Northern Agriculture Region

Regional Coordinator

Phil Barrett-Lennard
Suite 5, 110 Robinson Av
Belmont WA 6104
Phone: (08) 9475 0753
Mobile: 0429 977 042
Email: pbl@consultag.com.au

Grain & Graze Projects in the Northern Agricultural Region

Best bet grazing management strategies for the major classes of livestock to improve the whole-farm feedmix and profit through the use of perennials. View project summary.
Project contact: Tim Wiley, phone (08) 9956 8555, email twiley@agric.wa.gov.au
How perennial pastures could be integrated into crop rotations. View project summary.
Project contact: Tim Wiley, phone (08) 9956 8555, email twiley@agric.wa.gov.au
Identifying the best-suited perennial pastures for the Northern Agricultural region. View project summary.
Project contact: Tim Wiley, phone (08) 9956 8555, email twiley@agric.wa.gov.au
The likely impacts of perennial pastures on water use, salinity management, nutrient loss and soil erosion incorporated into farming systems. View project summary.
Project contact: Gary Patterson phone: (08) 9956 8536 email: gpatterson@agric.wa.gov.au
The risk that perennial pastures could become farm environmental weeds. View project summary.
Project contact: Gary Patterson phone: (08) 9956 8536 email: gpatterson@agric.wa.gov.au

Publications

Northern Ag Region's Grain & Graze Projects	Northern Ag Grain & Graze Projects (pdf - 2618KB)
Northern Ag Region's Soils, Pastures, Geography	NAR Soils, Pastures in Detail May 05 (pdf - 422KB)
NAR Trial Results	Sown Fodder Crops trial results (pdf - 21KB) Warm season perennial pasture trials (pdf - 60KB) Nested Cell Grazing Trial Summary (pdf - 33KB)
Evergreen Farming Group's Grain & Graze Projects, Badgingarra. Case Studies: de Pledge Family - Cell grazing beef cattle, subtropical perennial grasses. Lethlean Family - Mixed farming, cropping, tagasaste, sheep, trade cattle. Boosting stocking rates. Panizza Family - Sheep and wool. C4 grasses, subtropical perennial grasses. Wilson Family - cattle, tagasaste, subtropical perennial grasses. Extended growing season.	Evergreen Grain and Graze (pdf - 1100KB) Joe de Pledge Case Study (pdf - 800KB) Graham Lethlean Case Study (pdf - 717KB) Aubrey Panizza Case Study (pdf - 646KB) Bob Wilson Case Study (pdf - 874KB)
Liebe Farming Group's G & G Projects, Buntine. Case Studies: Butcher Family - Cropping, Merino sheep. Salt country, Eucalypts and saltbush alleys, perennial grasses and lucerne. Carter Family - Wheat-lupins or wheat-pasture. Merino sheep, Salt country, perennial grasses and saltbush. Fitzsimons Family - Cropping, Merino sheep, saltbush. White Family - Cropping, Merino sheep, Salt country, puccinellia, tall wheat garss, salthbush, bluebush.	Liebe Group's Grain and Graze (pdf - 1158KB) Gary Butcher Case Study (pdf - 521KB) Keith Carter Case Study (pdf - 775KB) Ross Fitzsimons Case Study (pdf - 560KB) Tony White Case Study (pdf - 492KB)
Mingenew-Irwin Group's G & G Projects, Minigenew. Case Studies: Forsyth Family - Wagon wheel cell grazing, cattle, tagasaste, subtropical perennial grasses. Share profit alliance to finish cattle for export. McTaggart Family - Cropping, bluebush, Angus calttle. Heitman Family - Cropping, tagasaste, subtropical perennial grasses on white sandy soils., Murray Grey cattle and sheep. Gillam Family - Cropping, Merino ewes, breeding and trade cattle, tagasaste, subtropical perennial grasses.	MIG Grain and Graze Projects (pdf - 1110KB) Craig Forsyth Case Study (pdf - 661KB) Rob McTaggart Case Study (pdf - 1184KB) Alan Heitman Case Study (pdf - 569KB) Rob Gillam Case Study (pdf - 1370KB)
Victoria Plains' Grain & Graze Projects. Case Studies: Lefroy Family - Grazing, cropping, stud Merinos, cattle. Salt country planted to saltbush, Rhodes grass and more. Brennan Family - Cropping, Merinos, prime lambs, Damaras and Dorpers. Lucerne, saltbush and tagasaste. Tim Nixon Family - Angus cattle, sheep, feedlot. Cropping, perennial grasses, tagasaste. Don Nixon Family - Angus cattle, annual pastures ryegrass, blue lupins, Dalkeith and Balansea clover, tagasaste. Sandler Family - Cropping, Merinos and cross-bred sheep, plus lambs. Cadiz serradella and Dalkeith subclover sown into annual pastures, saltland pastures, lucerne, tagasaste.	Victoria Plains' Grain and Graze (pdf - 615KB) Bruce Lefroy Case Study (pdf - 1605KB) Adrian Brennan Case Study (pdf - 1146KB) Tim Nixon Case Study (pdf - 1102KB) Don Nixon Case Study (pdf - 1421KB) Don Sadler Case Study (pdf - 724KB)
NAR Grain & Graze articles in Farm Weekly	Grain & Graze in Farm Weekly October 2006 (pdf - 1981KB) Grain & Graze in Farm Weekly March 2006 (pdf - 576KB) Grain and Graze in Farm Weekly August 05 (pdf - 1239KB)

Regional Snapshot

The Northern Agricultural region of Western Australia extends from the Moore River catchment to Lake Moore in the east and Murchison River at Kalbarri, with a population of 72,000 people. Geraldton is the main service centre and an important port for grain and livestock exports.

The natural diversity of the region is fragmented as a result of extensive clearing for agriculture, however the biological resources of the region are internationally significant and 95% of farmers are active in preserving areas of conservation value.

Mixed farmers in the region face a significant challenge in managing soil acidity, rising groundwater levels and a steady decline of biodiversity. 2% of the region is salt-affected and this is predicted to rise to as high as 20%. More than 49% of farmers regularly monitor groundwater levels. Approximately 39% of farmers direct drill into stubble and 90% incorporate legumes into the cropping rotation. The region is also affected by exotic weed and pest incursions.

There are 980 farms in the region. Grazing beef cattle and sheep is the dominant farming system in higher rainfall areas and in low rainfall areas cereal and legume production dominates. An average of 1,250 ha of grain is sown. Agriculture is profitable with an average gross margin of $110/ha and an average operating profit of $35/ha.