Sustainable agriculture

The agricultural area of Eyre Peninsula ranges from broad-hectare agricultural production with largely mixed cereal and livestock grazing on annual pastures to intensive cropping in the more reliable rainfall areas with pulse and oilseed crops in the rotations. Annual rainfall varies from a reliable 600mm at Port Lincoln to a highly variable 270mm west of Penong.

Soils vary from shallow calcrete and calcareous loams to dune-swale and sandy plains with a range of management issues affecting the sustainability and profitability of framing enterprises. Our Land Management Control Policy provides more details on land system descriptions and land management risks; as well as setting out land management principles.

There are a number of ways we can assist land managers and farming groups to improve the region’s farming practices including: developing new technologies, increasing soil health, improving farm profitability and risk management for the long-term viability of farming on the Eyre Peninsula.

Regenerative Agriculture Program

The Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board supports the Regenerative Agriculture Program through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program. The Regenerative Agriculture Program on Eyre Peninsula is increasing awareness, knowledge and adoption of land management practices to restore soil pH levels, increase soil organic carbon levels and reduce the risk of nutrient loss from wind erosion.

Our Regenerative Agriculture Program is being delivered by grower group Agricultural Innovation & Research Eyre Peninsula (AIR EP) and includes support for farmers through a sustainable agriculture officer. See our media release for more details.

Land management resources

We have put together information that Eyre Peninsula land managers may find useful.

Soil management is a significant aspect of farming. Our soil management page includes a range of information about managing this critical farm asset.
Property planning is beneficial to all properties. Our web-based farm management tool, nrmFarm, is a useful tool for planning, mapping and recording.
For property managers who are currently farming in hard times or planning for upcoming tough times, we have some links to information which may be useful.
Future water security is an important aspect of farming to consider. This page includes resources for water planning on a property.
We work with local farmers and research agencies to investigate alternative farming techniques for cropping and pastures. Read information about stubble management, pasture recovery, herbicide resistance and pest snail management.
We have a range of information about grazing including case studies on different techniques including using temporary electric fencing to improve stocking rates.

Carbon storage and reducing nitrous oxide emissions

Find out more about soil carbon on the Eyre Peninsula through this research project which aimed to identify land management practices with the potential to change soil carbon content in red-brown earth soils of the Mid-North and Eyre Peninsula. This project was led by CSIRO.

The CSIRO has developed a map of Australia's stored soil carbon which it will use to track changes in soil carbon stocks and assist with strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through soils. Read more about the development of the CSIRO map.

Eyre Peninsula farming networks

There are local farming networks which can also be a useful resource.

The Agriculture Bureau of South Australia is a not-for-profit organisation run by farmers for farmers who are interested in farming, agricultural development and education. The Bureau helps to bridge the gap between scientists and farmers.
The Ag Excellence Alliance links South Australian grower groups; and works with broad-acre grain and livestock farmers to improve their profitability and sustainability.
Agricultural Innovation and Research Eyre Peninsula (AIR EP) is an amalgamation of Lower Eyre Agriculture Development Association (LEADA) and Eyre Peninsula Agricultural Research Foundation (EPARF). It is a professional, farmer-directed organisation that drives the advancement and practical application of scientific research, development and extension in agriculture. Connect with them on their Facebook page or their Twitter account.

Find out about the latest research

These organisations undertake a range of agriculture research.

Keep up-to-date

Read our latest district reports (scroll to the end section of the page) which includes an overview of our sustainable agriculture activities during the past quarter. You can also subscribe to our quarterly newsletter which provides updates on all our projects.

For our most up-to-date news, find us on twitter.com/EPLandscapeSA and at facebook.com/EPLandscapeSA