WELCOME! Issue 59 - 13 November 2023 | |
Yours sincerely,
Richard Stephens Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator (SAF)
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Designing pastures with electric fencing
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Grazing density and recovery periods are major factors of pasture productivity. When planning your grazing operation, focus on maximising recovery. Grazing density and the length of grazing and/or recovery are based on the number of paddocks within a rotation. Standard rural fencing installation can be expensive and time consuming, however, electric fencing is a versatile, inexpensive and efficient tool to improve your grazing operation. When designing pastures with electric fencing, fence lines can be creative to match the landscape. Many different products are available that can allow portable, semi portable, and fixed systems. Some simple tips for purchasing electric fencing include:- Buy a larger unit required for future additions
- Compare units by the Joules (J) of power. This is a comparative measurement across brands and power supply systems. Solar portable units are great if the unit needs to be moved around the property for large animals (cattle and horses). Mains are recommended for larger areas and the control of smaller animals e.g. sheep and goats (min 3J) or pests (6J) as they are a lot cheaper per Joule.
- Earthing is one of the major causes of livestock not respecting fences. Please follow the manufacturer recommendations and use galvanised stakes and an electric fence reader with a minimum of 0.3KV at the earth rod, if higher additional rods, 4m apart (and 10m away from buildings)
- Inspect the products for resistance prior to purchasing/installation. Poly products can vary depending on manufacturer and model.
If you would like to know more about electric fencing or would like to receive more technical grazing information/advice, please join the Greater Sydney Grazing Group. For more information, contact Ben Azzopardi on phone 0473 950 997 or email ben.azzopardi@lls.nsw.gov.au
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Planning for dry times While managing a farm in dry times is not easy, it is part-and-parcel of farming in Australia. Whether you have livestock or grow crops, help is available, including: Or visit the NSW Drought Hub.
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Natural disaster assistance Stay up to date with information, resources and support on emergency response and recovery for NSW primary producers. For emergency assistance for agriculture and animals, phone 1800 814 647. For bushfires, visit the Dept. of Primary Industries website or the Local Land Services website. Primary producers affected by a natural disaster are encouraged to complete the natural disaster damage assessment form. This information determines the scale and severity of disasters and what assistance and resources are required.
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Nominations open for 2023/24 Landcare Awards Do you know an individual, group or organisation in your community who should be recognised for their Landcare activities? Nominate them for a Landcare Award. Many volunteers and groups do fantastic work caring for our land. The 2023/24 State and Territory Landcare award categories include Climate innovation, Sustainable Agriculture, Individual Landcarer, Community Partnerships, Coastcare, First Nations Collaboration, Junior Landcare and NextGen Landcare. Nominations close 1 March 2024.
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More cultural burns neededThe Bushfires Royal Commission recommended incorporating more Indigenous land management practices. However, a leading cultural burning practitioner says more needs to be done to increase cultural burning. Firesticks Alliance co-founder Victor Steffensen wants cultural burning incorporated into mainstream fire agency and national parks staff practices. NSW National Parks says it has conducted only 21 cultural burns with Aboriginal communities since 2020. Read more about this as featured in ABC news.
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Queensland fruit fly monitoring Greater Sydney Local Land Services is urging local growers to become part of a Queensland fruit fly (QFF) monitoring program to help manage QFF in the region. The Queensland Fruit Fly Surveillance Program will monitor QFF's presence across the Greater Sydney region using electronic detection and reporting units. The program aims to assess the pest pressure of the QFF and support growers in managing this destructive pest. Commercial fruit and vegetable growers in Greater Sydney are encouraged to lodge an expression of interest to be a part of this program.
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Got feral pigs? Feral pigs will spend more time near water as the weather warms up. This is a great opportunity to target control efforts for pigs and help reduce their impact on agriculture and the environment. To help, Local Land Services has fully subsidised the cost of feral pig 1080 grain bait until 30 June 2024 (conditions apply). You can also complete the Vertebrate Pesticide Induction Training free of charge online, and we can arrange face-to-face sessions upon request. Call your local biosecurity officer on 1300 795 299.
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Backyard beekeepers stop producing honeyAustralia's decision to abandon efforts to eradicate varroa mite is triggering an exodus of backyard and hobby beekeepers. Some bee clubs in varroa hotspots have already lost half their members, and this trend is expected to play out nationally. However, honey production and pollination services are expected to recover. The destructive parasite was discovered further north at the Port of Newcastle in June last year. Find out more from the article in ABC rural news.
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EVENTS, SHORT COURSES & WEBINARS
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Empowerment through citizen science Citizen Science is a powerful way for people to connect with and help to protect nature. A forum at Richmond Lowlands, 11.00am – 1.30pm
on Thursday 16 November, will provide an overview of local citizen science initiatives and explore how we can reimagine our approaches to strengthen community connection to Country and our waterways. The program includes Uncle David King, Gundungurra Traditional Elder, presenting on “The Power of our Senses” followed by a panel session. A light lunch will be provided. Registration is required.
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Weedy Day Out for primary producers Weed experts, including Dr Karen Bell (NSW DPI) and Paul Marynissen (‘The Weed Guy’), will present on local priority weeds, farm weed identification, weed control strategies and current research into weed detection. There will also be a Q&A session, access to resources and lunch will be provided. The Weedy Day Out for primary producers is a free event to be held at Camden on Saturday 18 November, 10am to 1pm. Registration is free!
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Urban micro-farming workshopThe urban micro-farming workshop is designed to provide skills in abundant vegetable production, composting, poultry integration and mushroom growing on an urban scale.
The workshop combines hands-on activities and discussion on successful seedling propagation, bed preparation, crop spacing and chemical-free crop protection.
Learn the art of composting and how to make your organic liquid fertilisers to help boost soil biology and plant health. To be held at Springwood on Sunday 19 November, 9am to 3pm. Registrations are available for $160.
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Bank ready workshop If you are an aspiring farmer and want to know what is needed by a Bank for you to get into a farming business, the DPI Young Farmer Business Program and NSW Farmers are holding a Bank Ready Workshop in Richmond. If you are looking to secure financing and want to know the ins and outs of good vs bad debt, loans, equity, security, and more, come along. Everyone is welcome To be held Tuesday, 21 November, 6 to 9pm at Richmond. Free, register now! or read more about the program.
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Climate resilient pastures field dayThe Pastures and Climate Extremes facility at Richmond is used to explore the responses of pasture legumes, grasses and herbs to climatic extremes. What will extreme rainfall and increased temperatures mean to seasonal productivity, nutritional quality, forage potential for ruminants and what are the most climate-resilient species? The field day will be held on-site at Western Sydney University, Richmond, Thursday 23 November, 10am to 12noon. Register via email to Prof. Sally Power at s.power@westernsydney.edu.au
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Effective worker inductionThe NSW Farm Safety Advisory Program is holding an online webinar on developing your worker induction program. It introduces work health and safety, roles and responsibilities, hazard and risk management, emergency procedures, safe work practices, reporting and incident management, health and wellbeing, and legal obligations. To be held on 23 November from 6.30pm to 8.30pm, registration is essential.
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Australia's soil carbon accountWant to understand advanced soil and environmental measurement techniques, focusing on quantifying soil carbon? Join this webinar on Tuesday 5 December, 11am to 12.30pm, and learn about ground-breaking research in soil carbon modelling across Australia's landscape and how it affects agriculture, including cost savings in measurement. You'll gain knowledge and tools to improve your environmental practices and support sustainable farming by attending. Registration essential.
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Maximising ecosystem opportunities Landcare Farming brings the latest thinking and a discussion of happenings in the soil carbon world in the past 12 months. Carbon experts will again make themselves available to discuss the Carbon market, the latest research results & changes in this evolving space. In this webinar, the five experts will advise on the latest carbon literacy for producers and the role of carbon sequestration solutions in reaching decarbonisation targets. Tuesday 5 December, 2pm to 4 pm. Registration is required.
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8-day holistic management course
Register your interest in an 8-day Holistic Management course delivered by Brian Wehlburg from Inside Outside Management, to be held at North Richmond from 6 February to 10 April 2024. Learn how to make decisions that are socially, environmentally and financially sound using the Holistic Management Framework, find out how to use animals as a tool to improve environmental health, gain a deep understanding of Holistic Financial planning and Holistic Grazing planning and create a holistic context for yourself and your business/family.
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Central Coast industry festivalThe biannual Central Coast Industry Festival will be held on 6 to 7 March 2024. The event is designed to assist businesses in showcasing their capabilities and products, finding new customers and suppliers, and establishing new networks. Open to local manufacturers, suppliers and visitors from Sydney, the Hunter, and other regional areas.
Across the two days, there will be speakers, demonstrations and a Breakfast Launch event. More information will be released as we get closer to the event.
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Kids to farms school fundingFunding of up to $1500 is available to NSW primary schools for excursions to farms or agricultural sites. This school funding grant opportunity aims to remove some financial barriers preventing primary schools in NSW from participating in excursion opportunities where students can develop their understanding of food and fibre production systems. Visit the Kids to Farms website for more information.
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R&D funding from the CSIROThe CSIRO Kick-Start program assists Australian small to medium-sized enterprises by providing facilitation and dollar-matched funding to access CSIRO’s research expertise and capabilities for company-led R&D projects. Since 2017, the CSIRO Kick-Start program has catalysed for over 260 small business projects, contributing just under $24 million in R&D activities. The revised Kick-Start program is now available to more Australian businesses, innovators and entrepreneurs' access to resources, knowledge, and support.
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Small Network Grants program Small Network Grants are designed for community groups to develop and deliver one-off events or initiatives to strengthen community capability to build drought preparedness. Stream 1 offers grants up to $20,000, and Stream 2 offers grants up to $50,000 for eligible LGAs in the NSW Far West, NT Tablelands, NT Arid Lands and WA Great Southern regions. Funding can be used for building networks, community events, training, community infrastructure, development and/or learning.
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Fish habitat rehabilitation grants Local councils, community groups and government agencies are invited to apply for grants of up to $400,000 to enhance fish habitat, water quality and fish passage opportunities within the coastal catchments of NSW. Applications are open until 15 November 2023. Eligible projects include rehabilitation of significant riparian lands or coastal wetlands, removal or modification of barriers to fish passage, re-snagging of waterways with timber structures, and environmentally sensitive bank stabilisation works. More info is on DPI's website.
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Making sense of soil indicators The observations, assessments and measurements farmers use to gauge soil health are being examined to help growers, advisers and scientists identify the best indicators. Farmers, producers, advisors and others working in agriculture are encouraged to participate in this research by completing a 10-minute online survey. The Soil CRC survey asks questions about what soil indicators are used, how often they are used, and what has informed soil indicator choices.
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Green ammonia potential explored
Monash University believes green ammonia could be made with little to no carbon dioxide emissions. The technology currently used to make ammonia generates about 2 tonnes of carbon dioxide for every tonne of ammonia produced and accounts for between 1.5 and 2 percent of global man-made CO2 emissions. Start-up company, Jupiter Ionics, is developing one of the technologies used to create green ammonia and make it more cost effective. Read the ABC rural article.
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Non-urban water metering reforms The non-urban water metering reforms were introduced in 2018 to improve the standard and coverage of water meters across NSW. Feedback is now being invited to ensure efficient, fair, and sustainable water resource management. A consultation paper highlighting the potential barriers to implementing the rules has been produced, and your feedback to the Department of Planning and Environment is invited. Submissions close on 26 November 2023.
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Lab-brewed milk While meat grown from animal cells has recently been in the spotlight, synthetic milk could soon be a reality. Australian start-up venture Eden Brew, co-founded by Australian dairy co-operative Norco, is looking to have animal-free milk on supermarket shelves as soon as 2025. Its lab-cultured proteins simulate those found in dairy milk, and the company says worldwide demand for protein will double by 2050. Animal-free products are part of the "alternative proteins" industry attracting global investment as worldwide demand for protein grows.
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Domestic and stock water rights review Domestic and stock water rights are being reviewed in the NSW Water Strategy. These rights allow landholders to take and use water for domestic needs and stock watering without a water access licence, provided they own or occupy a parcel of land with river, lake, or estuary frontage or is overlying an aquifer. As part of the review, landholders are invited to complete a survey, which closes on 21 November 2023.
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New tubestock guideThe Rivers of Carbon Riparian Restoration Management Tubestock Guide has been launched. It can answer many landholder questions, including: How can I assess the condition of my riparian area? What can I do to help my waterway get better, and what does better look like? The site seems so big, where and how can I start? Which plants and where? How do I plant, maintain and care for my tubestock? Some of my plants are dying, what am I doing wrong? I have lost my plants to drought and flood, is restoration worth it?
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Trees near me app The NSW Department of Planning and Environment has developed the
Trees Near Me NSW
mobile and website app. It was created to easily and quickly receive information about plants and animals. Designed to help anyone discover information on vegetation, it can identify what plant species used to be found in now cleared areas, native plant community types and provide tree and plant identification.
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Bushfire resilience appAs the climate changes, an increasing number of houses in Australia are projected to be exposed to bushfires. A new tool has been developed that lets individuals and communities realise their vulnerabilities. Known as the Bushfire Resilience Rating, the app is a world-first rating system that assesses how vulnerable a specific house is to bushfires. It then provides a list of ways it can be made stronger. Read more about the bushfire resilience aap. | |
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Getting on top of parasites As the weather warms up, many parasites are starting to show more presence in flocks and herds. Some are less visible, and some are more visible. Being on guard about what may be impacting your livestock is an important part of managing and avoiding disasters. ParraBoss is a national authority for sheep, goats and cattle parasite control. Information is tailored for each region across Australia and designed to improve on-farm management of worms, flies, lice and ticks.
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Water and solar pumping on small farmsDo you have diversified water sources? In this youtube video episode from the small farm diaries, Liz discusses the importance of having diverse water sources and the benefits of a solar pumping system. Subscribe to the FarmStlye YouTube channel and get the latest farming tips from FarmStyle Australia, an online community for small and hobby farmers to learn everything about farming and country living.
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New mobile app for tree pests The MyPestGuide® Trees app is a pest identification field guide containing information on established and exotic forest pests and a pest reporting tool. It is designed to promote, encourage, and make it easy for everyone to get involved in reporting new pest sightings in high-risk areas. Surveillance around high-risk areas such as air and sea ports and cargo inspection areas, and public spaces such as botanic gardens and tourist attractions maximises opportunities for the early detection of exotic pests.
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Local food innovatorsFull Circle Farm on the Central Coast was founded on the simple philosophy that "nature has no waste basket, it has cycles". Dedicated to “regenerating our eco-system, food and community”, this pasture based, regenerative farm aims to mimic a natural, healthy ecosystem. Co-owner Shannon Kelly explains how they’re producing grass-fed and finished beef, pasture-raised chicken, and pastured eggs, all while creating a bio-diverse and healthy landscape. Read the latest Local Food Innovator Profile.
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Organic rising Organic Rising is the first feature-length film to demystify organic agriculture for the consumer. Initially, the documentary presents the two predominant American agrarian practices, conventional and organic, and how they impact human health and the planet. Organic Rising simultaneously demystifies the United States Department of Agriculture's organic regulatory process and farming methods, allowing consumers to make informed choices and to explore avenues of supporting and maintaining a strong and robust agricultural future.
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Fall ArmywormFor the latest updates on Fall Armyworm, visit the fall armyworm (FAW) engagement hub. The FAW engagement hub will keep you updated with the latest FAW research, development and extension activities in horticulture. You can read the latest news updates, access FAW resources and engage in discussions, report on FAW activities, ask questions and/or provide feedback.
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Understanding stock feed supplements There is an ever-increasing range of stock feed supplements available to beef producers, from traditional feedlot meals and pellets, to loose licks, lick blocks, fortifiers and liquid supplements. Identifying that cattle need a supplement is often the easy part, deciding what product will offer the most economical response is often a lot harder. Knowing and understanding the key nutritional information to look for on the feed product label will ensure you choose the most economical option. Read the Understanding product stock labels factsheet.
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This project is supported by Greater Sydney Local Land Services through funding from the Australian Government's National Landcare Program. | | 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
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