Message from your RALF

Hi everyone, thank you for your continued support of the Greater Sydney Small Farms Network. We now have 450 members!

We have two free registrations to give away for the inaugural Young Farmer Business Program Conference in Dubbo on Friday 7 February. If you are aged between 18 and 35 and are involved in running a Small Farm in Greater Sydney, email me before 19 December 2019 and tell me why you should receive a free registration. For more information on the fantastic program, read the Workshops & Events section below.

If you know someone who might be interested in joining the Greater Sydney Small Farms network, they can register HERE. To provide ideas on how the Greater Sydney Small Farms network can help you, please email me or phone 02 4724 2151 or 0436 803 337.

NEWS

Is your property bushfire prepared?
With temperatures getting hotter, the ground getting drier and unprecedented bushfires already burning throughout NSW, be bushfire prepared by:

Maintaining grass and vegetation around your property
Cleaning out gutters
Ensuring gas valves are facing away from buildings and structures
Creating at least a two meter gap between buildings and trees or shrubs
Blocking gaps under the floor, in roof spaces, under eaves, external vents, skylights, chimneys & wall cladding
Preparing an emergency kit and evacuation plan.

Australian Farmers have published a concise to-do list to help prepare for the bushfire season and what to do in the event of one, click HERE. Greater Sydney Local Land Services (GS LLS) have produced an Animal Emergency Plan for pets and livestock, click HERE.

The Rural Fire Service NSW has a wide range of resources, including: Prepare your Horse for Bushfire; 'Fires Near Me'; Bushfire Survival Plan (Home); Farm Fire Safety. Click on any of these resources or call the Fire & Rescue NSW Bushfire information line on 1800 679 737.

And finally, Local Land Services (LLS) and the NSW Department of Primary Industries can provide assistance to landholders and communities with animal welfare-related issues resulting from bushfires, including: Emergency fodder, Emergency stock water, Animal assessment and veterinary assistance, Stock euthanasia and burial. For assistance call the Agricultural Animal Services hotline on 1800 814 647 or go to the GS LLS Bushfire Emergency Website.

Update your details with LLS and new customer newsletter
NSW landholders with more than two hectares can register themselves with LLS, enabling contact to be made and more accurate large animal evacuation plans to be developed in emergency situations. If your details have changed since submitting your last Annual Land and Stock Return, please contact GS LLS on phone 1300 795 295 or email [email protected] Also, the GS LLS Customer newsletter is going digital. To subscribe, click HERE. To continue receiving the GS LLS Customer newsletter via post, just let us know!

Key recommendations to improve marketing at farmers’ markets
A recent survey commissioned by GS LLS has resulted in key recommendations for farmers to improve their marketing at farmers’ markets. Farmers’ market consumers want to know if the agricultural practices used by the farmer result in a) better health and animal welfare outcomes and b) Improved environmental benefits. Also, they want learn more about the produce they are buying, the farm where it was produced and have the opportunity to engage further through social events such as cooking classes. For more information, click HERE.

Meet the farmers embracing climate change and thriving
Seventy nine per cent of Australians think we have a responsibility to take action on climate change, even if the biggest emitting countries don't. According to the Australia Talks National Survey, 60 per cent "climate change is a serious problem and immediate action is necessary". Many of our farmers are already taking action, and benefiting as a result. Jeff Burch has moved his farming operations further South to combat the changing climate, click HERE for more. Colin Seis has tripled the amount of carbon stored in his soil by using stock to mulch and fertilise his paddocks and encouraging the reestablishment of native pastures. For more, click HERE.

Precision Agriculture and related technology
Date: Friday 6 December 2019
Time: 12noon - 4pm
Location: 40 Edwards Road, Richmond Lowlands
Cost: FREE, bookings essential.
VegNET will be showcasing Precision Agriculture and Related Technology at the Greater Sydney Local Land Services Demonstration Farm in the early afternoon. Join us for lunch and demonstrations on the newest technologies in farming as well as Ace Ohlsson’s zucchini variety trial. For more details and to register, please contact Sylvia Jelinek on 02 4724 2113 or email [email protected]

Healthy Soils & Integrated Weed Management workshop
Date: Sunday 8 December 2019
Time: 10am to 3pm
Location: Glenorie Memorial Hall, 1729 Old Northern Road, Glenorie
Cost: FREE, bookings essential.
The Greater Sydney Landcare Network is holding a Healthy Soils & Integrated Weed Management workshop for improved land management. Bring along your problem weeds for identification and discover why some weeds are so successful and what that indicates about your soil. Presented by Harry Rose DPI Agronomist & Botanist. Contact: Glenda Steain 0418 244 418 or
[email protected]

Young Farmer Business Program Conference
Date: 6 February (Conf tour) 7 February (Presentation & dinner)
Location: Dubbo, NSW
Cost: Early bird registration $99 (before 31 Dec 2019).
Learn more about the drivers of successful primary production businesses, the support services available and practical steps you can take to achieve your dream. Hear from experts on finance, negotiation and planning, as well as from young farmers who have made it. A great line up of speakers include Mark Bouris of The Mentor; former Wallaby Stirling Mortlock; and succession specialist Isobel Knight. Click HERE.

Unlock the future of food and farming
Date: 18-19 February 2020
Location: The Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton Victoria
Cost: $770 for Primary Producers
The 'evokeAG 2020' program covers the most topical conversations in our agrifood tech industry. The content rich program has been created so delegates can design their own event experience. With simultaneous activities, thought-provoking conversations, interactive sessions and networking opportunities, there is plenty on offer to all delegates. The program has three streams – food, farm, and future. Click HERE for more details

'Free up your natural capital' conference
NOTE NEW DATES: 24-25 March 2020
Location: Albury
The Savory Global network is gathering in Albury NSW in March 2020. The Australian Holistic Management Co-operative is organising two days open invitation events on the theme that agricultural production and environmental stewardship can both be part of the same approach.
For more information, contact Tony Hill on 0412 128 755 or email [email protected]

Smart Farms Small Grants Round 3 still open!
Grants of between $5,000 and $50,000 are available to help farmers, fishers, foresters and regional communities adopt smart farming techniques and best practice land management. Applications close on 19 December 2019.
For the grant opportunity guidelines and application form, click HERE. For help with developing your Smart Farm Small Grant proposal, contact Richard Stephens, phone 02 4724 2151 or email [email protected]

Community action grants to reduce the impacts of climate change
To help communities take practical steps to reduce climate change impacts such as heatwaves, bushfires or floods, grants for between $10,00 and $30,000 are now available. The grants can foster partnerships between community groups, not for profits and indigenous groups and local councils. Round 1 is open until 31 January 2022. For more info, click HERE.

Short-duration rotational grazing leads to many improvements in the landscape
Livestock grazing can lead to reduced ground cover and altered pasture composition, commonly resulting in the loss of more palatable plant species. This negatively impacts the landscape which ultimately reduces livestock productivity. In an extensive study involving 36 sites on 12 commercial grazing properties, there was a 19 percent greater cover of perennial pasture s pecies and reduced weeds when short-duration rotational grazing was used. In addition, there was an increased abundance of high-value forage species.To view the entire results, click HERE.

A survey to find out how healthy Australian honey bees are

A short survey has been developed to find out how healthy Australian honey bees are and what pests and diseases might be causing problems for beekeepers.
The results from the survey will help decide what help beekeepers need to keep their honey bees healthy. It will also provide statistics for use by the industry.
All Australian beekeepers are encouraged to take part in this 10-12 minutes survey.The survey closes on 31 December 2019, click HERE.

A riparian land management guide for NSW farmers
The land alongside your waterway forms an important part of your farm and should be managed taking into account its special needs. This Guide will help you recognise and value riparian land, understand the impacts stock has on riparian land and waterways, identify areas for improved management and suggest infrastructure to ensure riparian areas contribute to your farm business productively without damage to the land or waterway. Click HERE.

Soil Management Tools for land managers
Two of six digital soil management tools for land managers will be released on World Soil Day, 5 December 2019. While yet to be applied at scale for regenerative agriculture, the use of such tools has been particularly effective in broadacre cropping to optimise soil sampling locations, save time and improve accuracy. For more information, click HERE.

Regional Weather and Climate Guide for Greater Sydney
The Bureau of Meterology and CSIRO have developed climate guides for each Natural Resource Management (NRM) region in Australia. These guides have been developed in collaboration with representatives from each NRM region to ensure the information is tailored to the needs of local farmers and agribusinesses.There is a climate guide for Greater Sydney available on the BoM website, click HERE.

The information contained in this publication is based on knowledge and understanding at the time of writing. However, because of advances in knowledge, users are reminded of the need to ensure that the information upon which they rely is up to date and to check the currency of the information with the appropriate officer of Local Land Services or the user’s independent adviser. For updates go to www.lls.nsw.gov.au

FUNDING

RESEARCH

RESOURCES