FARM PRODUCTIVITY & DELIVERY PROGRAM WHAT WE SAID WE’D DO WHY WE DID IT WHAT DID WE ACHIEVE? NRM On-farm Change Provides strategic leadership in the development and adoption of sustainable environmental practices, in particular practices which improve resource use efficiency and productivity Maintain the dairy industry’s perception of being a credible environmental manager Maintain access to the resources required to sustainably build dairy profitability Produced final report on DAFF-funded Environmental Management System (EMS) Pathways program. More than 12% of Australian dairy farmers participated in the Dairying for Tomorrow (DfT) EMS programs and 85% of these farmers implemented changes in environmental practices Co-ordinated regional DfT positions and met DAFF milestone reporting requirements. These positions have leveraged approximately $2 million worth of funding for regional NRM programs in 2006/07 Lobbied the Australian Government for future funding for regional DfT co-ordinator positions. The positions will be evaluated and a decision made late 2007 Conducted a mid-term review of the ‘Incorporating DairySAT into Dairy Businesses’ project, which recommended that DairySAT delivery be broadened to include service providers and regional NRM agencies Reviewed the DfT communication and recognition strategy, which resulted in a successful submission to DAFF for $285k to broaden the industry EMS delivery base Responded to more than 30 requests for presentations about DfT by regional NRM agencies, state and federal government NRM agencies Sustainable Catchments Build upon farm-scale nutrient and pathogen research to better understand how farm management impacts upon catchment health Dairy farming needs the capability to explain clearly the contribution its use of resources makes within catchments shared by other farm businesses, communities, tourism and manufacturing industries to maintain access to resources and the right to farm. This investment builds that capability Completed contracts for Brucknell Creek, Coorong, GipRip and Montagu Sustainable Catchments projects. These projects increased industry and stakeholder understanding of the interaction between management practices, off-farm nutrient loss and salinity Developed Sustainable Catchments business plan in line with recommendations from the Sustainable Catchments Program review Received and evaluated 14 project proposals for new Sustainable Catchments projects commencing in 2007/08. Developed Sustainable Catchments implementation plan incorporating the successful project applications. Developed and distributed Sustainable Catchments Program report and communications material PROGRAM WHAT WE SAID WE’D DO WHY WE DID IT WHAT DID WE ACHIEVE? Soils and Nutrients Understand the interactions between different farming systems and the environment in regard to soil nutrients, soil structure and toxicants such as pathogens, and to convert the understanding into information products that will help promote the adoption of more productive and sustainable farming practices Maintain the dairy industry’s perception of being a credible environmental manager Maintain access to the resources required to sustainably build dairy profitability A range of outcomes have helped establish dairy farming as a leader in understanding soil nutrient issues and science within catchments: • Developed a business plan in line with recommendations from the Soils and Nutrients Program Review and the Accounting for Nutrients workshops • Conducted 20 service provider and stakeholder workshops on the Fertiliser Nutrient Loss Index and Better Fertiliser Decisions tools • Reviewed and evaluated existing national and international nutrient accounting tools and concluded they met some but not all of the requirements of the proposed Accounting for Nutrients framework • Increased industry and stakeholders understanding of the Accounting for Nutrients (AfN) Framework through the establishment of a stakeholders AfN network • Obtained National Landcare Programme funding to implement an Emerging Effluent Management Technologies project in response to service provider and farmer requests • Developed a draft Australian Dairy Industry Technical Database for Effluent Management and Reuse to provide a common source of reference for all state dairy effluent guidelines Water Use Efficiency & Security Maximise profit through efficient use of irrigation water The efficient, effective and responsible use of water is a significant cross-industry issue. Dairy Australia helped the dairy industry articulate its handling of water issues and demonstrate its credentials in a range of ways in 2006/07: • Increased industry understanding of the effectiveness of sub-surface drip irrigation under grazing conditions through trials on two farms • Developed Dairy Water 2006: Situation & Outlook Report in partnership with ADF and CSIRO to inform industry R&D and extension requirements • Developed the Climate Change Strategic Plan to facilitate climate change project funding partnerships with key stakeholders including CSIRO, Australian Greenhouse Office and DPIV • Developed a joint Australian Greenhouse Office and Dairy Australia climate change adaptation project to increase industry understanding about climate risk
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