Making more money out of perennial pastures throught carbon, benchmarking and matching pastures to soils

brought to you by the South East Prime Livestock Achievers and the Grassland Society of Southern Australia Inc.

When:

Wednesday 29^th February, 2012

What:

The forum will provide an opportunity for producers to gain access to industry information and network in an informal format.

This year the forum will focus on Carbon, Benchmarking and Perennial Pastures with key topics including:

Topics:

• Seizing opportunities in Agriculture; local, domestic and international.
• Carbon Farming - the implication to livestock based systems.
• Planning a perennial pasture program and matching pastures to soils.
• Trends for southern livestock
• The power of benchmarking.
• Back to pasture basics.
• The importance of systems and management.

During the afternoon field session, there will be an opportunity to inspect dryland and irrigated pastures on nearby “Koniak Estate” and to discuss pastures and soils.

Time:

8:50 am to 4:30 pm

Where:

Held in a new 12 stand semi circular raised board shearing shed at “Konetta” Princess Highway, Greenways, South Australia.

Cost:

Members $20 inc GST and lunch (inc. SEPLAs/MacKillop Group)

Non members $40 inc GST

RSVP

Krysteen McElroy 0408 655 108 or email mfmg@bigpond.com

Info?:

Penny Craig 0427 573 038 or

Tim Prance 0427 812 655

Sponsors:

This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry under FarmReady, part of Australia’s Farming Future

Program:

see below:

8:50 am

Start

Lachlan Polinghorn: Seizing opportunities in Agriculture; local, domestic and international
Outline: An overview of agriculture and the opportunities, based on past and present experiences at a local, domestic and international level.

10:00 am

Morning Tea, including woolshed tours

Lysandra Slocombe: Carbon Farming - the implication to livestock based systems
Outline: Discussion of the emerging issues to livestock producers from the new carbon policy and legislation, including an overview of the implications to pasture and livestock producers, and opportunities that may arise.

Kate Sargeant, Evergraze: Planning a perennial pasture program
Outline: Details surrounding the importance of perennials in the landscape and how to plan for a perennial pasture program.

12:15 pm

Lunch

John Frances, Holmes Sackett Trends for southern livestock
Outline: An outline of the profitability trends for southern livestock. Focusing on a comparison of relevant livestock industries to the region and what makes these enterprises profitable, including any enterprise mix changes that may have been occurring.

Janelle Edwards: The power of benchmarking
Outline: In a challenging financial time a practical insight into how a producer has used benchmarking to make sound and informed business decisions.

2:15 pm

Field session begins

Jamie Tidy, Naracoorte Seeds and Barry Mccreiner, manager Koniak Estate:
The importance of systems and management
Outline: An outline of the grazing systems and grazing management and why it is important to their business.

Tim Prance: Back to pasture basics
Outline: A reminder of pasture basics with an emphasis on getting the establishment and management right and the importance of this.

Brian Hughes, Rural Solutions SA: Understanding soils
Outline: an outline of the importance of understanding soils, and the key steps involved, including a brief summary of common soils in the region and important traits.

4:30 pm

Day concludes with refreshments

Tags: Field Day