Grazing extension

The project addresses land-management and water-quality issues in a beef business context. Through extension processes that enable change, we help beef producers adopt grazing best management practices (BMP) that increase productivity and profitability while achieving Reef Plan targets.

We:

• improve producer awareness and understanding of improved practices
• provide information on research and development
• engage producers to make practice changes that improve business and environmental sustainability.

Our activities

The project offers producers:

• access to demonstration sites
• support for producer and peer-to-peer groups (including Advancing Beef Leaders)
• training opportunities, field days and technical workshops
• one-on-one support
• agricultural economic options analysis
• policy and reef governance support
• access to decision support tools, including
  • Stocktake GLM app
  • FORAGE reports
  • Breedcow

One-on-one assistance (on and off property) made up the bulk of our activities, followed by workshops.

The project also provides:

• testing of new science products
• research and trials
• communication products
• an innovative extension model
• links to integrated projects
  • GrazingFutures Livestock Business Resilience
  • GRASS (Grazing Resilience and Sustainable Solutions)
  • Northern Breeding Businesses (NB2)

We also promote the use of animal production research technologies and findings, including planning reproduction, nutrition (including Nutrition EDGE), health and genetics around property management calendars that are relevant to regions.

Benefits of the project

Improving land condition through whole-of-business management will contribute to:

• 25% reduction in fine sediment by 2025
• 90% of grazing lands having greater than 70% ground cover late in the dry season.