SANTFA & broad acre farming systems in South Australia

Alex Milner-Smyth – Executive Officer

September 2012

Alexandra Milner-Smyth

The South Australian No-Till Farmer’s Association was

•Established in 1994•Instrumental in the adoption of no-till practices throughout the 90’s and early 2000’s through:• ‘Crop Walks’• Annual Conference• Quarterly magazine• Trials, research and development

It wasn’t all plain sailing!

•SANTFA was involved in a lot of trial work to help farmers understand how to:• Improve the mechanics of tined seeders to maximise

efficacy – press wheels, seeding depths etc.• Improve weed control measures• It was a long term project!• The proof is in the pudding – no-tillers are the bigger

farmers• In 2012, 95% of South Australian growers are no-till

SANTFA Today…

•Representative of 2 million hectares of broad acre farming land in South Australia•Almost 700 members•2 full time, 2 part time members of staff•9 board members•A 40-page colour quarterly journal ‘The Cutting Edge’•14 commercial sponsors – Viterra, John Deere, Topcon, etc•In 2012, SANTFA won in excess of AUS $3million in projects

Mallee Revegetation Fund

•$2.45 million over 5 years•Funded by the commonwealth government•Targeting Mallee farmers with cleared un-arable land•Fencing, revegetation plans, trees, fencing maintenance•Farmers able to sequester carbon and sell credits

Other projects

•$400,000 – investigating the uses and benefits of biochar•Water-jet – SANTFA innovation using ultra high pressure water jets:• Managing heavy stubbles• Seeding, incorporating trace elements etc• Possible commercialisation?

•Investigating the uses of cover and summer crops – stock feed benefits, soil improvement, water use efficiency•Soil Moisture probes, adoption and use / interpretation of information – risk management tool.•Alternative fuels & power sources, waste management, pyrolysis etc

South Australian broad acre farms:

•2000ha – 30,000ha (marginal)•Variable rainfall – 200 – 450 ml / year – autumn & spring rainfall•Hot, dry summers – 40+, some frosts in winter.•Major crops are winter, but summer & cover crops are being integrated•Rotations in marginal areas are generally wheat on wheat•In medium – high rainfall zones they are canola, barley, wheat, peas, beans etc•Stock (sheep) are common in high-medium rainfall zones and where land can’t be cropped.•Most farmers are using tine / disc combinations, but adoption of single / double discs is the next adoption trend.

Roger Lienert’s K-Hart

Paul Pearce’s Serafin

Justin Bamman’s Conservapac

The next big thing?

•Controlled traffic is on the rise in South Australia to assist with the management of compaction•Long term no-tillers consider CT to be complementary to their system, reducing compaction, increasing overall yields•Need to look at track renovators

•Laser weed seeker machines•Identify and spray only weeds•Preferential for minimising herbicide resistance, reducing input costs and getting rid of hard-to-manage & summer weeds (fleabane etc).

Contact:

Alex Milner-Smythalex@santfa.com.auwww.santfa.com.au