Crowdfunding African farmers
Crowdfunding can enable youth and women in agriculture to raise funds from multiple individuals through donations, presales/rewards, debt, or equity.
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African food revolution targets youth and women
The rapid rise of urban food markets across sub-Saharan Africa represents an unparalleled opportunity to drive development of African agriculture, according to conveners of the African Green Revolution Forum.
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Blackmore’s right to farm – a case study
Petition fails to understand the complex animal husbandry and ecosystem functions associated with Blackmore’s move to finishing his Wagyu cattle on farm.
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Right to farm livestock requires holistic decision making by farmers and councils
Livestock farming intensity is a relative term which should not be categorized by the percentage of daily feed intake which an animal eats. What is important about intensity are the outcomes associated with livestock health and welfare, outcomes for ecosystem functions across the farm concerned, and issues with feeding logistics and transport in the vicinity of the farm.
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Perennial pasture soil carbon opportunities more about opinion than science
By Patrick Francis The value of optimising soil organic carbon (SOC) to farming ecosystems and plant and livestock productivity is
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Moffitts Farm lamb scoops a Fine Food award
Moffitts Farm Wiltipoll sheep meat has won a silver medal in the 2015 Royal Melbourne Fine Food Awards.
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Farming webinars a great extension tool
Webinars are close to the ultimate extension tool because they give farmers specific information on a topic of interest without the farmer having to leave home
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RSPCA live export policy attacks demean the beef/sheep sectors welfare credibility
The RSPCA is the target of a concerted campaign by state farmer organisations and vested interest commentators to discredit it and possibly diminish its role in overseeing animal welfare on farms.
Read MoreBulky pastures best defence against new born lamb exposure deaths
By Patrick Francis A feature of grazing management on Moffitts Farm is allowing summer active perennial grass species in lambing
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Crop WUE improvement a soil health triumph
New maps detailing the water use efficiency (WUE) of wheat crops across Australia reflect the comprehensive practice changes that have taken place in the grains industry,
Read MoreThe Tesla battery heralds new beginning for stand alone solar and wind power
By Professor John Mathews While wind and solar power have made great strides in recent years, with renewables now accounting
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Frequently Asked Questions – Moffitts Farm
SIZE AND LOCATION Moffitts is a 50 ha farm in the Macedon Ranges shire, near the town of Romsey.
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New attitudes to native grasses for win-win outcomes
Precede: There has been a paradigm shift in the way Ian Locke ‘Spring Valley’ Holbrook NSW manages and grazes the
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Holistic grazing ensures ecosystem resilience
The nine months from 1 July 2014 to 1 April 2015 have been unprecedented in terms of low rainfall and frequency of falls since we started our holistic grazing program in 2000.
Read MoreSo called “carbon farming” fails to embrace broadacre farmers
High hopes for soil carbon revenue dashed By Patrick Francis After attending a workshop entitled “The business case for carbon
Read MoreWesternport alternative fertiliser trial review
By Patrick Francis The Westernport Catchment Landcare Network’s alternative fertilisers trial was conducted over six years between 2007 and 2013.
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Booming new live cattle markets could impact Aussie beef exports
The greatest value-add for meat comes via processing and retailing, both are lost with live exports unless joint ventures are involved.
Read MoreESCAS fails stunning for sheep
Review is misleading on animal welfare By Patrick Francis It is baffling to me how Australia’s most credible animal welfare
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Carbon trading with REDD+ struggling
‘Honeymoon’ over for REDD+ as it struggles with politics and power BY Bruno Vander Velde and Sophie Furnival In theory,
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Getting started with comfortable farming
By Patrick Francis After our December 2014 Comfortable Farming presentation and walk in conjunction with Adam Logan from Melbourne Water,
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Book review: Nature and Farming
At last an accurate review of farm biodiversity and its future By Patrick Francis It is refreshing to finally find
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Selling food and fibre sustainability – what’s in it for Australian agriculture
By Tony Gleeson. We endlessly promote our ecological sustainability – through the ‘clean green’ mantra. Yet of all the features the green feature is the one least verified. It is the one least linked to particular products or producers. It is not traceable.
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Outstanding review of renewable energy developments across the world
By Patrick Francis One of the most comprehensive documents about the development of renewable energy around the world has been
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Benchmark beef cattle prices to China free trade signing
Under the China Australia Free Trade agreement tariffs currently levied on Australian beef, offals, hides and live cattle will be eliminated over four to 10 years.
Read MoreBoost lamb survival with ewe maternal behaviour scoring
Introduction by Patrick Francis Ewe Maternal Behaviour Scoring is another tool farmers can use to improve lamb survival and growth
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Lambs to Survive and Thrive
By Jason Trompf, J.T. Agri-Source Introduction by Patrick Francis Jason Trompf has collated what in my opinion is one of
Read More2014 lambing roundup – tails not an issue for hogget ewes
This year Moffitts Farm lambed down its first flock of hogget ewes. Results have been excellent.
Read MorePCAS starts grass finished beef marketing games
By Patrick Francis The discussion and one-upmanship surrounding the domestic marketing of beef produced from cattle grazing pasture for their
Read MoreExisting knowledge should underpin NLP on-farm project funding policy
Introduction Across Australia’s farming and pastoral zones there are a host of innovative farmers who have years of experience and
Read MoreDirect tree seeding project is back to the 1990’s
By Patrick Francis Funding a landcare group project in 2013 to direct seed native shelterbelts and make a video of the
Read MoreLandcare review questions dodge participating farmers positive outcomes
By Patrick Francis Reviews of the National Landcare Program by the two bureaucracies involved, Department of Agriculture and Department of
Read MoreNational Landcare Program needs alternative funding policy for farming
By Patrick Francis Summary Funding for landcare farming projects has become institutionalized and supports a range of NRM agencies for
Read MoreWarmest lambs
Photos of 5 to 7 days old lambs on a frosty morning in September 2014 demonstrate just how comfortable our system is for the livestock.
Read MoreABARES live sheep export review another whitewash
By Patrick Francis It is interesting to review some of the key issues raised in the recently released ABARES report
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Open Food Network a conduit for value-chain participation
A new initiative coming out of Melbourne, and reaching across the world, is the Open Food Network, – aiming to put some access to the food value chain back into the hands of farmers and link their products to consumers.
Read MoreMonitoring farm environmental trends
By Patrick Francis The key objectives of any credible farm environmental management program should include recording, monitoring and evaluating trends
Read MoreBeaufort hospital pioneers a wood chip boiler
By Patrick Francis A practical demonstration of how achievable and sustainable bioenergy can be has been implemented in the small
Read MoreLambs and rainfall – challenges and successes over summer and autumn
An update on Moffitts Farm in May 2014. Our “comfortable farming” system demonstrated resilience under the lowest summer rainfall we have experienced since we started it in 2000.
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