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A series of events are being rolled out throughout Tasmania in May and June to support farmers prepare for and manage the current dry conditions.
Five events are being delivered in priority regional areas by the TAS Farm Innovation Hub in partnership with local organisations, supported by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, and funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.
Adoption Officer with the TAS Farm Innovation Hub, Maria Ortiz, said the events would provide an opportunity for the farming community to come together in these challenging times.
“We acknowledge the dry seasonal conditions and all the challenges that come with this. Sharing knowledge, staying connected and accessing the right services at the right time is crucial to increase resilience and preparedness,” she said.
“This series of events will bring together organisations and programs that span across the drought preparedness, response, and recovery cycle, and provide an opportunity to connect with other farmers going through similar circumstances.”
The Drought Coordinator with TasFarmers, Jac Shipton, said the events played a crucial role in supporting farmers during difficult conditions.
“The events are an invaluable resource that provide farmers with practical strategies and solutions to manage the impacts of drought to their farming business."
Communications and Engagement Manager with Rural Alive and Well, Lauren Harper, said managing dry times in Tasmania required a tailored approached.
“Tasmania has a diverse range of regional landscapes, which means that to overcome the current dry conditions, producers need tailored learning options, unique to their own situations and challenges,” she said.
“RAW has seen first-hand how beneficial the TAS Farm Innovation Hub’s ‘Dry Times’ events are in providing regionally relevant information to producers to assist them in making tangible changes within their farming practices.
“Reducing isolation through social connection and community is critical to navigating challenging periods. We aren’t designed to go through hard times in isolation and these events provide opportunities for connection with peers and other industry supports, including financial assistance, future farm business planning and mental health and wellbeing support.”
The full list of events is below. For more information and to register visit: www.tasfarmhub.com.au/upcoming-events/
North west:
Wednesday, 29 May, 4:30pm - 8 :00pm, Tall Timbers Hotel
South:
Thursday, 13 June, 9:30am - 12:00pm, Campania Community Hall
Thursday, 13 June, 5:00pm - 7:30pm, Hamilton Resource Centre
Tuesday, 18 June, 9:30am - 12:00pm, Home Hill Winery, Ranelagh
East Coast:
Thursday, 27 June, 4:00pm - 8:00pm, Milton Vineyard, Swansea
The TAS Farm Innovation Hub is one of eight hubs nationally funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund. The hub is based at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) at the University of Tasmania and delivered through an extensive network of industry and community partners.
Private Forests Tasmania has launched an interactive knowledge hub for Tasmanian landowners to learn about the positive impact integrating commercial trees can have on their properties.
The Tree Alliance Knowledge Hub and its content have been developed in consultation with a broad scope of state and nationally-renowned forestry, agricultural and biodiversity experts to ensure landowners can glean the best advice and support from the information resources.
The $400,000 project was supported by the TAS Farm Innovation Hub through funds from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, PFT and supported by 10 other stakeholder project partners.
The Knowledge Hub, developed by Walker Designs and Cavalletti Communications, consolidates accessible and user-friendly information and tools that highlight how integrating trees on farms through whole-farm planning can improve farm resilience through environmental and economic shocks such as droughts.
People can visit the hub to:
Included in the hub is PFT’s new Farm and Forest Mapper tool to help simplify the farm-planning process for landowners, consultants, planners, contractors and land agents.
The Farm and Forest Mapper, developed by Esk Spatial, in consultation with Private Forests Tasmania and the Forest Practices Authority, is a FREE set of mapping and decision support tools and calculators where users can easily plan, map and manage their properties to expand their plantation estate and leverage the multiple benefits that trees on farms can provide.
PFT Chief Executive Officer Dr Elizabeth Pietrzykowski said the Knowledge Hub would be a key resource for many Tasmanian landowners to learn more about the benefits of trees on their farms and then find what help is available to enable them to make the best decisions for their enterprise.
“The Knowledge hub is an extension of PFT’s strategic program Tree Alliance, which works with forestry, agricultural and environmental stakeholders to raise awareness of farm forestry and the benefits of trees on farms," she said.
"Longer-term, we hope the outcomes of this project will be more trees of the right type, in the right places across the agricultural landscape, improved farming businesses’ drought resilience and better carbon and other natural capital asset outcomes.
"We know farmers are interested in integrating trees into their whole farm plans, however, in many cases, they don't know how or where to start.
"This Knowledge Hub, developed by the forestry and agricultural sector, will provide them with key information and direction of the process and who to talk to make sound economic and environmental decisions."
Director of the TAS Farm Innovation Hub Sandra Knowles said the project supported the hub’s aim of helping farmers access information and drive innovation in their business.
“As our climate changes and becomes more variable, we need to build climate resilience into communities, economies and environments at all scales,” she said.
“We know that a critical part of this is ensuring farmers are able access information they need to make the best decisions for the future.
“The Knowledge Hub will be a fantastic resource as it uses a variety of methods to show farmers how integrating trees on farmers and whole farm planning can improve their financial, social and environmental resilience to drought and climate variability.”
The TAS Farm Innovation Hub is one of eight hubs nationally funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund. The hub is based at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) at the University of Tasmania and delivered through a network of industry and community partners.
The Tree Alliance Knowledge Hub can be explored at pft.tas.gov.au by clicking on the Tree Alliance tab in the top right-hand corner and people can call PFT's free Helpline on 1300 661 009.
Local sheep producers will have the opportunity to learn more about containment feeding and decision making in dry times at a workshop on Tasmania’s east coast later this month.
The workshop at Swansea is being delivered by Pinion Advisory with support from the TAS Farm Innovation Hub through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.
Lauren Rowlands from Pinion Advisory said the workshop was part of a free pilot training package for sheep producers.
“The training package for Tasmanian sheep producers is designed to assist decision making in dry times and to support producers in building confidence to use containment feeding as a management tool,” Ms Rowlands said.
“Following the workshop, producers are offered further support through one-on-one sessions to develop a containment feeding plan for their business.”
Sheep producer Chris Headlam from Woodbury attended the southern midlands workshop in February.
“You never stop learning, so attending this workshop gave me an opportunity to ask questions, reaffirm what I was doing, and learn where I could make changes,” Mr Headlam said.
“The follow up session was good to get another set of eyes to run over what I was doing with containment feeding.”
Director of the TAS Farm Innovation Hub Sandra Knowles said the containment feeding pilot project was part of a collaboration with other hubs and organisations around the country.
“The hubs are pleased to be able to support the roll-out of this knowledge and skill building package to support Tasmanian sheep producers in best practice containment feeding solutions,” Ms Knowles said.
“It’s great to see staff from the hub out on the ground with our partners listening to producers and delivering events and information that they need to help their businesses.”
The east coast workshop will be held on 30April at the Milton wine shed at Swansea. Registrations are essential by 28 April as places are limited. Producers can register at the link: https://forms.office.com/r/FN6089q855 or contact the TAS Farm Innovation Hub on fdf.tas.hub@utas.edu.au.
The TAS Farm Innovation Hub is pleased to announce Pinion Advisory has been contracted to administer a new state-wide program to support Tasmanian farmers overcome water-related challenges.
Director, Sandra Knowles, said the hub was delighted to be working with Pinion Advisory on this important program to support on-farm drought and climate resilience.
“This key hub program is designed to build confidence and capacity in on-farm water use and management, including soil and landscape health, and be focused on adoption of best-practice methods,” she said.
“The hub received strong interest in our Request for Quote for a delivery partner to administer the program and were impressed by the quality of applicants and extent of collaboration amongst Tasmania’s service providers.
“Pinion Advisory was chosen as the preferred delivery partner following a rigorous evaluation process due to their in-depth understanding of the Tasmanian farming and water landscape, proven skills in agricultural extension, and highly qualified delivery team experienced in production productivity, engineering, regulatory and financial aspects of water management.
“This marks an important milestone and is the result of an extensive consultation process with key stakeholders including state water managers and regulators, natural resource managers, and farmer representative bodies, seeking input into the design of this extension program.”
Pinion Advisory Team Leader, Adoption, Jo Jones said Pinion Advisory was delighted to be able to support the TAS Farm Innovation Hub to deliver this important project for Tasmanian farmers.
“Our team understand and embrace the need to approach this project with enough flexibility to enable farmer-led feedback to address grass roots needs and priorities, and to incorporate peer-to-peer learning amongst farmers, involving their suppliers and service providers,” she said.
“The short timeframe of the project means activity will get underway almost immediately, starting with a co-design phase to finalise project priorities.
“During the co-design phase, our team will work with industry representatives to define the parameters for an extension-focused project on farm-scale issues of reliable water access, and efficient and effective water use.
“We need to clarify the priority issues with Tasmanian producers and industry representatives in this early part of the project, to understand the pain points of business, compliance concerns, and sustainability goals related to water security and land management. We can then design the appropriate extension activities and plan the roll-out around the state.”
Pinion Advisory is looking forward to delivering resources, activities and events over the next 14 months to build the skills and confidence of Tasmanian farmers to enable them to make well-informed water management decisions. For more information about the project, contact the project team at EfficientWaterUseTas@pinionadvisory.com
The TAS Farm Innovation Hub is one of eight hubs nationally funded through the Future Drought Fund. The hub is based at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) at the University of Tasmania and delivered through an extensive network of industry and community partners.
Media contact: Melissa Lewarn, melissa.lewarn@utas.edu.au or 0427 354 058.
