Soil

Western Sydney University researchers have discovered that drought affected wheat plants are able to call on eco-friendly soil bacteria to survive, helping keep crops healthy, boost yields, and provide pathways to develop extreme weather resistant crops.

“We’re really excited about partnering with talented artist Claus Stangl and believe the portraits he’s created bring to life the hidden creatures in our soil in a really fun, educational and unique way”: Alicia Doherty, Kellogg's ANZ.

Peter Christen. If you've ever wandered through Panacea Estate and seen a flock of sheep wandering between the vine rows, you might have wondered: What are they doing here? The answer is simple and surprisingly effective. They're helping us make better wine.

A non-toxic, environmentally friendly method of controlling weeds and pests in horticultural crops that has already proved successful in the United States and Europe will now be tested in Australia through a $4.74 million project led by La Trobe University. 

Paddie and Cliodhna held a community working bee at the Warrali St garden. Adults and children planted out seedlings, weeded, built up the compost piles and celebrated the healthy soil that’s been created from the old compost piles ... we learnt how to create an Indigenous Microorganism soil trap ...

Two Queensland businesses have been convicted of breaching biosecurity regulations that are in place to protect NSW from red imported fire ants. The businesses were ordered by the NSW Local Court to pay $60,000.

Roy Butler, Member for Barwon, tells us he visited a place run by Oceans2Earth. They make a product called Soil Enhancer. They mix fish waste and wood together to make a fertiliser. The man behind this is Tim Crane, originally from Wilcannia.

The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) will host a national meeting in Adelaide on 19 February 2025 for grain industry participants to share knowledge on managing soil acidity in cropping systems.

Shaun Ossinger and his forward-thinking team at Wilson Inlet Catchment Committee have chosen to make an investment in the future by starting a very special Dung Beetle program with a very special species. Known as Bubas bubalus these beetles were originally imported from Europe by the CSIRO ...

Proposed mining for rare earths elements in the Limestone Coast is facing opposition from local producers and residents. Many sections of the community are concerned about how mining would impact production in one of the state's key agricultural regions.

Tens of thousands of Australian farmers have shown adaptability and sustainability this National Agriculture Day by taking part in programs under the Future Drought Fund (FDF) that are helping stock, pasture and native wildlife … provides an opportunity to celebrate the efforts of farmers like Cindy and Steven Scott from the NSW Riverina, who are looking at new ways to manage drought...

Thousands of grain producers  will be put under unnecessary pressure to rethink  sustainable farming practices that benefit  the environment if proposed changes to the use of two key herbicides are approved. This is according to Grain Producers Australia Southern Region Director Mark Schilling,  who is just one of thousands of grain producers who rely  on timed applications of paraquat and diquat  in their programs to ensure a strong harvest result.

Matthew Harrison, uTas. A webinar was held  relating to how planting trees on farm impacts on biodiversity and natural capital. A range of models were used to examine spatially-explicit carbon sequestration and changes in biodiversity over time.

Researchers at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, are leading the five-year ‘Landscapes’ program, looking at the health and function of Australia’s natural and managed ecosystems.  Administered through the innovative TERN project (Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network), the team will deliver important soil and landscape environmental data to support sustainable ecosystem management.  

How does planting native tree species impact on farm-level biodiversity? With funding from MLA, AWI and several other partners, the "Sustainable Pathways to CN30" project team are examining this question via co-development of farm systems interventions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions while improving productivity, profitability and biodiversity.

Shaun Ossinger. The world biochar market is estimated to reach $5 billion dollars by next year more than 100 people were told at the recent South Coast Biochar Forum. Key speaker Professor Stephen Joseph told the Wilson Inlet Catchment Committee forum that biochar had huge potential to sequester carbon, improve plant and animal health and manage a host of waste streams in the process.

Matthew Harrison. With global temperature rise likely to exceed 1.5oC by 2050, interest in the development of skills, practices and technologies for removing carbon dioxide to avoid dangerous climate change abounds. One way to do this is via improved storage of soil organic carbon (SOC), as incremental gains in soil carbon at scale can have massive effect on residual CO2 circulating in the atmosphere.

Northern Slopes Landcare Association and Tamworth Regional Landcare are running a series of events for farming communities across the North West to inspire conversations about the importance of soil health and understanding water in our landscapes to build more resilient and profitable farms and communities. The events also feature the screening of new Australian short documentary Thankful for Soil...

Land managers across the Murraylands and Riverland are invited to attend a free workshop to find how biochar can be used to improve soil health. The event will be held on-farm at Lameroo ... and include live demonstration of a biochar kiln, weather permitting. Operated by Maccy Biochar, the kiln will be used to burn organic, on-farm waste at a high temperature in a low oxygen environment.

The Grassland Society of Southern Australia (GSSA) is looking to rebuild by engaging with a new generation of farmers and agricultural consultants. The society has connected farmers, scientists and consultants for 65 years and members gave its future a big vote of confidence at the annual conference in Bendigo on July 17-18.

Last week, local farmers, investors and Western Murray Land Improvement Group (WMLIG) celebrated the next step in their Murray Inland Delta Landscape Impact Project. With the financial world falling over themselves to get a piece of the carbon trading arena, an ambitious project has been initiated to ensure that meaningful, tangible environmental benefits can be achieved while delivering financial benefits to landholders.