Soil carbon double dipping not on
When carbon credits are sold off the farm to a third party, the farm business cannot then claim them for accessing carbon neutral markets.
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More emphasis on pasture quality and lower methane emissions – Spring update November 2021
By managing pasture species and mass we are able to minimise our sheep flock’s methane emissions as well as improve growth rates. Plus interesting developments with bull ants and echidnas.
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50km per hour limit on minor rural roads – Key to Macedon Ranges pedestrian and bikers safety
Shire town residents are increasingly using nearby minor rural roads for exercise and nature observation, it means a new era of vehicle speed restrictions is required to protect public safety.
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The search for healthy soil biology indicators
Historically soil health mostly meant how much organic matter is in soil. But organic matter changes slowly. Microbes change fast.
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Soil biology revealed
This FAO report provides an important scientific account of the role of soil biota in the soil food web and carbon flow between the atmosphere, plants and soil.
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A rural land use strategy with no future
The Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s Draft Rural Land Use Strategy fails to incorporate climate change abatement, carbon and biodiversity farming, and local food production as key issues for future landholders.
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US scheme used by Australian farmers reveals dangers of trading soil carbon
Changing grazing and land management practices to bolster ecosystem functions is positive for the environment but may not necessarily lead into trading soil carbon.
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Significant omissions in MRSC draft Road Management Plan 2021
The Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s draft Road Management Plan takes no account of increasing numbers of pedestrians on some minor rural roads and increased wildlife population on roadside verges and surrounding farm and public land. It provides no data on vehicle road maintenance diesel use and their greenhouse gas emissions trends.
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Adding tonnes of manure and compost to perennial pastures didn’t change soil carbon
Anecdotal examples of increasing soil carbon stocks by changing livestock grazing and pasture management are common, but long term statistically significant trial data demonstrates making a significant change is likely to be difficult especially in perennial pasture paddocks where the existing carbon level in above 3%
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Macedon Ranges Shire Council Draft Roadside Conservation Management Plan has missed environmental health opportunities
Patrick Francis provides feedback to the Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s draft Roadside Conservation Management Plan.
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Victoria’s rural road speed guidelines ignore wildlife existence
Victoria’s state government departments responsible for maximum speed limits on minor rural roads and safety and welfare of wildlife do not recognize vehicles travelling to fast to avoid collisions with wildlife on minor rural roads, are the cause of an increasing number of wildlife road kills and injuries.
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Old-growth forest carbon sinks overestimated
Trees age. And at some point, they die. When that happens, decay begins, sending carbon back into the atmosphere as CO2. Other smaller trees will then take over, thereby leaving a fairly stable CO2 stock in the forest.
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Putting more relevant numbers around Australia’s livestock emissions
The Australian sheep meat industry has already achieved a status of green house gas stabilisation.
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Soil carbon to decline from global warming negative feedback loop
This research contends global warming is likely to increase soil carbon losses particularly in regions with high carbon stocks.
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Comparing grasses without grazing them has little value for building climate resilience
Applying artificial climate treatments to pasture species without including different grazing regimes is absurd, it makes the research conclusions around pasture species resilience in face of climate change irrelevant.
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Carbon-chomping soil bacteria may pose hidden climate risk
This research is suggesting that the carbon sequestered in the soil can be released faster than previously thought [and play a role in] future climate change,”
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Soil health farming versus conservation agriculture
Soil health (regenerative agriculture) initiatives must credibly delineate grain yield, grain quality and across farm ecosystem functions outcomes from what is currently being achieved with science based conservation agriculture.
Read more2020 spring update: pasture and lamb bonanza
2020 rainfall has been consistently close to or above average each month ensuring optimum pasture growth and ewe fertility ensuring a record high lamb marking and weaning percentage.
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Unique insight into Merino breeding and pastoral history
“A Twentieth Century Shepherd – The letters of E.H.B. Lefroy” demonstrate the activities and passion of a remarkable Australian who devoted his life to helping others in a science based quest for a more productive and profitable pastoral Merino wool industry.
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Messaging on minimum pasture ground cover quantity is inconsistent and often ignores ecosystem functions
Livestock farmers are being given mixed messages around minimum pasture levels that preserve pasture plant resilience and ecosystem functions.
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Ruminant methane decision pending – GWP100 versus GWPstar
The European Commission is about to settle on a new policy on methane which could have profound implications for ruminant livestock agriculture.
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Phosphorus fertiliser an advantage for specific native grass species
Some native grass species will respond to increased plant available phosphorus, but best practice grazing management is critical to ensure their persistence when fertiliser is applied.
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No meat interview demonstrates “go with the flow” journalism
Too many journalists fail to ask their on-air guests questions about generalisations made, in this case about different types of meat production in Australia versus overseas.
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Summer/autumn rain brings pasture fungi bonanza
Summer/autumn 2020 received the highest rainfall for the period since 2012. The consequences for biodiversity and pastures were enormous.
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Avoidable wildlife road kills continue unabated
Road kills of native animals are avoidable on minor rural roads in the Macedon Ranges and adjacent shires. To achieve this traffic speeds on these roads must be legally limited to a maximum of 40 km/hr.
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Regenerative agriculture’s version of science creates division between farmers
In part two of a three article series on regenerative agriculture Patrick Francis examines why the concept is creating unnecessary divisions amongst Australia’s broadacre farmers.
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What makes a regenerative agriculture farmer
Regen Ag has emerged over the last five years under the misapprehension of providing a more holistic methodology for profitable farming while improving ecosystem functions compared to conventional or agricultural science based farming.
Read moreNeil Black western Victoria 1839
The excerpts from Neil Black’s diary relate to Western Victoria’s landscapes, pastures, wildlife, livestock, animal husbandry, labour, wages, living conditions and bushfires in 1840.
Read moreJames Bonwick Western Victoria 1857
Find out what Victoria’s pastoral landscapes, vegetation and wildlife were like before pastoralism. James Bonwick provides an insight in 1857
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Feeds and husbandry to reduce ruminant methane emissions
Ruminant livestock industries are under pressure to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and strategies exist to help do this.
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Soil carbon trading credits questionable on perennial pasture farms
The challenge for agricultural science surrounding increasing or maintaining soil organic carbon level, is to provide farmers with knowledge that gives them confidence that the practice changes being recommended will achieve the desired outcomes under their individual soil type, climate, enterprise and business circumstances.
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Seasonal Update Spring 2019
Our phase two pasture renovation program currently in place is producing pastures which are providing us with significantly improved pasture quantity and quality year round, lower ruminant greenhouse gas emissions, higher lamb meat eating quality, and outstanding biodiversity habitat, under a trend for lower spring and autumn rainfall over the last 20 years.
Read moreAg science versus regenerative ag
Let’s work together to understand how and where regenerative agriculture works, identify possible problems, and work out the economic benefits.
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Long-haired rat story enchanting
Learning about the biology of the long-haired rat is the key to this book’s intrigue, because the long-haired rat took decades to scientifically identify as the unique Australian rodent, Mus villosissius.
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Soil carbon – US research points to plant diversity and soil pore size as keys to storage
Soils from restored prairie ecosystems, with many different plant species, had many more pores of the right size for stable carbon storage than did a pure stand of switchgrass.
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Can dingoes contribute to ecological restoration of the WA rangelands?
David Pollock contends there is an argument in some pastoral areas such as where Wooleen station is, for using dingoes as a means to reduce uncontrolled grazing pressure of kangaroos and feral goats because the station livestock carrying capacities are so low due to land degradation that the pastoral businesses cannot afford to contribute to the costs of dog control.
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Book review The Wooleen Way
Pollock’s insights into the connections between ecosystem functions, pastures and grazing management, put him into a rare group of outstanding farm/station ecosystem managers, observers, and influencers in the industry.
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Sustainable Intensification of agriculture – for food and nutritional security
According to 2019 Farrer Medalist, Professor Tim Reeves, agricultural sustainability successes have resulted from the combined efforts of scientists and farmers working together to identify, develop and adapt new technologies and systems to both address continuing challenges to productivity and profitability, and to also seize the new opportunities that continually arise.
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Controlling kangaroos is essential for rangeland resilience
Kangaroos do the most damage to the environment during extended dry periods when perennial grasses are forced to go into dormancy. Australia would probably be better off financially and environmentally if properties were fenced to protect them from kangaroos. Alan Lauder explains why.
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