Representatives inquiry into
nine or 10 years away before the coldest year we experience
agriculture and climate change, CSIRO says primary industries
will be hotter than the hottest year ever experienced by our
need to anticipate these changes, be prepared for uncertainty,
grandparents,” says Dr Mark Howden from the CSIRO Climate and develop and implement adaptation strategies now.
Adaptation Flagship. Calling for an unprecedented level of forward planning, the
“When you think of it like that, it’s pretty inconceivable that CSIRO submission tells the Primary Industries Committee that
we could keep doing the same things exactly the way we used the impact of climate change and the need to adapt are
to do,” Dr Howden says. already unavoidable. In some cases, large scale
It’s not hard to find examples of how Australian farming is transformational responses will be necessary “which may
already responding to changes in climate. There’s cropping in involve the translocation of entire industries”.
places previously considered too wet for crops, and farmers Chairing the inquiry is Dick Adams (Member for Lyons,
moving away from irrigated crops into livestock. There’s also Tasmania) from the island state famous for its fresh produce,
the example of a peanut company which expanded its wine and cheese. He’s confident the inquiry will throw some
operations into the Northern Territory where it’s wetter. light on the direction needed to minimise the risks and
“We’re already seeing responses both at an individual level maximise the opportunities.
and at a company level,” Dr Howden says. “Some farmers “Farming has a long history of changing in this country but,
would say explicitly they’re not doing this because of climate given climate change, this committee wants to look at the way
change and that they don’t believe in climate change, but we use land, soil and water in a new way so we understand
nevertheless they’re having to change their practices. In a what climate change means to agriculture. We’re keen to see
sense it by-passes the issue of what’s causing these variations what people are already doing, what people think we should be
in climate. Farmers are going to have to change their doing and what direction we should be going,” Mr Adams
management anyway.” says. (continued on page 18)
GALVASPAN®, COLORBOND® and ZINCALUME® are registered trademarks of BlueScope Steel Limited.
FUTURE FARMING
“Putting our resources into black holes is not where the where famers are not just doing the same thing year after year,
future is and is not a good way to spend the public dollar. I but are varying according to the circumstances.
think the Australian people would rather be assisting “Even under the worst climate change scenarios we’ll still
enterprises that have a business plan looking to the future; that see agriculture practiced in this country, but it could look quite
will adapt to climate change and the issues that confront us in different to what it is now and be practiced in different places,
the next 20 to 30 years. We’ve also got to look at the and the detail of that practice will be quite different indeed,” he
opportunities at the enterprise level and look at where we’re says.
going in a world sense. I think farmers will get left behind if they “The demand for agriculture and food products generally is
don’t adapt and look for opportunities.” going to increase because of increased economic growth and
Adapting to climate change in the wheat industry, for affluence in countries like China and India, but also because
example, includes changing the planting times to suit the new our population across the globe is growing rapidly. We’re
conditions, changing row spacing and planting densities, and looking at having to double food production by 2050 and
using new technologies to concentrate water into the crop. because we only have a limited amount of agricultural land that
“We’re just starting a program to have these climate-ready means we’re going to have to significantly increase our
crops available to be rolled out in the future, so rather than agricultural production.”
waiting for the future to hit us, we’re trying to be prepared for So rather than a bleak future of drought and despair,
it,” he says. successful management of climate change should lead to a
Of more immediate concern to the National Farmers’ productive and lucrative future for farming in this country.
Federation, however, is the government’s mitigation strategy to It’s a sentiment echoed by a Wall Street veteran who recently
reduce greenhouse gas emissions. told an Australian television audience that agriculture is about
In its submission to the inquiry, the peak farming organisation to become one of the most exciting industries in the world.
is warning that the immediate challenge of adapting to According to Jim Rogers, CEO of Rogers Holdings, people
mitigation policies may be a far greater challenge for farmers who produce real goods will be the ones driving Lamborghinis.
than adapting to climate change itself. His advice to anyone interested in making money is simple: go
It says the government’s proposed carbon pollution become a farmer.
reduction scheme has the potential to reduce the value of
Australian agricultural production by $2.4 billion per annum by Beyond doubt
2020, and $10.9 billion per annum by 2030 compared to what Within Australia’s farming community, among men and women
would otherwise be the case under a business as usual who are ever-watchful of the land that is their livelihood, there
scenario. are doubters.
The farmers’ federation says over 1.6 million jobs, 20 per Almost one in five farmers surveyed in Tasmania is openly
cent of our exports and the vast majority of the food we sceptical about climate change — a scepticism fuelled by their
consume depend on the ability of our farmers to meet climatic recent memory of a potential disaster that became a fizzler.
changes. It has called for increased research, a new model for “They distrust scientist to the extent that they believe climate
drought support, and national coordination of research, change is just another ‘Year 2000’, invented for media hype
development and extension services. and money,” says Frank Vanclay, a professor of rural and
It is also calling for massive funding boost to improve our environmental sociology at the University of Tasmania.
forecasting capability, steering the committee towards a “Many farmers were required to outlay much effort and cost
drought information system in the United States to become Y2K compliant and they now feel duped by what
(www.drought.gov). That system provides information right they perceive as a scam. This distrust creates a great deal of
down to local county level on soil moisture, rainfall, run-off, resistance to even considering the idea of climate change,”
stream flows and early warning systems, with a priority on Professor Vanclay says. “Arguably farmers need to prepare for
preparedness. climate change in order to create benefits and avoid costs. Yet
This kind of information rich farming will be critical to the resistance to taking action to adapt to projected changes in
future success of agriculture. According to Dr Howden, future climate or to mitigate emissions is widespread.”
farming will be more opportunistic, risk sensitive and targeted, Professor Vanclay and his PhD student Aysha Fleming were
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FUTURE FARMING
among the first to make a submission to the Primary Industries
Committee inquiry into climate change and agriculture. The two Tipping Point
researchers conducted a survey of apple growers, dairy A better understanding of human impact on land is vital in helping
farmers and farming consultants. Professor Vanclay says that to determine how humankind should work that land in the future.
although the research was based in Tasmania, he believes the For the past 20 years, Peter Gell has been collecting core sample
results are widely applicable elsewhere across Australia.
two and three metres deep into the earth from sites across
Despite the minority of farmers who claimed change was
another Y2K scam, most of those interviewed accepted it was south-eastern Australia. The cores contain material that has built
occurring and about half said they had noticed the effect on up over hundreds and even thousands of years. Back in their
the Tasmanian landscape as well as on their farms. Yet, while laboratory at the University of Ballarat, Professor Gell and his PhD
acknowledging the reality of global warming, only on in five students study the different layers they collect to determine the
thought it was caused by human activity and a third were even changes that have occurred over these long periods.
undecided.
They are able to build up a picture of climate variations and what
“They were distrustful of government actions taken to
penalise farmers, especially during times of drought and the vegetation was like stretching back beyond the arrival of
financial strain when they are already struggling,” the Europeans to the time when only Aborigines occupied the land, as
researchers say in their submission. “They were angry that their they had for perhaps 50,000 years. “I’ve deliberately focused on
current efforts to be environmentally sustainable were not being the last couple of thousand years of change to provide more of a
recognised or valued, especially as carbon stores in pasture, context for people to understand the impact the arrival of
soil, orchards or shelter belts will not be recognised, at least
Europeans had on our landscape,” Professor Gell says.
under current plans.
“Some (34 per cent) are worried about the future of the “We want to understand what the baseline ecosystems were like
planet to the point that their concerns inhibit action. They feel and what the natural responses were in a landscape where
Indigenous people lived with nothing like the technology we have.”
Professor Gell is a “palaeo-ecologist”, an expert on terrestrial and
wetland ecology, fire and vegetation history — and climate change.
As Director of the Centre for Environmental Management at
Ballarat, he is also convener of a national network examining the
impact of people on Australian ecosystems, as well as heading an
international network on the effect of humans on the world’s lakes.
“I try to compare what Australia has experienced in the recent
past with current forecasts to get some idea of how scary the
rapidity or magnitude of change is for the future.”
As part of his research, Professor Gell has uncovered evidence
that the incidence of fires increased dramatically with the arrival of
Europeans after the 1830s. Contrary to conventional beliefs, the
first squatters burnt the land far more regularly than Aborigines ever
did, he says.
“Victoria’s early settlers turned most of the original forests into
woodland and most of the woodland into grassland so, although
the total ‘fuel load’ has decreased, conditions for bushfires within
the remaining forests are different now than they were 300 years
ago.”
Some biologists believe the Earth has reached a tipping point
overwhelmed, that the planet is already on a path to
where human impact on the world’s ecosystems has been so
destruction, or they feel it is beyond the scope of their lifetime
severe, it is too late to prevent a global disaster. Despite all he
to create a solution and that it will be a problem for future
generations.” knows about what has happened to Australia in general and the
The challenge facing the House of Representatives Primary Murray River basin in particular since Europeans arrived, Professor
Industries Committee is to identify appropriate government Gell is not as pessimistic as some.
action to tackle the manifold problems climate change raises. He takes heart from the work of Brian Walker, a research fellow
“The impacts of climate change are not just biophysical, they
with the CSIRO’s sustainable ecosystems. Dr Walker is renowned
also have economic and social dimensions,” says the
for his work on resilience: the capacity of a system to absorb
submission to the inquiry from the Climate Change Research
Strategy for Primary Industries network. disturbance and to undergo change while still retaining essentially
The network is a collaborative partnership between rural the same function, structure, identity and feedbacks. He
research and development corporations, state and co-authored a 2006 book with David Salt, Resilience thinking:
Commonwealth primary industry departments, and university Sustaining ecosystems and people in a changing world (Walter
experts. It says there is a role for government to “assist Reid: Books).
individuals and communities moving from declining industries
“We might have reached a tipping point but that doesn’t mean
to emerging ones, while minimising social dislocation and
dysfunction.” we are on an inexorable slide into the abyss,” Professor Gell says.
There will need to be greater investment in rural research and “We may have just kicked over to a different system but as that
development, commercialisation, extension and training, the system is likely to be less productive and sustaining, we have to
network says, to develop and equip the next generation of work out how the new system operates and what it takes for
researchers, decision makers and leaders in the fields of humankind to continue to exist.”
agriculture, natural resource management and climate change
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“The climate’s got to be right for you to make the dollars,” he about it because we’ve had some rain but not enough,” she
says. “In farming, the highs are really high but when it’s low, it’s says.
really low.” According to Patricia Cooke, from near Cowra, the seasons
Tired of waiting for a break in the weather, some farmers have definitely changed. “You can’t plan as much as you used
have moved out of cropping into lambs, he says. Others have to, and you just have to work day by day,” she says.
made the tough decision to sell, which often comes with She would like the parliamentary inquiry to consider ways to
additional heartache when properties fail to return the prices promote information sharing, suggesting a series of rural
the owners thought they were worth. forums where farmers could get together with their mates to
It’s even worse when they can’t sell, even though they want discuss the challenges they’re all facing.
to, which Orange agronomist Melissa Lauff has seen “Farmers are more likely to take it seriously if they don’t have
happening. someone dictating what they have to do. They need to be able
“I’ve been hearing farmers say ‘if we don’t get a good year, to get together to discuss things. It’s better that way. And if we
we’re out’, but then if it doesn’t rain land values are down and don’t do it now, who knows how our industries will keep
they can’t sell,” she says. going.”
“There are farmers who have lived their whole lives on the Whatever the weather, young farmers like Tom Pearce will
land and they’re saying this is the worst it’s ever been. They’re keep doing the best they can to adapt, modernise, be more
constantly looking for new ways of doing things because efficient and sustainable, while also hoping for a return to more
they’re accepting this is the way it’s going to be, that it’s never favourable conditions.
going to get back to how it used to be.” “I guess it’s in the back of people’s minds, the climate
She would like to see more financial assistance for farmers change thing, but we’re taking each day as it comes…and the
when times are tough to help them plant their next crop, or buy rainfall is always a day closer,” he says.
their next lot of cattle, just until they’re “back on their feet”.
For more information, visit www.aph.gov.au/pir or email
“In my area around Orange, the government has just pir.reps@aph.gov.au or phone (02) 6277 4500.
cancelled drought assistance and a lot of people are upset (source: About the House)
2009-11-035
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BEST PRACTICE
B
ut the journey has only just begun for this boutique olive
Tablelands-based farmers
take out 2009 Conservation
Farmer of the Year Award
At the 2009 Conservation Agriculture and No-till Farming Association (CANFA)
conference dinner in Dubbo, the winner of the 2009 Conservation Farmer of the
Year Award was announced as being Murrumbidgee tablelands farmers, John and
Robyn Ive from Hall.
ABOVE: John and Robyn Ive with CANFA executive officer, Neville Gould and CANFA chair, Anne Williams, receiving the 2009 Conservation Farmer of the Year Award in
Dubbo
O
ne of the award judges, Ian Packer from the Lachlan Stubble maintenance and no till was high on the agenda to
Catchment Management Authority said that this year’s address soil structure, organic carbon and compaction,” he
group of eight regional finalists was very diverse, from said.
stock only through to cropping across every landscape and soil In accepting the award last night Mr Ive said that while being
type possible, from three regions within the catchments being focused on superfine wool production on their Yass Valley
the slopes, plains and tablelands. property, in order to achieve those ends they need to look after
The Central West, Lachlan, Murray and Murrumbidgee the land to the greatest extent possible.
catchment-based farmers were judged following nomination, “We believe that if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage
with on-farm inspections by representatives of CANFA, the it.”
Catchment Management Authorities and the 2008 Receiving the award on his birthday, Mr Ive also won a
Conservation Farmer of the Year winner, Matt McKenzie. $5,000 GPS guidance system at conference, donated by GPS-
The Ives were selected from a group of three regional Ag. He made the comment at the dinner that he was not sure
winners who included: how the sheep would react to it.
• Slopes: Andrew and Delwyn Clifton, “Fairfield”, Corowa
For more information about the Conservation Farmer of the
• Plains: Tony and Tanya Wright, “Bundy Downs”, Peak Hill Year Award contact:
• Tablelands: John and Roby Ive, “Talaheni”, Hall Neville Gould
Mr Packer said they saw evidence of a vast array of Mob: 0427 452 488
innovative ways to reduce inputs, monitor systems, address Tel: 02 6845 1044 (CANFA office)
climate change and develop unique markets, and for all, soil Web: www.canfa.com.au
health was a high priority.
CF-19
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SUSTAINABILITY + ENVIRONMENT
When the McKellar family started farming at ‘Inveraray Downs’ in northern New
South Wales back in the 1960s, the cultivators turning the soil in preparation for
planting were continually being clogged by giant earthworms.
F
orty years on, those “three-foot worms” are long gone but sealed off zone which limited moisture penetrability of the soil,
a second generation McKellar is doing everything he can and the big heavy tractors were basically acting as
to get them back. Working overtime to restore soil fertility compactors.
and wishing he could start all over again, Cam McKellar regrets “Now under no-tillage farming the tractors are lightweight
the impact that traditional chemical farming has had on their and they use defined, controlled traffic lanes. We’re finding the
land. soil is more porous, stubble retains moisture and a lot of our
“Basically we stuffed it,” he says of the soil which went from earthworms have come back. They didn’t like the tillage.”
a healthy carbon level of three percent to under one percent in The achievements of these farmers on the Liverpool Plains
30 years. are something Primary Industries Committee member Tony
The turning point came in the 1990s when costs were Windsor (Member for New England, NSW) describes as cutting
spiralling out of control and, plagued by headaches from edge.
chemical herbicide, Cam McKellar began questioning the way “The farming community isn’t sitting around waiting for the
things were done and realised there was another, more climate to get drier,” Mr. Windsor says.
environmentally friendly way. “In fact the farming community already knows some of the
He turned to biological farming, which meant winding back answers to a lot of the problems and the political process has
the use of chemical fertilisers to restore the soil’s health. Not to go back to the grassroots and, rather than impose policy on
only has the soil improved but his plants are healthier, bushel them, actually ask some of these people how to get the
weights are higher and the end product is more nutritious. answers, because the answers are there.
“Biological farming is taking better care of your soil biology “Lifting carbon levels from two to three percent may not
and plant nutrition,” he says. While it’s taken 10 years, soil sound a lot but that’s a 50 percent increase in the amount of
carbon levels are improving, insecticides are hardly ever carbon being stored in the soil.
needed, fungicides are non-existent and the worms are coming “If you could improve the capture of carbon in our soils by 50
back. percent across the good soils in Australia or even the good
“We basically had to start from scratch but now we’re seeing soils in the world, there would not be any need for an
the results. The soil is totally different to what is was 10 years emissions trading scheme. We would have that problem
ago. It looks good, it smells good, and I’m enjoying farming solved,” Mr. Windsor says.
again.” Primary Industries Committee Chair, Dick Adams (Member
McKellar’s Spring Ridge property was recently visited by for Lyons, Tas) says there clearly needs to be more research
members of the House of Representatives Primary Industries and support for their findings.
Committee who came to the Liverpool Plains to meet farmers “I think we went out to save the world and environmental
at the leading edge of adaptations that could play a vital role for science became the sexy thing, but now some of that effort
agriculture as it deals with the impacts of climate change. needs to be put back into agriculture. We need to encourage
Cam McKellar believes increasing soil carbon levels has the people to look in these areas, to study these areas and get
potential to solve one of the nation’s biggest environmental degrees in these areas which are important for growing food
challenges. and fibre in Australia.”
“If we did this across western New South Wales we’d fix the At a public hearing in Canberra, committee members heard
Murray Darling system in a matter of five or 10 years. You from one of Australia’s leading soil scientists, Christine Jones,
would have your water cycle back to where it’s meant to be who believes soil carbon is the prime determinant of
and everything would be pretty sweet. I know that’s a big call agricultural productivity, landscape function and water quality.
but it would be lovely to see.” “In our never-ending quest for technological quick fixes we
Not far from Spring Ridge, Quirindi farmer David Wallis is also frequently overlook the obvious, the simplest and most
seeing the benefits of biological farming. effective solutions,” she told the hearing.
Faced with a 95 percent reduction in his water allocation and “Without doubt, increasing the level of carbon in agricultural
knowing that carbon increases the soil’s ability to hold water, soils is the most obvious, simple and effective solution to
David Wallis used biological farming techniques to increase his climate change. But we cannot increase soil carbon unless we
soil carbon levels from two to three percent, which is close to change farming methods,” she said.
the optimum level in these heavy black soils. The statistics speak for themselves. In little over 200 years of
“The biological principles change your thinking a bit,” he European settlement more than 70 percent of Australian
says. “It’s sometimes referred to as ‘soft’ farming. We don’t use agricultural land has become seriously degraded.
acid based fertilisers anymore. We actually spray nutrients on On average seven tonnes of topsoil is lost for every tonne of
that will feed the life in the soil to build up the bug life in the soil grain produced. At the same time there has been a reduction
which helps create nutrients for your plants.” of between 50 percent and 80 percent in the organic carbon
He told MPs that biological farming has improved both the content of surface soils.
health of the soil and the health of his plants. His lucerne is “Losses of carbon of this magnitude have immeasurable
now 80 percent ‘solid stem’ which is better and stronger than economic and environmental implications,” Dr Jones said.
the ‘hollow stem’ lucerne which used to dominate his crop. “Further, the carbon and water cycles are inextricably linked.
Breeza farmer Andrew Pursehouse is another Liverpool Humus holds approximately four times its own weight in water.
Plains innovator who has had to make changes to cope with a The most beneficial adaptation strategy for climate change
68 percent reduction in his water allocation. would therefore be one that focuses on increasing the levels of
Instead of cultivating the soil, he has adopted a no-tillage both carbon and water in the soils.”
technique on some parts of his property to conserve soil Warning that a fundamental redesign of food, fuel and
moisture, and it’s worked. Along with a few other adjustments, fertiliser production is vital to the survival and profitability of the
the no-tillage approach has helped achieve the equivalent of an Australian agricultural sector, Dr Jones said landholders are
additional six inches of rainfall per year. realising they need to change.
“The whole thing is a really wonderful story,” he says, “and if “I cannot tell you how many people at recent workshops
you combine legumes in there as well to provide organic have almost been in tears saying ‘we know we need to
nitrogen, it’s a wonderful system we now have in place. change, we desperately need information’. They’re ripe for
“These black soil plains have a tremendous water holding change,” she said.
capacity and in days gone by to eliminate weeds we farmed According to Dr Jones, the answer is based on a simple,
the land and cultivated the weeds. That was actually creating a natural process involving green plants which draw down
W
ith a focus firmly on growth opportunities in the wind helping local economies back home via major wind energy
energy market in Australia, Roaring 40s existing wind projects, like the Musselroe project in north-east Tasmania and
farms in Tasmania and South Australia will be Waterloo in the Clare Valley region of South Australia. These
complimented by further projects currently under various stages projects will provide valuable and much needed employment
of construction. Roaring 40s values reflect our mission to opportunities, as well as providing long term renewable energy
successfully provide renewable energy solutions through solutions to help Australia lower its carbon emissions and
processes that are transparent, environmentally responsible create a better future for our children.
and beneficial to the community. Backed by over ninety years Now that’s what we call “thinking energy”.
experience in the energy field, the Roaring 40s team has the The increasing demand for renewable energy and the
specialist knowledge and skills to manage the entire spectrum relatively small footprint of wind farming on most agricultural
of the project life cycle, from concept through to commissioning business activities means that wind, the farm’s untapped
and ongoing operation and maintenance. At Roaring 40s, we’re natural resource, has the potential to make a substantial
not just creating energy solutions, we’re creating the future. contribution to the total farm income.
Since 2005, Roaring 40s had built a reputation as one of the At Roaring 40s we are continually searching for properties
leading foreign wind energy developers in Asia. Now we’re that have wind potential.
concentrating all of our efforts in Australia, bringing with us the If you would like to learn more about wind farming, and what we
experience and expertise that we’ve built up overseas. Through do at Roaring 40s, visit our website www.roaring40s.com or
the sale of our Asia based assets, we’re now focused on contact us via email at infoaustralia@roaring40s.com
T
he weather, and more to the point weather forecasting, methods and long-term predictions makes them a less than
plays a critical role in the strategic decision-making useful tool for agricultural farming systems within South
processes that drive Australia’s $47.5 billion agriculture Australia.
industry. “Agriculture has long called for the accurate long-range
Indeed, the bureau attracts a staggering nine billion hits a climate forecasting to improve decision making and risk
year to its website, and accounts for more than 45 per cent of management on-farm, but we now question if we are pursuing
all Australian government web traffic. the ‘holy grail’.”
But the current reality is that the friendship is being stretched The complex and highly technical science behind weather
in places. Frustrated by what too often turn out to be forecasting, and the innovation that drives continual
erroneous forecasts, farmers are asking serious questions of improvement in forecasting accuracy, are central to
the bureau and its capacity to deliver skilful, accurate seasonal decision-making across the economy, from the farming sector
predictions that can feed into key land-management decisions. to water resource management, the mining, construction,
A 2007 report based on data compiled by the bureau and the tourism and aviation industries, as well as emergency response
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry found that 76 management.
per cent of farmers considered forecasting not to be reliable, Alert to the far-reaching and potentially disastrous
and 73 per cent considered it not to be accurate. implications across multiple industry sectors of inadequate
As the South Australian Farmers Federation told the House weather prediction systems, the Minister for Innovation,
of Representatives Industry, Science and Innovation Committee Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr, requested
earlier this year, “The lack of accuracy of the current modelling the committee to inquire into long-term meteorological
Carbon footprinting:
time to pick up the pace
By Tim Harford
Q
uite so. Carbon footprinting, the study of how much from a cappuccino, 10 billion times over.
carbon dioxide is released in the process of producing, In the case of the cappuccino—or at least, a typical, generic
consuming and disposing of a product, is all about the cappuccino—the climate change impact probably comes from
specifics. This is a refreshing change from the politics of the milk. I say “probably” because we don’t know for sure.
climate change, which is all about the generics. We Murray’s best guess was based on his work on milk chocolate.
hear promises from our leaders of big change Milk makes up one-third of a chocolate bar by mass, but is
in the future, without any credible plans responsible for two-thirds of the climate-change impact of the
right now. entire production and consumption process.
I first approached Murray to Switching to espresso might be in order; so, too, might a
ask him about the different diet for the cows. It is hard to make generic
climate change recommendations, though: even the particular soil on which
impact of a the grass grows on which the cows feed alters the climate
cappuccino. change calculus.
A year The carbon-footprinting process often produces surprises.
and An environmentally conscious consumer in the crisps aisle of
the supermarket will probably be thinking about packaging or
“food miles”. The Carbon Trust reckons that about one per
cent of the climate impact of a packet of crisps is from moving
potatoes around.
The largest single culprit is the production of the nitrogen
fertiliser, and half of the climate impact in general takes place
at the agricultural stage. The point is not that agriculture is
always the problem, but that it is very hard for a well-
meaning consumer to work out what the green
purchasing decision actually is.
For this reason, the Carbon Trust has a carbon
labelling scheme. The trouble is that many
consumers simply do not care enough to pay
more or choose a less enjoyable product
simply because of the low carbon label.
half A government role is necessary, then,
ago, I but it is even harder for governments
wrote about the to regulate such fine details. All this
question, pointing is why economists continue to
out that meeting any advocate some kind of carbon
of these grand targets price, which would give an
in a sensible way would incentive to everyone
require billions upon billions involved in these complex
of small decisions. supply chains to trim
The cappuccino’s climate carbon dioxide
change impact depends on whether emissions.
the café is double-glazed, the decisions A modest and
the staff and I take to get there, the diet of credible price for
the methane-producing cow that produced carbon is slowly
the milk and the source of power for the becoming the
espresso machine. conventional policy
Last week I pointed out that there are around 10 wisdom. It is a shame
billion products in a modern economy; that means we still don’t have it.
that the problem of reducing carbon dioxide emissions Also published at
is “simply” the problem of reducing carbon dioxide emissions ft.com.
T
he Rangelands Management personal, enterprise and community issues facing regions, stronger
coursework program is exciting levels: leadership, and changing perceptions
because it offers improved access to • Personal benefits include greater of the value of higher education.
higher education, highly relevant courses capacity to represent rangeland This ground-breaking initiative is a
focusing on current and emerging issues, interests and advocate for enterprise product of Rangelands Australia, a centre
and strong growth in participation by 30- and regional outcomes; increased within The University of Queensland’s
50 year olds in this educationally options for self-employment and Gatton Campus. The centre recently won
disadvantaged region. diversification; increased options for the 2009 Australian Rural Education
The growth in enrolments of 650 career advancement and career Award, presented by the Society for
percent during the past three years is no changes; and greater awareness of Provision of Education in Rural Australia
accident. The development of the the critical issues facing rangeland (SPERA), in recognition of excellence in
program by Rangelands Australia has enterprises and regions. rural education, expansion of educational
been one of the most highly strategic • Enterprise-level benefits include lower opportunities, and efficiency and
knowledge and skill development costs and improved profitability; effectiveness of education.
initiatives in Australia. It has been enhanced land condition; better It is the first time this award has been
underpinned by surveys of knowledge management of trade-offs between conferred on a university-based
needs and gaps, research on learning production and conservation education initiative. In accepting the
preferences, engagement of hundreds of objectives; better decision-making award, Rangelands Australia director
stakeholders in guiding curriculum and and risk management; greater John Taylor acknowledged that the
course development, and innovative capacity for innovation and managing program’s success was a great
support for mature-aged students in change; and better management and testament to the benefits of strategic,
remote areas. retention of the next generation. participatory, student-centered and
The many benefits of this educational • Community benefits include greater demand-driven approaches to the
approach are now being realised at awareness of national and global provision of higher education.
Proudly supported by
SALINITY
Dam Salinity
A report card on our risk and progress
By John Ive, Talaheni
T
he events that trigger increasing incidence of salinity can be identified. For properties where there is a close proximity between
separated in both time and space from the areas that are the casual areas and the affected areas, then landholders can take
affected. It may take many decades before saline water a similar approach with benefits to themselves and their near
tables rise sufficiently in response to widespread clearing of neighbors. Such is the case at Talaheni, a 245ha property in the
perennial vegetation to cause the visual blot on the landscape that Yass Valley on the Southern Tablelands (NSW). The Yass Valley has
signals reduced productivity and risk of secondary erosion. More long been recognised as a salinity hotspot gaining unflattering
telling is the separation in space where consequences of activities front-page headlines in the 1980s with: Yass the dryland salinity
undertaken in one area may turn up many kilometres away due to capital of New South Wales.
the quirky nature of complex geomorphology below the soil’s
By way of background, the area hosts tightly folded, but
surface. As a result, actions taken by individual landholders to
severely fractured multiple and diverse beds (slates, sandstones
combat salinity impacts on their properties may be unsuccessful
within a time frame acceptable to landholders and more tellingly, etc.) of Ordovician meta-sediments. The diverse characteristics of
benefits may be realised in a diffused and probably undetectable the sediment beds have, over geological time, resulted in
manner on distant properties. formation of strikingly different soil types in very short distances.
This has been the argument for agencies to adopt a whole-of- As a result rocky ridges bound variable slopes which in turn abut
catchment approach where studies are undertaken not only to deeper alluvial flats as shown in a stylised cross-section (Figure 1).
identify the hotspot sub-catchments but, with greater A traverse of such a cross-section covers a range of soil types,
understanding of the prevailing hydro-geological processes, areas each with distinctive physical characteristics that interact differently
contributing most to the catchment’s salinity hotspots can be with rainfall with subsequent consequences for salinity in the valley.
Figure 1: A typical cross-section of the Yass Valley reflecting the different soil types
associated with landscape position. Each soil type has its own unique characteristics
including infiltration rate and soil-water holding capacity. In general infiltration rate is
highest and soil-water holding capacity lowest in the landscape.
Figure 4: The mean salinity response of the 38 dams on Talaheni over the past ten
years which has seen an average decline of 36 EC units per year R2= -0.849). Figure 5: SPOT5 image of Talaheni reflecting tree coverage, primarily on central ridge
which has high recharge potential; and the mosaic of different vegetation types which
Each dot (Figure 4) represents the average of the thirty-eight can be interpreted from Figure 6.
individual dam measurements and gives an overview of the decline
in salinity. The fact that salinity levels of dams have declined
relatively consistently during the extended dry period is seen as
evidence collaborating with the decline in depth to and salinity of
the water table as recorded by weekly measurement since 1990
from a network of piezometers.
Returning to spatial variation in salinity levels across Talaheni
(Figure 2) and attributing the salinity level of each dam to its
catchment, it is obvious that the northern portion of Talaheni is
expressing higher salinity levels in the farm dams than the
southern area with a secondary pattern of dams higher in the
landscape having lower salinity levels than their lower counterparts
– reflecting in part the reduced opportunity for sub-surface
seepage into such dams. The salinity map can be compared with
the SPOT5 image (Figure 5) and the farm plan land use map
(Figure 6) which show the distribution of various forms of
vegetation which have been chosen in accordance with soil and
landscape characteristics.
Interestingly for the majority of the piezometers, the water level
is lower than the bottom of the piezometer so it is no longer
possible to monitor the water table and therefore keep an eye on
the salinity situation; on the other hand all dams continue to hold
water and to receive sporadic inflows when rainfall permits thereby
offering an ongoing opportunity to continue to track the response
to dryland salinity management.
Dryland salinity management has included the establishment of
trees on the high recharge areas where soil characteristics
(particularly soil-water holding capacity) were an anathema to the
establishment and persistence of vigorous perennial pasture. Tree Figure 6: Current farm plan reflecting fencing pattern based on soil and landscape
characteristics and the different vegetation types which have been tailored to these
establishment has involved grazing management during dry and characteristics.
subsequent favourable rainfall periods where seed trees remained
and planting tubestock in areas lacking seed trees. Exotic From the evidence gathered over the past ten years, farms
perennial pastures have been established on flats and lower dams have provided a means of keeping a track on the response
slopes, areas often reclaimed from severe salinity conditions. The to managing dryland salinity providing an ongoing report card of
selection of appropriate vegetation and its management has been encouraging success. Over the same period nearly all of the
assisted by the refencing of Talaheni on major soil and landscape piezometers installed for monitoring progress have progressively
characteristics (Figure 2) with fences often closely coinciding with gone dry in response to below average rainfall and provide no
dam sub catchment boundaries which assists in identifying and insight to the improved salinity situation over the past ten years.
targeting management appropriate to the sub catchment. Contact the author: talaheni@webone.com.au
T
he expanded Defender model range is now available in
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C
onvenient, portable and easy to use, it is an ideal
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