Community
11 April, 2024
Farms needed for innovation, tech testing
IS there a technology, innovation or research finding your producer group is keen to test on-farm?
Agriculture Victoria, in partnership with Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), is conducting a new producer demonstration program with the opportunity to establish five new on-farm demonstration projects.
Agriculture Victoria project leader farming systems Bindi Hunter said the program is inviting expressions of interest from Victorian sheep and beef producer groups to design and conduct their own three-year project.
“The demonstrations are conducted on group members’ farms (preferably three sites per project per year) and involve participation by members in group activities, including skill development, site monitoring and discussion of results,” she said.
“Projects must be focused on increasing adoption of key management practices or commercially available technologies that improve business profitability, farm productivity and sustainability.”
Selected projects will focus on demonstrating systems or technologies in one of four priority areas:
The first area is to manage and adapt to a changing climate or specific regional conditions such as addressing feed gaps, grazing systems or enterprise mix.
The second is to reduce emissions or emissions intensity such as through efficiencies, feed types and quality, soil fertility management.
The third is to manage animal health and welfare risks resulting from increasing/ emerging biosecurity threats in a changing climate.
The last area of focus will be to implement on-farm innovations which improve production and management efficiencies (e.g. recent research findings, genetics, ag tech).
Expressions of interest close on Monday, May 13.
For more information and to receive an expression of interest form, go to https://go.vic.gov.au/3fTKvdU or contact Ms Hunter directly on 0428 589 016 or at bindi.hunter@agriculture.vic.gov.au.