Community research trials

Location: Armidale
Status: Active
Partners: University of of New England (UNE), UNE/Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry (DAFF)- Future Drought Fund project: Drought Resilient Pasture Landscapes Scaled Through Communities Of Practice, UNE/DAFF - Future Drought Fund project: Empowering Gen Z, Hub's Longreach Node, Landcare & NRM Groups, Various rural businesses, NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI), The Australian Wool Education Trust (AWET), Rotary Youth In Agriculture, Animal Health and Nutrition (AHN), Roma Node, Narrabri Node, Stanthorpe Node, Holbrook Landcare, Northern Slopes Landcare Association (NSLA), GLENRAC, Fitzroy Basin Association, Tamworth Landcare Adventure, Gwymac Landcare

The hub's Armidale Node is supporting Ag360.com.au, maintaining it as a free tool for Australian livestock producers, providing them with additional data to help improve decision-making and property management. Ag360 helps with predicting rainfall, soil moisture, pasture growth, animal weight and livestock health risks up to 6 months in advance. Predictions are based on powerful, accurate scientific models that draw on all the expertise at the University of New England. In addition, Ag360 also provides capacity to record farm management actions, including husbandry and feeding, paddock movements and animal weights. Ag360 is available as a web-based tool, or as a mobile app on both Android and Apple.

To learn more about Ag360, watch our videos:

• AG360 App - Farm Performance - Business Tools
• How to measure your pasture availability

Location: Armidale
Status: Complete
Partners: GLENRAC, participating producers providing demonstration sites, participating producers

Northern NSW experienced severe drought conditions during 2018-2019 and during this time the most limiting natural resources for many farms in our district was water for livestock. The New England is widely regarded as a ‘safe’ area for stock water and this most recent drought challenged long held beliefs and paradigms. Local farm businesses were underprepared for this situation. Inadequate provisions and improvements were in place on many farms and the pivotal point for the forced sale of stock was lack of water.

In collaboration with GLENRAC, this project involves five farm sites to showcase best practice water infrastructure to address issues relating to both a shortage of water supply and to improve water quality. The project is developing extension products to provide information and hosting field events to share both industry and farmer expertise to improve water resources for the future.

The demonstration sites were distributed across the Northern New England with farms located at Deepwater; Emmaville; Ben Lomond; Briarbrook and Nullamanna. These farms had a range of landscapes; enterprises; water sources and water systems in place or planned. Each farm had their own ‘wicked problem’ to solve in relation to water to support livestock enterprises. 

The project hosted six field day events attended by a total 158 participants, including presenters and staff. Field day events have been well supported with people travelling across the region to attend. Each of the demonstration site farms presented at one field day event, with three field days held on demonstration farms and a further two hosted on other farms and one event hosted in town. Peer-to-peer learning was a feature of the project with farmers learning from one another at these interactive events. 

Event feedback was positive with significant increases in knowledge and confidence pre- and post-events. These engagement and extension events are created the opportunities for collaboration with a range of stakeholders including industry professionals, government agency staff and one tertiary institution. This collaboration has strengthened project activities with a high level of information exchange and cooperation with provision of services and resources to support the project and increasing the capacity of New England farms to plan for future climate events.

Read our blog, Drought proof stock water systems, to find out more. 

Location: Stanthorpe
Status: Active
Partners: Ausveg, University of Southern Queensland, Granit Belt Growers Association, FNQ Food Incubator

The hub has supported the Granite Belt Growers Association (GBGA) in securing a grant to explore the diversification of local farmers' waste produce. This initative is further backed by the FNQ food incubator. As a result, farmers are now creating their own compost through the GBGA. They are developing a pilot project in collaboration with service providers and the council to help reduce on-farm input costs by producing their own compost.

Location: Armidale 
Status: Complete 
Partners: GLENRAC, participating producers, Stevtech

The Northern Tablelands region of Northern NSW has extremes of climatic variation with widespread severe drought during 2018-2020 and above average rainfall in 2021 and 2022. A key impact of the drought was significant deterioration in pastures biomass and groundcover. With the break in the drought came an influx of weeds that have been highly prolific and have extended to areas that have previously been weed free. 

In collaboration with GLENRAC, this project established three farm demonstration sites: Walcha, Deepwater and Glen Innes. Those sites provided the opportunity to test the ability of StevTech drone technology to cost-effectively detect, control and monitor impact on up to three significant weed species in the Northern Tablelands. The project targeted areas of inaccessible terrain within the properties. A minimum of two weeds were investigated at each site to contrast control of grass vs woody weeds. The costs of both drones and chemical applications were compared to the properties normal weed control costs.

Location: Armidale
Status: Complete
Partners: Central West Farming Systems, Participating producers

This project, supported by the hub's Armidale Node, tested a range of ‘N banking targets’ and ‘N demand scenarios’ on-farm to establish the profits and risks associated with both strategies. Within this strategy, testing different N bank targets and different N demand scenarios to refine and optimise N supply and N demand using profits and profit-risk ratios to identify the best refinements within each of the two broader strategies. 

Learn more about this project in the CWFS 2024 Autumn newsletter.

Download the CWFS Nitrogen banking trial progress report (PDF 1.6MB).

Location: Armidale
Status: Active
Partners: Central West Farming Systems (CWFS), participating producers

CWFS has undertaken a two year project in collaboration with the Armidale Node of the SQNNSW Innovation Hub comparing crop rotations supplied with nitrogen from a legume crop or urea to better understand the soil health benefits, grain yield response. The project also delivered cost-benefit analysis for the two strategies. 

Learn more about the project in the CWFS 2023 Spring Newsletter.

Download the CWFS Organic N vs Synthetic N project update (PDF 1.7MB).

Location: Stanthorpe
Status: Complete
Partners: Plastics Pirate, Granite Belt Sustainable Action Network, Granite Belt Growers Association, Southern Cross University, Southern Downs Regional Council

The Granite Belt region, like many areas in Australia, faces the challenges of plastic waste. Local growers raised this concern, prompting the hub to explore innovative solutions. The hub discovered plastic pyrolysis technology, which converts plastic waste into fuel. In partnership with Southern Cross University, Plastics Pirate (a company pioneering this technology), and with support from the local council, the hub demonstrated its potential in Stanthorpe.

The project was enthusiastically received by the Council, Granite Belt Growers Association, and the Granite Belt Sustainable Action Network, all of whom see great promise in this technology. the hub's ongoing discussions aim to further local opportunities and develop practical measures to reduce the plastic burden on our farmers and community. 

Location: Armidale
Status: Active
Partners: Rural Analytics, Jason Waters - Collaborating producer, Paraway Pastoral Company, Tom Ledingham - Collaborating producer, Jafam Trading Pty Ltd - Collaborating producer, Neogen Australia, Angus Australia, Wagyu Australia, Local Land Services North West

Can genomic profiling and fixed time AI with sexed semen help graziers rapidly recover genetic potential and herd numbers after drought? Dr Alex Ball from Rural Analytics is undertaking the Rapid Herd Recovery project. This is a collaborative on-farm research project between University of New England, SQNNSW Innovation Hub, Rural Analytics and Local Land Services that is utilising breeding technologies, including Fixed Time AI, Sexed Female Semen, and commercial genomics to maximise genetic investment, and accelerate herd rebuilding. With the first crop of calves on the ground (as at mid-2024), Dr Ball is analysing the early results and key insights - offering a glimpse into the future of herd management as this project looks to rebuild and enhance herd profitability and resilience post-drought, ensuring a brighter future for the livestock industry.

To learn more about Rapid Herd Recovery, watch our video:

• Rapid Herd Recovery: initial results

Download the Rapid Herd Recovery factsheet (PDF 1.6MB).

Location: Longreach
Status: Annual event
Partners: Cibo Labs, Maia Grazing , Atlas Carbon, Glenn Landsberg, Climate Friendly, Alejandro Carrillo, Mithaka Aboriginal Corp, Australian Holistic Management Co-operative, Farmers for Climate Action

Regenerative Rangelands is a two-day producer-led event, focusing on healthy soils, pastures and people, and offering a platform to discuss policies, legislation and the development of environmental markets that may impact on biodiversity, drought resilience and ecological health in the rangelands. In 2023, the overarching themes of soil health, biodiversity, plant, animal, and human health were all touched on through the unique lens of life in the semi-arid to arid, extensive pastoral zones of the rangelands.

Read our blog about the 2022 Regenerative Rangelands event and watch the ‘Thinking Forward: Regenerative Rangelands in Central West QLD’ video (produced by Henry Simmons and featured at several national and international film festivals). 

Location: Armidale
Status: Complete
Partners: Grazag, Nutrien Ag Solutions, Elders Ltd, Animal Health and Nutrition (AHN), Rural Analytics, New England Weeds Authority, Meridian Agriculture

Livestock production is complex and seasonal variations make it even more so. A series of seminars were held at Glen Innes, Armidale and Walcha, providing a comprehensive program highlighting the fundamentals of a resilient grazing system. Speakers and topics at the 2023 event series discussed: 

• Alex Ball: The complexity and interactions of livestock systems
• Paul Blackshaw (Meridian Agriculture): Effective Decision Making
• Hutton Oddy (formerly NSW DPI): Feed demand and nutritional requirements
• Lewis Kahn: Assessing pasture, feed budgeting, supplementation
• Matt Foster (Grazag): Pasture improvement options
• Jillian Kelly (private veterinarian): Diseases and water quality for animal health

In total 54 producers and service providers attended the events across the 3 locations. All producers either Agreed or Strongly Agreed that the information presented was relevant, understandable and they were likely to use the information to make practice change in the future.

Location: Armidale
Status: Active
Partners: AHN Consulting Pty Ltd, GLENRAC, Northern Tablelands LLS, Meat & Livestock Australia, University of New England, Agrista, JBS, Paraway Pastoral Company, Kaituna, ALPS, Erdavale, Optiweigh, StocktraderPro, Ag360

As a response to drying conditions in parts of Northern NSW, the Armidale Node partnered with local providers in 2023 and 2024 to hold three events: two on confinement feeding and one on cattle trading.

The 2023 confinement feeding events at Coonamble and Bukkulla helped producers assess and implement confinement feeding options. The events focused on drought lot establishment and management, as well as providing farm tours. Presentations on management eID data in sheep and using Ag360 for decision making were be provided, enhancing producers’ knowledge and confidence to build and implement a confinement feeding system on farm and to assess the viability of cattle trading as an additional business opportunity.

In 2024, the Node supported AHN Consulting to secure funding from AgriFutures Australia to hold The Science and Art of Cattle Trading. This two-day event attracted 170 participants (in-person and livestreamed) and received extremely positive feedback:

• 100% of respondents rated the content easy to understand
• 97% of respondents indicated they were likely to consult/use the provided materials and/or livestream recording again
• 100% are confidence sharing new skills and knowledge with their peers, and
• 92% believe they are likely to make (or are considering) a practice change.

Location: Stanthorpe
Status: Active
Partners: Worms Down Under, GrowCom, Frank Cristani - Farmer, Cameron Leckie, Scott Carnell - Farmer, University of Queensland, Hybrid Ag

Vermicast is the castings produced by earthworms from the decomposition of organic matter. It has been long recognised as an effective fertiliser and soil conditioner. Vermicast can increase a soils water holding capacity, improve soil structure, provide a source of plant available nutrients, increase soil microbial activity and suppress plant diseases (Thakur et al. 2021).    

Currently vermicast is not/minimally used by primary producers in the Stanthorpe region. Led by the Stanthorpe Node, this project focuses on demonstrating the benefits (or otherwise) to local producers of vermicomposting operations, and in particular the potential for improved soil health, drought resilience and carbon sequestration.

The project underscored the value of on-farm experimentation and the potential for local vermicompost production and use in seedling production, highlighting a research gap regarding vermicast application in sandy soils. This initiative illustrates the critical role of incremental, adaptive changes in agriculture, offering a pathway for farmers to address future challenges through the integration of historically validated practices with modern agricultural systems.  

Read our blog to find out more about the project findings. 

^{Reference: 
Thakur, A.N.J.A.N.A., Kumar, A.D.E.S.H., Kumar, C., Kiran, B., Kumar, S.U.S.H.A.N.T. and Athokpam, V.A.R.U.N., 2021. A review on vermicomposting: By-products and its importance. Plant. Cell Biotechnol. Mol. Biol, 22, pp.156-164.}