Several Landcare and natural resource management projects across the Barossa were showcased to Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister Luke Hartsuyker and Barker MP Tony Pasin today.
The projects included sustainable vineyard management in Keyneton, a trial of soil moisture monitoring to help graziers make early decision about pastures and a watercourse revegetation project at a dairy farm to prevent soil erosion.
Henschke Cellars’ viticulturist Prue Henschke showcased how native plants grown between vine rows at her family’s Schilling and Hill of Grace vineyards at Keyneton could host a range of beneficial insects which assisted the control of pest insects.
The Keynes family’s Keyneton Station demonstrated the Soil Moisture Monitoring in Pastures project which aimed to allow graziers to make informed and early decisions through the season around fodder purchase and stock numbers.
Meanwhile, the Klemm family’s dairy property at Moculta showed how a Landcare-funded watercourse revegetation project was helping identify solutions to address erosion along watercourses using different local native plants.
“For more than 25 years, the Landcare movement has been protecting, restoring and sustaining Australia’s soils, water and diversity of Australia’s unique plants and animals and its threatened species,” Mr Hartsuyker said.
“These projects are a prime example of the benefits NRM can provide to both agricultural industries and the environment.
“Farmers are some of our nation’s best environmental custodians and have most at stake when it comes to protecting our precious soils, water and vegetation.”
He said the future of agricultural industries, their continued productivity and strong contribution to Australia’s economy relied on a commitment to long term effective NRM.
“The Australian government has – and continues to be – a strong supporter of Landcare, committing $100 million in new funding to this important work.”
Mr Pasin said it was great to see first-hand the local Landcare and NRM projects making a palpable difference.
“They support productivity at the farmgate, and help create better environmental outcomes at the same time,” he said.
“We have community members, farmers and other landcarers across Australia forming Landcare groups and committing their support to an integrated, productive and sustainable approach to land management.”
