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Viticulture Benefits From Targeted Information

Filling a need for information specific to an industry sector was a key to the success of a recent Department of Primary Industries (DPI) forum.

By Department of Primary Industries - 22nd October 2003 - Back to News

The first DPI Cool Climate Viticulture Forum was held at Primary Industries Research Victoria’s Knoxfield Centre and attracted a full house of participants. It demonstrated the excellent research and extension activities that DPI provides, in this case to the viticultural community of southern Victoria.

The first day of the Forum comprised sessions on plant management and a showcase of DPI extension services. It concluded with a dinner, with DPI Chief Scientist Dr John Stocker as guest speaker. Dr Stocker also chairs the Board of the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation (GWRDC) and has considerable experience as a cool climate viticulturist.

Sessions on the second day were centred firstly on environmental management in relation to viticulture and then on pest and disease management, including what DPI has been doing to keep Australia free of the devastating Pierce’s Disease.

In addition to the talks, hands-on sessions on disease diagnostics, mulches and bud dissection were offered, and visitors were given tours of the facilities at Knoxfield.

One of the organisers, Dr Erika Winter, said that feedback from participants was very positive, with praise for the quality of the venue, presenters and presentations and requests that the forum become an annual or biennial event.

"The practical nature of the forum was reflected by the high proportion of delegates who said that they would change some of their management practices as a result of attending," said Dr Winter.

Apart from the "tailored" information presented, the wide diversity of participants was identified as a major reason for the Forum’s success.

"Our participants ranged from large companies, such as Southcorp and BRL Hardy, to small growers just starting out with a couple of hectares, as well as key industry stakeholders such as the Cooperative Research Centre for Viticulture, the GWRDC and providers from the DPI Horticultural Program," said Dr Winter.

"This provided an excellent opportunity for the cool climate industry to exchange ideas and benefit from the experience of others."

A second Cool Climate Viticulture Forum is being planned for next year.

BOOK FOR NEW LANDHOLDERS

A book for new and prospective rural landholders titled 'Management Planning for Small Farms and Properties' has just been published on the Internet by the Department of Primary Industries.

Each year between 5,000 and 6,000 rural properties change ownership in Victoria. Land Victoria reports that there are around 160,000 rural properties, many of which are not being farmed and are classified as `rural residential'.

Max Coster, leader for the Future Family Farms project which prepared the book, said it was aimed to help new and prospective landowners in rural areas with their planning issues.

"We get many enquiries for this sort of information by phone, e‑mail and at field days, so we know it is meeting a definite need," Mr Coster said.

The new book includes many useful checklists for issues such as decisions on water supply, stocking rates, siting facilities and choosing an enterprise. It will also help owners get in touch with relevant authorities and sources of information.

For people simply living in rural areas the book has advice on how to make the most of their chosen lifestyle, and how to get along with neighbours who may be farming.

The book can be accessed on website www.dpi.vic.gov.au/farming/smallfarms. Select option 6 – Publications and Research, then the booklet ‘Management Planning for Small farms and Properties’. It was originally published under the title 'So you thought owning a small farm or property was easy?' and has been revised by Adrian Parker at DPI's Bendigo office.

Effective Dairy Effluent Management
Where to From Here?

After two years, the Effective Dairy Effluent Management (EDEM) project has finally reached a successful conclusion. The statewide project funded through Natural Heritage Trust and managed by WestVic Dairy, generated a great deal of awareness across industry, within various government agencies and regional Catchment Management Authorities right around Victoria and throughout Australia.

Among the many highlights of the project were two very successful innovation days held at the Macalister Research Farm in Maffra, Gippsland and DemoDairy in Terang, South West Victoria, along with a large number of one on one farm extension advice, workshops and discussion groups. Three project staff and a project leader engaged 2,900 participants in 470 extension activities to help increase farmers knowledge of dairy effluent management systems.

Where to from here? - A new project called DairyGain$ has been developed to continue the above work into the future and is currently seeking funding.

To maintain the momentum of EDEM in Gippsland, funding has been sought from the Gippsland Lakes Future Directions and Action Plan, Melbourne Water and the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority to service all dairy farmers in Gippsland.

The Gippsland Lakes funding will allow extension to continue in the West Gippsland and the Macalister Irrigation District. The Gippsland Lakes project focuses on nutrient runoff in the catchment that effect the Latrobe River in the west and the Thomson, Macalister and Avon Rivers in the east. The main aim in this project is to increase the awareness of the nutrients in effluent using a whole farm approach centring on utilisation for pastures and crops.

The Western Port Catchment will be funded through Melbourne Water with the focus on the Lang Lang and Bass Rivers endeavouring to reduce the nutrient and sediment inflow to Western Port Bay. Again utilisation of effluent will be the centre of attention.

In South Gippsland, Corner Inlet will be the main focus again concentrating on nutrients and sediments mainly in the Agnes and Franklin Rivers and Shady Creek. This catchment focus will be funded through the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority.

To help improve awareness and encourage implementation of best management practices of dairy effluent in Gippsland, the major focus will be on utilising effluent as a fertiliser. It will concentrate not only on dairy sheds but how to incorporate stream bank erosion/cattle crossings, feedpads, underpasses and tracks.

A number of extension activities will be used to enhance the profile of dairy effluent throughout Gippsland in the coming twelve months. These will include demonstration days at Ellinbank and Maffra, and a service provider evening at Ellinbank to promote the utilisation of dairy effluent on pastures and crops. Also included in the activities will be nutrient budgeting workshops, soils and fertiliser workshops, regional field days and one to one farm visits with sampling of effluent ponds to test nutrient content.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com