PASTORALISTS are being encouraged to trial new management practices and technologies to assist them to adapt to varying climates and markets, through new grants being offered by the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board's Pastoral Sustainability Grants program.
It's the second time the Board has offered the grants, which are valued up to $90,000, as part of the Building Pastoral Sustainability project, which is designed to build on the capacity and resilience of pastoral businesses.
They are open to any pastoral business in the SA Arid Lands region that earns its primary income from sheep or cattle grazing native pastures.
Grants are available for between $10,000 and $30,000 for projects that meet at least one of the outcomes aligned with the Building Pastoral Sustainability project.
These include:
- Assist businesses to adapt to significant changes in climate and markets;
- Trial sustainable agricultural practices or technologies that may not yet be widely adopted in the SAAL region;
- Improve the capacity of pastoral businesses to demonstrate the sustainability of their operations through the traceability of their products;
- Improve pastoral industry sustainability, productivity and profitability; and
- Increase adoption of sustainable agricultural practices that directly improve natural resources.
In the first round of the funding program, two projects were successful in winning grants, which are almost now complete.
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Lyndavale Cattle Co received funding for a walk-over weigh and draft system for De Rose Hill Station in the Marla Oodnadatta district.
The system enables decisions regarding livestock movements to be data drive, thereby optimising turn-off weights and maximising returns.
It will also help in taking action to prevent over-grazing by enabling timely decisions with respect to livestock weights plateauing during dry times.
Paroo Pastoral received funding for a regenerative grazing project for Buckleboo Station in the Gawler Ranges.
The project aimed to change grazing management to a time-controlled grazing method and allow complete spelling of a grazed area for at least 10 months.
It included additional sub-division fencing and trap yards around all watering points.
The Building Pastoral Sustainability Project is supported by the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board, through funding from the federal government's National Landcare Program.
Applications close on June 15.
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