Climate Smart Agriculture

FBG is working with local farmers to help implement pasture improvement , fencing off native vegetation and revegetation projects as part of South Coast NRM delivery of The Australian Government’s Climate-Smart Agriculture Program which aims to enhance agricultural productivity, competitiveness, and sustainability — goals that strongly align with the sustainable agriculture aspirations of Southern Prospects and the nature focused mission of South Coast NRM. As part of the project co-design process, South Coast NRM has conducted extensive consultations with industry, community, and government stakeholders to identify key areas of support for the region’s agricultural sector. The organisation is ensuring that the project will strengthen South Coast agriculture, add value to existing initiatives, and contribute to South Coast NRM's natural capital initiative.

Improving Sheep Quality

Raising the quality of sheep meat may be a critical part of keeping them in farming systems in the South Coast. FBG has a number of projects aimed at raising the performance and profitability of sheep within our mixed farming enterprises. Within this project we will trial a paddock scale transformation to a perennial pasture mix and include a new variety of cocksfoot to test suitability in our area

Perennial Pasture Trial

Improved Feed Quality:

• Higher nutritional value:

  Perennial pastures, especially those with legumes, tend to have higher crude protein and energy content compared to annual pastures,

• Consistent feed supply:

  Perennial pastures provide green feed throughout the growing season and even into dry periods, unlike annuals that rely on seasonal rainfall. 

• Improved animal performance:

  The higher quality and consistent feed supply of perennial pastures lead to improved animal growth, milk production, and wool quality. 

Carbon Sequestration:

• Soil carbon storage:

  Perennial pastures, with their deep root systems, help build soil organic carbon, FutureBeef reports. Soil organic carbon is a major component of soil health and also contributes to climate change mitigation by storing atmospheric carbon. 

• Reduced erosion and runoff:

  Perennial pastures provide better ground cover, which helps to reduce soil erosion and runoff, further protecting soil carbon. 

• Nitrogen fixation:

  Legumes in perennial pastures fix atmospheric nitrogen, which improves soil fertility and reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers, which can be a source of carbon emissions.