Insight into soil biology
Farmers have gained insight into ways of increasing the resilience of cropping land at Victorian No-till Farmers Association workshops in Horsham.
Agricultural ecologist Nicole Masters, from regenerative agricultural specialist group Integrity Soils led the workshops at Sawyer Park and on a district farm.
Ms Masters, who leads workshops across Australia, New Zealand and the United State of America, spoke about a need to build resilience into vulnerable farming systems to become more profitable.
“For some it’s about getting off the treadmill. We talk about the role of microbiology in farming, building carbon and restoring natural cycles,” she said.
“We talk a bit about water and flood and drought cycles and what control do farmers have in coping with that.
“These workshops are very much about asking how we put the power back into farmers’ hands.”
Ms Masters said she hoped farmers who attended the workshops gained inspiration and a sense of hope and possibility about their land.
“We do a lot of work, most in North America, Australia and New Zealand, with biological systems and exploring how we can restore them. We’re seeing incredible successes. It’s about asking what’s possible in these eco-systems and where are we failing to capitalise on what we have.”
Rupanyup farmer and Victorian No-till Farmers Association board member Paul Oxbrow said the workshops had been about gaining greater understanding of the growing environment.
“They provide a lot of direction on regenerating our soils to grow a more resilient plant and healthier food,” he said.
Steve Stone, who farms at Woodstock and among visiting attendees at the Horsham workshops, said it was great to hear more about regenerative farming systems.
“So we can have self-sustaining and profitable systems that are healthy and help lower farming input costs,” he said.