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Dairy NSW R&D ProjectsNorthern Rivers Region NLP Project Title: Dairy NRM works for healthy soils, rivers and catchments.
Project partners: Northern Rivers CMA (NRCMA), NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI), Dairy Australia (DA), Dairy Industry Development Company (DIDCO), NSW Farmers Association (NSWFA), Sunmilk Landcare Group, farmers and staff from NORCO, Parmalat, Dairy Farmers Ltd, Richmond Landcare Inc.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This project is based around engagement of dairy farmers in natural resource management (NRM) and implementation of NRM projects, through the Farmer Targets for Change (FTC) group farm planning, mapping and project prioritising system. The FTC process includes a pre workshop farm meeting; followed by 4 group meetings. These include computer based farm planning/mapping, on-farm site assessments and DairySAT (self assessment tool) visit and compilation of on-farm data.
The FTC process is proving to be an excellent method of bringing groups of dairy farmers in a catchment / sub-catchment together to discuss and learn about NRM issues. Groups work together to arrive at solutions and pathways to improving NRM, along with farm sustainability and profitability.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
1. Increase landholder capacity to manage natural resources using dairy industry best management practice.
2. To improve land/soil, water and biodiversity resource condition through implementation of on ground works, and thus contribute to NRCMA CAP targets.
3. Build and enhance partnerships between dairy industry NR CMA and other NRM partners through promotion of the project.
FARMER ACTION TO IMPROVE CATCHMENT SCALE HEALTH
On-ground works in this project will include stock control to riparian areas, provision of off-stream watering points, weed control and revegetation, stock crossing points and cattle laneways. These will all have positive impacts on water quality, riparian and aquatic biodiversity and soil health which are the main areas of the NRCMA CAP.
RESULTS TO DATE
This project, and other similar styled projects in the NRCMA region, have successfully achieved the following NRM targets:
Vegetation - 39.2 ha of native riparian vegetation &12.3 km of stream bank protected
Weed control - 31.2 ha of managed for weeds 27.7 ha of land protected from soil erosion
Off stream watering - 46 off stream watering sites installed protecting 2 km of stream bank
Effluent control works established - 29 systems have been upgraded or established
Water use efficiency - 17 properties have improved irrigation practices on 159 ha
Hunter and Central Rivers Region
Across the Hunter and Central Rivers region the dairy industry has engaged farmers in a variety of NRM improvement programs. The purpose of individual projects, that have been targeted to sub-groups of dairy farmers, is to assist the local industry to achieve the following outcomes: a reduction in the impacts of dairy farming on natural resources, an improvement in productivity, preparing the farm business for climate change effects and provision of a more enjoyable and satisfactory farm management environment.
A strong relationship exists with the local CMA, which previously funded the training program, Farmers Targets for Change which enables farmers to identify and quantify their natural resource impacts, understand the links between natural resources and farming practices and develop sustainable farm practice goals and priorities. Many of the identified on-farm priorities are known and have been implemented to various degrees but most farms have not been in a position to do anything because of market uncertainty, financial limitations and lack of knowledge. The FTC process has provided the impetus to get involved.
Current activities for the Hunter and Central Rivers dairy region are addressing:
1. Climate change and sustainable production;
2. Improving water quality;
3. Nutrient use efficiency;
4. Managing organic waste, and
5. Improving soil health;
These issue areas will be acted upon by supporting dairy farmers to install constructed formed laneways, integrated water supplies, feed infrastructure, modern and water efficient effluent systems, more and improved shade and improved pasture management.
Forbes, Wagga Wagga and Tumut Region
This region has engaged with two local CMAs to deliver on-ground work projects for the modest, but growing, dairy industry that exists across these regions. These on-ground works projects are focused on farm planning, identification of priority issues using DairySAT, that lead to farmers addressing and/or upgrading their effluent systems, laneways, riparian zones, improved water quality, reduced labour costs and hence greater labour efficiency, and on-farm biodiversity.
The success of these projects has led to stronger relations between the dairy industry and local CMA bodies and / or a variety of research organisations. Together the industry is focussing efforts to conduct applied agronomic and economic research into soil science and pasture production, while other stakeholder linkages have established on-farm irrigation drainage management plans to boost water use efficiency in the face of drought and future uncertainty of water availability.
A Landcare Australia Limited project has recently completed trialling of humified compost on a commercial dairy farm near Wagga, with analysis and results to be presented in public field days in January 2010.
Southern Rivers Region
Across the southern coastal region of NSW, the dairy industry has been extremely pro-active in maintaining strong stakeholder relationships, securing funding and resources to implement on-ground works, and tangibly contributing to catchment scale health outcomes.
Significant projects have targeted a range of on-farm issues, including nutrient management, effluent management, riparian protection, off-stream watering, enhanced biodiversity, weed eradication, external impacts of water quality on downstream industries, climate change preparedness, cattle cooling systems, and irrigation efficiency.
The scale of dairy-NRM works that have been conducted over the past few years amounts to over $2 million, and is continuing as actively as ever.
NSW-wide projects run by Dairy NSW
FarmReady Industry Grants funded by Australian Government (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry under the program titled: Australia’s Farming Future).
Purpose of these grants is to assist Australian farmers to adapt to and mitigate against climate change.
Landcare Australia Limited project: Mitigation
Landcare Australia Limited Project title: Dairy Industry Mitigation Strategies and On-farm Adoption in a Changing Climate
Project description: this project iscurrently planned for delivery in early-mid 2010 in Hunter Valley and South Coast NSW (Nowra). This project also has similar components being delivered in Tasmania and Gippsland.
Landcare Australia Limited project: DairySAT delivery
Landcare Australia Limited Project title: Promoting and achieving Dairy Industry Best Management Practice for Water Quality and NRM (regional sites in NSW, QLD, VIC, SA)
Project description:
This Regional Development Program (RDP) will oversee and administer the allocated project funds of $33,000.00 per region to dairy farmers within the guidelines outlined by LAL. This project includes the delivery of the Dairy Self Assessment Tool (DairySAT) in an on-farm facilitated process to identify the current environmental performance. DairySAT results will be used to:
As per DairySAT, farm level information will anonymously identify NRM performance and be reported at the group level regarding:
These results will enable consideration by other potential stakeholders, including CMA’s, to identify priority actions for improving water quality and NRM on-farm.
Project process: 5 steps
1. Dairy SAT delivery on Farm
Delivering Dairy SAT on farm will establish farmer engagement with this project and the assisted self assessment process will identify the farm level Dairy-NRM performance information needed to collate a group level report. Delivering DSAT will also reinforce and confirm farmer’s own awareness and attitude towards NRM, which itself is an outcome for growing farmer’s capacity to improving NRM, where needed.
2. Summary Report and Results Compilation
Dairy SAT delivery on individual farms will result in identification of key issues that will be collated into a group report for each region. DSAT results will be compiled (with RDP support where appropriate) for each region to help identify local priorities. We then can work towards organising a workshops or follow up on farm activities. Results are to be discussed directly with participating farmers and the group level report will be distributed to each participating farmer in each region. The project recognises that farmers are the owners of the compiled data.
3. Results & Priorities Workshop with farmers
This workshop will be held at a time and place that suits farmers in each region. Each workshop will be catered and will be free to farmers, whether held day or evening. The meeting will be facilitated by with support from industry/RD as needed. Group level results will be presented back to the farmers in a group session and is aimed to help show the importance of tackling NRM issues together. It will also enable celebration of success in areas that are identified across the group as best management practise. Discussions will revolve around group priorities for taking action in the short, medium and long term to improve NRM performance as well as discuss potential collaborative relationships with stakeholders who share an interest in Dairy-NRM (such as CMAs etc). Thoughts collected at this meeting will guide the next step in this output process.
4. Results & Priorities Workshop with Farmers and Stakeholders
This will be a combined workshop with all relevant local stakeholders that have an interest in collaboration/investment to improve dairy-NRM. Organisations to be included, for example, are as Landcare, CMAs, water utilities etc, and, some representative farmers from the DSAT group. Discussions will identify the priorities of farmers and the priorities of stakeholders, and identify similarities where they occur.
5. Embark On Actions at farm level and disperse funds to farmer projects
Discussion of farmer and stakeholder priorities will establish the key priorities for action at the farm level. In the short term farmers will be encouraged identify on-farm practice changes for immediate adoption, while larger scale, medium term projects will also be identified for action. Collaborative partnerships with co-investors in on-farm dairy-NRM projects will be sought, and farmers will be enabled to embark on identified projects. In the short term, the LAL funding ($33K per region) will enable immediate actions to be achieved regarding on farm NRM improvement activities, such as farmer-stakeholder agreed education courses on specific topics (eg nutrient budgeting), immediate on-ground works, or developing a longer term project proposals for a farm (eg effluent upgrade).
Other Dairy NSW resources regarding climate change:
- Climate Change Fact Sheets for NSW already delivered and available on request
- Climate Change forums for service providers and farmers – presentation material available on request.
For further information contact:
Dairy NSW’s NRM Coordinator,
Dr Jess Jennings
(Mob: 0423 224 750 / Email: j.jennings@uws.edu.au)
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