Input alternative kicking goals

He farms at Carwarp as part of a family enterprise with his father Jon and brother Brady.

Brady and Marc are the fourth generation on the farm.

"All up, we run 10,000 hectares," Marc said.

"We crop about 5000ha, and also run 1500 Merinos and 400 head of cattle, mainly Herefords and Limousin."

The family mostly sell livestock through the market system, with sheep going to Ouyen, Vic, and cattle to Swan Hill, Vic.

"But, sometimes we do sell over-the-hooks to Thomas Foods International in Murray Bridge," Marc said.

Traditionally, the cropping program has always focused on cereals.

"We always used to just grow wheat and barley," he said.

"But, we've started to use peas as a rotational crop. We're in our second year of using peas as a break crop to try and increase nitrogen in the soil."

Clearfield technology has been a great boost to on-farm results.

"We've been using Kord and Grenade wheat to clean up grasses in our paddocks," Mr Bowen said.

"We also use the traditional wheat variety Scout."

Scope is the preferred barley variety.

"We used Scope not only because it's a Clearfield, and to clean up the grasses, but we also use it for sheep feed," he said.

The Bowen family started using Australian Vermiculture's Progro product after hearing about it from fellow Mallee farmers.

"Don and Caz Rankin, who farm at Werrimull, Vic, were the first in the area to use it," Marc said.

"They are Brady's father-in-law and mother-in-law, so we heard about the success they had with it.

"We thought we might have a look and try it."

Australian Vermiculture was set-up by Brendon and Del Price.

It started back in 1997, with the couple researching and investigating the commercial possibilities of utilising earth compost worms as a tool to best treat various waste streams.

Since then, the company has developed a range of products.

One of these is Progro, a nutrient and biologically rich liquid fertiliser.

The product is brewed using 13 different processes and inputs to produce an end product that has a diverse range of microbial life.

Increased microbial activity results in the increased biological release of soil nutrients.

By enhancing the soil biology Progro offers disease protection, minimising the need for pesticides, improving nutrient availability and the decomposition of toxins.

Marc said the financial advantages of using the product were substantial.

"We were spending up to $180,000 a year on fertilisers," he said.

"We were spending that money and not getting the returns back on it.

"These days our bill is about $50,000."

This huge cost saving has come at no detriment to the crop, with no yield disadvantages.

"I haven't seen an increase, but there's been no decrease either," he said.

"Yields are on a par with what we used to get with conventional fertilisers."

The product is put on as a foliar spray when the crop is at about the three-leaf stage.

"I see a lot of benefits to putting it on this way," he said.

"It makes it much easier at seeding time. You don't have to stop the seeder and put fertiliser in."