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PRODUCTIVE
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
for wool growers
Reliability, versatility and quality are crucial to Australias reputation
as a supplier of premium wool.
To meet these demands, Australias wool industry is now investing in
the most comprehensive natural resource management initiative ever
undertaken for wool production. Land, Water & Wool is a research
program that will help the nations wool growers to introduce new ways
of managing their natural resources on farm. The vision is to be more
productive, sustainable and profitable than ever before.
And throughout the world, buyers can continue to rely on Australian
wool for its quality and the way its produced.
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Land, Water & Woolis a unique investment in
the future of Australian wool and the natural
resources involved in producing it.
As a landmark joint venture in strategic
research and development, Land, Water &
Wool delivers tangible benefits for growers,
consumers and our environment.
On top of the practical tools and real dollar
benefits for wool growers, this innovative
program also fosters environmental benefits
for the whole community.
For every dollar invested in Land, Water
& Wool, wool growers are set to benefit by $3.
At the same time, the return to the community
is expected to be five-fold in environmental
benefits.
SOME WOOLLY FACTSAustralia is home to approximately 116 million sheep and our wool industry produces 0.64 million tonnes of woolcontributing $2.754 million in wool products and $1.018 million in slaughter products annually to our economy.Land under wool production extends from the high rainfall areas on the coastal fringe, to the wheat/sheep beltand inland to the saltbush and mulga of the pastoral zone.
WHERE WERE GOING
A UNIQUE INVESTMENT
land, water & wool =
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A BETTER BOTTOM LINEResearch has found that stakeholders in the wool industry strongly believe natural resource management (NRM)results in profitability, productivity and sustainability gains. Rather than adding costs, NRM is considered to be avehicle that significantly improves a wool producers bottom line.
A unique partnership between industry
and research makes Land, Water & Wool
one of the most significant joint ventures
ever undertaken in natural resource
management R&D.
The strategic research program is the result
of a joint venture between the wool industrys
peak research and development body,
Australian Wool Innovation Limited,and the nations premier knowledge broker
of natural resource management,
Land & Water Australia.
Australian Wool Innovation Limited has
invested $20 million in Land, Water & Wool.
The program is further supported by Land
& Water Australia's investment portfolio of
$40 million and the contribution by project
partners valued at $12 million.
IN THE FUTURE...
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
land, water & wool:
people + production + environment
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By combining the best of science with on-farm
knowledge and experience, Land, Water & Wool
is at the cutting edge of research and development.
Wool growers are encouraged to participate from the
ground up in identifying needs and issues, gaining
relevant information, and developing practical solutions
through research. In many cases, research is being
trialed by wool growers or carried out on farms or at
demonstration sites where they can be closely involved.
As part of this innovative approach,
Land, Water & Woolis:
enabling wool growers to identify the key issues,
needs and practices that could benefit from such
R&D
raising wool growers awareness of the commercial
and environmental benefits of tackling natural
resource management issues
providing targeted information and practical tools to
help wool growers address land management issues
affecting productivity and the environment
designing profitable and environmentally sensitive
options for managing: saline and potentially saline
land; rivers, streams and watering points; native
grasslands and grazing systems.
YOULL SMILE TOOWool growers are set to benefit by $3 for every dollar invested inLand, Water & Woolwhile the community enjoys a return of morethan five-fold in terms of environmental benefits.
INNOVATIVE R & D
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Nine out of 10 wool growers consider
natural resource management is an important part
of their farm business and 91 per cent have either
adopted practices in the past or are currently doing
something about it.
Research also shows many wool growers want
more information to assist them in managing
natural resources on their farm.
To meet this need, Land, Water & Woolwill produce
practical tools and viable, beneficial solutions,which include:
Tool kits a tailored resource will equip wool
growers with practical information and skills training
to implement new management techniques.
Incentives information on the incentives, benefits
and commercial implications of natural resource
management will assist wool growers to plan
for the future.
Key information the latest thinking on future
wool production needs, policy options and research
priorities will keep wool growers up-to-date
for decision-making.
Workshops, demonstration trials and information
forums and trials will encourage growers to adopt
resource management solutions.
PENNED IN OR LOGGED OUT?One of the major challenges facing wool growers in the past has beenaccess to information about sustainable wool production. Land, Water& Woolaims to rectify this by providing information that is relevant,practical, and easy to use.
CUSTOMISED SOLUTIONS & PRACTICAL TOOLS
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LAND, WATER & WOOL IN FOCUS
Eight key areas or sub-programs will drive
groundbreaking R&D under Land, Water & Wool.
These sub-programs are:
Benchmarking Surveysand Sites
The experience, views,attitudes and practices ofwool growers are crucialto the success of the Land,Water & Woolprogram. Toassess these factors andgauge the effectiveness ofLand, Water and Wool,
research will be conductedat the beginning and endof the five-year program.The benchmarking willinclude:
a comprehensive surveyof 1500 wool growers todetermine their attitudesand practices in relationto natural resourcemanagement
assessing landscapeand sheep managementpractices at a series of
project sites in woolgrowing regions
Sustainable Grazing onSaline Land (SGSL)
Many wool growers haveshown that specificmanagement methodsallow them to keepproducing profitably onsaline country.
To help growers producewool in areas affected bysalinity, this sub-programtargets different manage-
ment options such asdeveloping new pasturemixes and altering grazingstrategies.
River Managementand Water Quality
As good water qualityoften depends upon thehealth of the watercatchment, Land, Water &Woolwill work with woolgrowers to investigateviable options for landaround rivers and streams.
Environmental issues,such as water quality and
biodiversity, as well asproduction issues will beaddressed as part of thissub-program.
Native Vegetationand Biodiversity
Native grasses and othertypes of vegetation are animportant part of ournatural environment andaffect wool production.This sub program aims toassist wool growers acrossAustralia to make well-informed managementchoices that help them tomaximise profits as wellas protect and sustainnative vegetation.
Native vegetation andbiodiversity also enhancethe environmental valuesof wool growing areas,providing both economicand social rewards.
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TWO IN THREE AGREESeventy per cent of wool growerswith land affected by salinity arealready adopting practices toimprove productivity
DANCING TO THE SAME BLEATOver half of wool growers livingwith rivers or creeks are managingthem for better water quality
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ManagingClimate Variability
Australia has the mostvariable climate on Earth.Recent experiences ofsevere drought show thatplanning for seasonalvariability is vital tosuccessful farmmanagement. This meansthat our wool growersneed to be among theworlds best riskmanagers.
To assist wool growers,this sub-program willidentify seasonalforecasting tools andinformation for riskmanagement.
ManagingPastoral Country
Unique environmentalmanagement issues affectthe large pastoralproperties which accountfor more than 80 per centof the area used for sheepand wool production inAustralia.
With a specific focus onthe valuable pastoral
country, this sub-programlooks at environmentalissues and managementoptions to maintainproductivity and improvesustainability.
Future Scenariosand Opportunities
Long-term sustainabilitymeans looking ahead andasking what the woolindustry will look like in10, 20 or 50 years time.This sub-program is aninvestment in the futureand will closely involvewool growers in looking atthe future options for theirindustry.
Sustainable grazingsystems
As a key initiative ofMeat & LivestockAustralia, wool growershave helped identifyon-farm managementsolutions to improveproductivity andenvironmental returns.
The key findings of theinitiative, known as the
Sustainable GrazingSystems Program (SGS),will be integral to theLand, Water & Wool
sub-program.
KEEPING A WETHER EYEMost wool growers take notice of long term predictions and preferseasonal forecasts three to six months ahead of time
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Land, Water & Woolwill ensure
wool growers can adoptsustainable farming practicesthat have good profitableoutcomes. As custodians, wewant to leave the business inbetter shape by using sound,sustainable and more profitablepractices on the land. We alsoneed to prove to globalconsumers that we are asustainable industry and are notjust paying it lip service.
Will CrozierCasterton, Vic, wool grower
As a buyer and exporter ofAustralian wool, I am encouragedto hear that people from the farmgate to the research lab areworking together to achieve asustainable industry. If weproduce a consistently betterproduct, it will be to the benefit ofthe industry, the buyers andconsumers.
Don BelgreManaging Director of G.SchneiderAustralia and Australian WoolNetwork Pty Ltd Chair
Many wool growers run their
business on a shoestring budgetso it is very important that theyhave incentives to managenatural resources on their farm.Its good to see a collaborativeeffort by government researchersand the wool industry to developpractical on-farm solutions whichwill result in profitability in themedium to long term.
Barry WalkerYass, NSW, wool grower andBoard Member of AustralianWool Network Pty Ltd
Living out here in the pastoralzone is a challenge on its own.Were in semi-desert, we have a12-inch annual rainfall and wereaware that two out of five yearswill be drought. Land, Water andWoolwill help pastoralists tobetter understand mother natureand give them a financialincentive to sustainably managenatural resources on their land.Its great to know that thepastoral zone is a focus of thisprogram.
Carol GodfreyCunnamulla, Qld, wool growerand Member of Sheep and WoolCRC Advisory Group
From our own experience, we
know that planting saline areas toproductive salt-tolerant speciescan quadruple stocking rates.Through on-farm demonstrationsand in conjunction with researchagencies, this program will givewool growers an insight intodifferent ways to make theirsaline land productive. Farmerswho have viewed their saline landas unproductive in the past willbe able to see it in another light.
Michael LloydLake Grace, WA, wool grower andSaltland Pastures AssociationChair
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WHAT THE INDUSTRY SAYS
contact
Fleur Flanery
Communication
Land, Water & Wool
GPO Box 2182
Canberra ACT 2601Tel: (02) 6263 6020
www.landwaterwool.gov.au
Anwen Lovett
Manager
Land, Water & Wool
GPO Box 2182
Canberra ACT 2601(02) 6257 3379
www.lwa.gov.au
Lu Hogan
Project Manager
Sustainable Production Systems
Australian Wool Innovation Limited
GPO Box 4177
Sydney NSW 2001
(02) 9299 5155
www.wool.com.au
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photocourtesyofTheLand
photocourtesyofRobynDynes
photocourtesyofAus
tralianWoolNetworkPtyLtd
photocourtesyofTheWoolmarkCompany
photocourtesyofStock&Land
