Farming

The Australian Landcare movement is the child of an alliance between the Australian Farmers Federation and the Australian Conservation Council.

Farming and farmers have always been a large and important part of landcare and 40 per cent of Australian farmers are members of landcare groups while landcare reaches 75 per cent of farmers and land managers.

Landcare farming systems include activities known as "Best Management Practices" and "Sustainable Agricultural Practices". The development of these practices is a work in progress driven by agricultural industries as they seek to maintain profitability while meeting community expectations about natural resource management.

Despite extensive efforts to date, land degradation problems persist in large areas of rural and regional Australia. Landcare farming can improve profitability, and improve the farm's capacity to cope with adversity.

Surveys have consistently shown that farmers who are landcare group members are on average 50 per cent more likely to adopt a more sustainable practice that farmers who are not landcare group members.

The challenge of landcare farming is to develop farming systems that suit the uniquely Australian environment which becomes ever more important as well as difficult as climate change marches on.

Farming Facts

Case Study - Reduce Soil Erosion 114kb
Case Study - NSW Grazing 107kb
Case Study - WA Precision Agriculture 108kb
Case Study - QLD Dairy 215kb
Buffalo Fly Recommendations 2003 327kb
Buffalo fly tunnel trap 81kb
Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Brochure 304kb
Horse Property Planner 1.26M
Horse Property Guidelines 1 3.13Mb

Shelter Belt

Neighbours, landcarer on right

Buffalo fly trap