MORE than $330,000 in federal funding will help support 12 projects across the North East addressing key challenges for farming communities.
North East Catchment Management Authority (NECMA) chief executive officer, Katie Warner, said funding through the Australian government’s Climate-Smart Agriculture Program will help farmers adapt or transform farming systems in response to the ongoing challenges of climate change.
Ms Warner said NECMA had received 21 applications worth almost $700,000, with 12 projects approved to share in $330,000 of grants available.
“With the compounding impacts of bushfires, floods and dry conditions on local farm businesses over the last six years, on top of increasing consumer demand for products with lower environmental impacts, interest in practices that improve farm resilience and increase access to market premiums is high,” she said.
Ms Warner said each of projects help tackle key challenges for farming communities, such as improving soil health, enhancing on-farm biodiversity, shade and shelter, and building resilience of pasture and animal management systems.
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The 12 successful projects to be implemented over the next 2.5 years are:
• Building climate resilient agriculture and sustainable farming practices in the Greta Valley, Greta Valley Landcare Group Inc ($34,000).
• Improving farm dams in Edi Upper - support and demonstration, Edi Black Range Catchment Group ($10,000).
• Identifying soil type changes and levels across the paddock using modern mapping techniques, Boorhaman Landcare and District Group Inc ($15,000).
• Learning together as the Next Generation of farmers, Burgoigee Creek Landcare Group Inc ($30,000).
• Indigo Extension - TAFCO Online Weather Station Network, Indigo Shire Council ($22,840).
• Mitta 2 Murray Landcare Network Digs Deeper into Soils and Pasture, Mitta to Murray Landcare Inc ($40,000).
• Climate-Smart Vineyard Soils: A Rutherglen Pilot for Low-Input, High-Resilience Winegrowing, Winemakers of Rutherglen ($40,000).
• Integrated Soil and Climate Strategies for managing brown rot in Chestnuts, Chestnuts Australia Inc ($40,000).
• Working towards learning adaptive pathways to sustainable production and a resilient natural environment in a changing climate, Upper Murray Landcare Network ($39,400).
• Growing Together: Leneva Castle Creek Biodiversity Workshop Series, Wodonga Urban Landcare Network ($30,000).
• Demystifying Soil Health, Victorian No Till Farmers Association ($10,000).
• Shelterbelts: benefits for biodiversity and livestock, Benambra Dinner Plain Omeo Landcare Group ($19,905).
