Agriculture programs
The Eyre Peninsula agriculture sector (cropping and grazing) covers approximately 80% of land mass of Eyre Peninsula, producing around 40% of the state’s wheat exports and more than 20% of barley exports, plus the region is estimated to have more than 1.5 million head of sheep. The region also has large areas of sandy soils that are prone to wind erosion as well as agriculture land that is prone to acidification.
Under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019, we are responsible for the management and protection of the land, with Sustainable Agriculture being one of our five priority areas. We are focused on facilitating regenerative land management to improve soil health and vitality.
Sustainable Agriculture Project
Our three-year $1.3m project to support Eyre Peninsula farmers to drive agriculture growth while adopting sustainable practices, is now underway. The project, beginning mid 2025, is being delivered through our agriculture partners Ag Innovation and Research Eyre Peninsula (AIR EP).
Three major program components make up the project which is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program and delivered by Agricultural Innovation & Research Eyre Peninsula (AIR EP) for the Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board, a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners panel.
This first program area is about helping the agriculture sector to adopt practices to reduce emissions and build resilience to climate change, by helping farmers to be better equipped to respond to forecast changes and increased variability of the climate through improved decision making and implementing new practices.
The second program area will see farmers being supported to drive agriculture growth, while adopting sustainable natural resource management practices that protect and conserve natural capital and biodiversity, specifically to reduce the risk of soil loss, improve soil health, increase productivity and improve carbon retention.
During the next three years, these programs will support local farmers with webinars about understanding seasonal forecasts, workshops about paddock variability and soils training for advisors. See AIR EP's project page for more information and updates on key activities.
The third program area of the new sustainable agriculture project will focus on improving Aboriginal participation in the agriculture sector. The initiative aims to enable the agriculture sector to respect, draw on and embrace Aboriginal knowledge. It will stimulate Aboriginal entrepreneurship, business development, training and employment in the agriculture sector, providing opportunities for Aboriginal people to participate in the agriculture sector. Regional Development Australia Eyre Peninsula (RDAEP) has been contracted to deliver this program.
Climate-ready livestock project
From late 2025, we are working on a project to help Eyre Peninsula livestock producers with emerging challenges from climate change. This project will support producers to make informed management decisions in response to these challenges. Through a program of small group workshops and collaborative guidance from a newly formed producer-led Steering Group, farmers will be supported to develop alternative management strategies that improve their capacity to adapt, diversify, and build long-term resilience.
This project has been funded through the Landscape Priorities Fund which focuses on large-scale projects addressing regional priorities. Funding comes from the landscape levy.
Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator
We work with a range of stakeholders on agriculture programs including the Australian Government as a Regional Delivery Partner from mid-2024. As part of our arrangement with the Australian Government, we have a Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator to connect farmers, landholders, community groups and the agriculture industry to relevant information and programs on climate-smart, sustainable agriculture practices; facilitate partnerships; and support the delivery of sustainable agriculture projects.
Carbon Outreach Program
Through the Australian Government, we are also involved with a Carbon Outreach Program. We will be working closely with South Australia’s other landscape boards to deliver a Carbon Outreach Program that supports the agriculture and land sectors as Australia transitions towards net zero emissions by 2030. This includes strengthening landholders’ knowledge in best practice agriculture to address issues that arise in a changing climate. Our Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator and other staff will work on providing education to farmers including workshops, as the project progresses in late 2024 and into 2025.
See our carbon farming page for more details about this program as well as general carbon farming information and resources.
Soil Extension Project
From mid-2024, South Australia’s eight landscape boards worked together on this project to empower land managers to take responsibility for their soil’s health, resulting in improved productivity and environmental outcomes.
The one-year project funded by the Landscape Priorities Fund, aimed to equip land managers with an understanding of the latest soil science and the skills and knowledge to translate soil test results into on-farm actions that improve soil health and address the constraints of the soil. This included understanding opportunities and constraints for soil carbon sequestration in native vegetation.
We partnered with EP Ag Research to deliver this project with Brett Masters taking on the role of our Eyre Peninsula soil extension officer, working collaboratively with land managers, industry and agriculture groups, soil specialists and researchers across the state to deliver extension activities, including education resources, demonstration sites and case studies.
During this project, a Knowing your soils South Australia handbook was published with information for landholders to manage soils.
Regenerative Agriculture Program
Our five-year Regenerative Agriculture Program, concluded in June 2023. The program aimed to increase awareness, knowledge and adoption of land management practices on the Eyre Peninsula to restore soil pH levels, increase soil organic carbon levels and reduce the risk of nutrient loss from wind erosion. It supported farming systems groups and individual farmers to implement best practice management and practice change; and showcase the results to the broader farming community.
There were a range of case studies completed during this project including on soil carbon, Mallee seeps, erosion control, multi-species to improve soil cover and grazing potential and acidity. Farmers are encouraged to take a look and learn from what was trialled.
Mallee seeps
We supported a three-year project up to June 2023, to provide support to farmers facing the rising degradation of Mallee seeps on Eyre Peninsula. The project trialled management options suited to both mixed farmers and cropping-only farming systems to explore remedial options. A key message from the project report is that future farmers need to continue to look, monitor and act early, rather than allow degraded areas to form, expand and go out of production.
A series of videos were created for landholders to outline Mallee seep management options.
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