THE Southern Rangelands Pastoral Alliance Inc (SRPA) will hold its Pastoral Industry Forum and annual general meeting on Monday, October 24, at 8:30am.
The event will be held at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development office in Geraldton, with a pastoralist's dinner that evening and a field trip the following morning.
Speakers include Agriculture and Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan, Swan's Veterinary Services cattle specialist Enoch Bergman, Select Carbon senior scientific adviser - soil science and farming systems, Susan Orgill and The University of Western Australia's Phil Vercoe, project manager of Meat & Livestock Australia's Beeflinks, along with some innovative Southern Rangelands pastoralists.
Dr Orgill is a soil scientist who has specialised in soil carbon sequestration research and development for almost 20 years.
She has led multi-disciplinary teams and research programs for government and industry with an emphasis on building soil resource conditions to support productive, profitable and sustainable farming systems.
Her research for the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, and her role with Select Carbon, focuses on understanding how management can influence the biogeochemical cycling of carbon, how we can use modelling, measurement and mapping techniques to reliably estimate soil carbon stocks and investigating innovative strategies to build soil carbon under pastures, cropping and rangeland systems.
The SRPA forum will showcase agriculture in this innovative region that is experiencing an exciting new phase of growth.
The Southern Rangelands are entering a boom period.
Rangelands meat is gaining prominence as a nutritious, carbon positive, sustainably produced addition to domestic and international menus.
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Carbon projects in this region are delivering millions of dollars into the State's economy and generating enormous interest in sustainable agriculture and rangelands regeneration.
Meet some of the innovative producers who are developing technologies that are likely to become leading practices across the whole of Australia's Southern Rangelands region.
These include connectivity on-station to improve management efficiency and animal welfare, automated technology to measure rangeland biodiversity, application of facial recognition software to drones to enhance feral animal monitoring and expanding training in rehydration techniques in the rangelands.
Others are applying the latest available climate forecasting tools to their pastoral business decision-making.
Pastoral businesses are faced with many unregulated visitors who come on to their leases.
With the ever-expanding number of non-pastoral related vehicles entering properties, learn what one pastoralist is doing to ensure all vehicles are weed seed-free prior to entry.
SRPA is the grower group representing the whole of the pastoral zone south of the Pilbara, extending from Exmouth to Eucla.
The 286 pastoral business units in this zone cover more than 52 million hectares and SPRA is delivering benefits for pastoralists who are committed to growing quality produce and regenerating their country.
To date, SRPA has secured more than $1.1 million for projects focusing on important aspects such as agtech, livestock management strategies, range condition, forage budgeting, landscape rehydration, soil health and natural capital.
Registrations to attend the conference and the dinner.
SRPA membership is open to individuals or businesses who operate pastoral properties with the Southern Rangelands of WA or people interested in the region.
For more information or to become a member go to srpa.org.au or contact executive officer Margi Weir on 0408 210 285 or info@srpa.org.au
Registrations to attend the forum and dinner are essential.
