Animal Health & Husbandry
14 August, 2025
New growth opportunity for mixed farmers
MIXED farming businesses across the district are being encouraged to apply for a new round of Producer Demonstration Site (PDS) projects.
Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) have joined forces to support mixed farming businesses in the region.
Preliminary applications for the 2025 Partnership PDS will open on Monday, August 25 and close on Friday, October 3.
Building on the success of the 2024 pilot, which supported five projects (set to establish 32 new demonstration sites and engage 49 core producers and over 600 observer producers), this renewed initiative continues to target producers operating livestock and grain enterprises across Australia’s mixed farming regions.
The program aims to help producers demonstrate, adapt and validate innovative management practices and research outcomes within commercial mixed farming systems.
The goal is to drive productivity and profitability gains across both livestock and grain enterprises.
In 2025, four partnership projects began, with a fifth due later this year.
Mixed farming producers stand to gain hands-on access to cutting-edge research and practical innovations.
By participating in the joint PDS program, producers can trial new practices tailored to their unique farming systems, learn directly from their peers, and contribute to shaping climate-resilient, sustainable agriculture.
Projects may explore opportunities to optimise pasture and grain crop productivity through improved soil health, targeted plant nutrition, and integrated pest, weed and disease management.
They may also look at conducting trials on nutrition or handling practices that improve carcass traits and market premiums.
A focus on climate-resilient systems using crop/pasture rotations and adaptive grazing strategies can also be conducted as part of the collaboration.
Additional opportunities include value-adding in mixed farming systems and whole-of-landscape planning that integrates water, biodiversity, and land use to support sustainable production.
MLA’s project manager for producer demonstration sites, Alana McEwan, said the partnership with GRDC was a strategic collaboration designed to deliver locally relevant, on-farm projects.
“This program empowers producer groups to explore and implement new practices that are grounded in research and tailored to their unique farming systems,” Ms McEwan said.
“We know many farmers produce multiple commodities and these PDS projects are targeted on outcomes that have crossover between livestock and grain production.”
The MLA/GRDC partnership PDS program will see six new sites established, with producer groups aligned and active by June next year.
Mixed farming operators interested in participating or hosting a PDS are encouraged to submit applications via email to PDS@mla.com.au by Friday, October 4.
For updated guidelines, terms of reference and a preliminary application form visit the MLA/GRDC Partnership PDS webpage.