Improving land management practices - Caring for our Country

Report Card 2010–2011
Outcome Information Sheet
SUSTAINABLE FARM PRACTICES—
IMPROVING LAND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Sustainable practices conserve and enhance the long-term capacity of the nation’s resources and contribute to maintaining a healthy
environment. Australian farmers manage about 70 per cent of the Australian landscape, while Australian fishers operate in an
area greater than the entire Australian landmass. Their management and operational practices have a crucial role in the future of
Australia’s natural resources both on land and in the water.
Through Caring for our Country, over 16 800 participants, including farmers in the cropping, horticulture and grazing sectors, took part in 141 projects to
improve their management practices to deliver improved ecosystem services. Many projects resulted in more farmers in priority regions undertaking activities
to improve their knowledge, skills and practices in managing different soil types and reducing environmental impacts.
In 2010–11, two new projects were funded to improve practices and optimise sustainability for commercial fishers and aquaculture farmers.
CASE STUDIES
BEGA CHEESE HELPS DAIRY FARMERS SECURE A
SUSTAINABLE FUTURE (NSW)
Bega Cheese is Australia’s largest listed dairy company producing 200 000
tonnes of dairy products at five sites. Currently 472 dairy farms across New
South Wales, Victoria and South Australia supply milk to Bega Cheese.
The company’s Environmental Management System (BEMS) has been
operating since 2005, and has resulted in significant improvements in
on-farm management practices in the Bega region of NSW.
In 2010 Bega Cheese received Caring for our Country funding to deliver
BEMS across its entire supplier base. The project will help farmers
improve their knowledge and skills, increase the adoption of improved
management practices, including ongoing landscape-scale biodiversity
conservation activities.
The project will benchmark and monitor current management practices
and identify areas requiring improvement, from the individual farm to the
regional level.
“It is a fantastic opportunity for Bega Cheese to help our suppliers secure
their sustainable future. BEMS has been successful in the Bega region
because it targets the needs of our suppliers. The Caring for our Country
funding helps us identify the needs of all our suppliers and deliver targeted
extension programs in the future”, said Melissa Balas, Senior Environment
and Sustainability Officer for Bega Cheese.
The project has resulted in around 100 farmers voluntarily participating
in the sustainability assessment process. Soil trials are also being
implemented in all of the supplier regions to help identify soil health
issues, and to assist in monitoring changes over time. Most of the farmers
who have participated in the sustainability assessment process have found
A herd of Jersey cows which produces milk for Bega Cheese.
Photo: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
the process has improved their knowledge and skills of best practice
natural resource management.
A series of farmer workshops targeted at improving resource management
practices are being held in each of the supplier regions. The workshops
have been very well attended and well received by the participants.
Bega Cheese anticipates the information obtained from this project will
help to focus their extension activities, monitor changes in management
practices and help their dairy farmers remain sustainable into the future.
www.nrm.gov.au

IMPROVING WATER QUALITY IN CAGE FINFISH
AQUACULTURE: MANAGING NET BIOFOULING (TAS)
Tassal Operations, with the support of Caring
for our Country funding of $206 000, is
contributing to the ongoing sustainability of the
Tasmanian caged aquaculture industry. They are
researching and developing new techniques for
cleaning and maintaining netting.
Net biofouling is a constant problem for the
caged aquaculture industry. If nets are not clean,
the flow of water is restricted, and fish health is
compromised by reduced oxygen in the water
and build-up of excess food and waste.
Through the funding received from Caring
for our Country, Tassal Operations is testing
a Marine Inspection Cleaner (MIC) vacuum
system, to clean the nets while in-situ. The MIC
draws organisms from the salmon nets and
releases the net-wash into the water column,
reducing the need for anti-foulant paints and
minimising the impact on the environment.
Sound research methodologies were developed
early on in the project, as were relationships
built with research organisations such as CSIRO
and local specialist laboratories so that accurate
water quality tests could be undertaken and used
to inform the project. As a result of the project,
Tassal Operations has been able to develop best
Marine Inspection Cleaner vacuum system cleaning the nets while in-situ. Photo: Tassal Operations Pty Ltd
practice guidelines in managing net biofouling,
to share with the broader aquaculture industry. A
number of other countries have also expressed
interest in the research findings.
These new techniques being tested by Tassal
Operations will help protect the water quality in
which the Tasmanian salmon industry operates.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Caring for our Country, sustainable farm practice: www.nrm.gov.au/about/caring/priorities/sustainable.html
Caring for our Country Outcomes 2008–2013: www.nrm.gov.au/resources/index.html
www.nrm.gov.au