EverGraze
EverGraze is developing new farming systems for the high rainfall zone (>550mm), that will increase wool and livestock producers’ profitability by 50% while simultaneously improving the natural resource management outcomes of improved water management, perenniality, biodiversity and soil health.
EverGraze is seeking new farming systems for the high rainfall zone (>550mm) based on deep rooted perennial pastures that significantly increase wool and livestock producers’ profits, while stabilising or enhancing natural resource management (NRM) outcomes.
On most farms there is a range of land classes that require different management practices in order to ensure economic and environmental sustainability. In general, only a proportion of land is suited to high input, improved pasture systems while other land is suited to lower input, native pastures.
Native pastures cover a vast area of the high rainfall zone and make a major contribution to biodiversity but sometimes lack quality for high producing animals and are often threatened by weed invasion and poor grazing practices. So farming systems based on improved and / or native pastures provide the greatest opportunity to address profit and natural resource outcomes.
EverGraze will:
- provide proof that high input livestock production systems in the high rainfall zone can be 50% more profitable, while at the same time reducing groundwater recharge by 50%
- provide proof that native pastures, either alone, or combined with improved pastures can deliver a 50% increase in profit and a significant improvement in key, regionally important, NRM indicators
- ensure adoption of EverGraze principles and recommended practices on 3,500 properties across the high rainfall zone
To achieve on farm adoption EverGraze will develop with regional Natural Resource Management agencies a network of Supporting Sites based around producer groups that enable producers to trial new perennial pasture systems or management practices which deliver EverGraze aims.
EverGraze is a partnership between Australian Wool Innovation, Meat and Livestock Australia, CRC for Plant based Management of Dryland Salinity (CRC Salinity) and regional catchment agencies.
Resources
Contact
Ms Renelle Jeffrey
AWI Project Officer
Tel: +61 2 8295 3100
Contact via email
Geoff Saul
National EverGraze Co-ordinator
Tel: 0419 328 590
Links:
CRC for Plant based Management of Dryland Salinity