The South Australian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub is preparing to conduct a series of regional roadshow workshops to identify each region’s priorities for building drought resilience.

The Limestone Coast workshop will be held in Naracoorte on 17 September 2021.

A strong landholder representation is being encouraged and the workshops are open to all regional community members – not just those who work in agriculture – who are keen to contribute ideas about strategies to strengthen local drought preparedness and endurance.

You can attend in-person or virtually.

Registration is essential to ensure COVID-safe events.

Applications are now open for the 2022 Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

This competitive annual grants program supports young Australians aged 18-35 by funding projects that will benefit Australia's primary industries.

In partnership with Australia's leading research and development corporations and industry associations, there are 12 industry categories each worth up to $22,000 (inc GST).

Applications close 1 October 2021.

A Field Healthy Soils farm walk will be held at Miningie East to discuss how to improve your feedbase and grazing production by addressing soil chemical, physical and biological constraits.

The following discussions will be held with Mel Fraser (PIRSA Rural Solutions), Felicity Turner (Coorong Tatiara Local Action Plan) and Henry Angas (Angas AgriServices):

• Soil pit
• Soil limitations
• Soil amendment techniques
• Soil acidity
• Monitoring using telemetry - weather, groundwater, soil moisture, soil salinity
• Revegetation to reclaim saline areas

This farm walk will be held on Tuesday 14 September.

Registration is essential to ensure COVID-safe events - text 0427 750 050 by Wednesday 8 September.

This project is supported by the Limestone Coast Landscape Board, through funding from the Australian Government's National Landcare Program

Actively demonstrating freedom from disease is a key component of maintaining access to premium livestock markets. This is an important role of the PIRSA Animal Health Team as they work closely with producers and private veterinarians to provide proof to international markets.

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), more commonly known in cattle as ‘mad cow disease’ are high on the list. Every year, PIRSA must test a certain number of cattle and sheep brains from livestock that show nervous signs. Proving freedom from TSEs is so crucial to our market access that incentive payments are made to producers and veterinarians who submit eligible brains:

• Cattle: Veterinary and producer incentive is $300 + GST each
• Sheep: Veterinary incentive is $200 + GST and producer incentive is $100 + GST

If you observe any livestock with progressive nervous signs then contact your local veterinarian or PIRSA Animal Health staff and help keep our markets open.

And make sure you are a member of SA’s livestock biosecurity program because we stand stronger together.  

As part of an integrated fox management program, baiting with 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate) is one of the most effective, humane and species-specific control tools available to protect livestock and native fauna from fox attacks. It is also considered to be an environmentally responsible form of poison baiting in Australia, as many native animals are naturally tolerant to 1080, and it degrades in soil.

To ensure 1080 baits are used safely there are legal requirements and regulations on the use of 1080 that must be met. It is important that everyone uses 1080 products as per the Directions for Use.

Contact the Limestone Coast Landscape Board Landscape Officers for further advice on fox control in the region including bait purchase.

More information and resources on correct 1080 use can be found on the PIRSA website.

The Australian Government is inviting Expression of Interest applications via an open competitive process for grants under the Future Drought Fund - Drought Resilience Innovation Expression of Interest (EOI) and Grants Program from 29 July 2021 to 8 September 2021.

These grants will support innovative projects that equip farmers and agricultural-dependent communities and businesses with the tools and capacity to adapt, reorganise, transition and/or transform in preparation for drought conditions.

Applications close at 9:00 pm AEST on Wednesday 8 September 2021.

Information about applying for this round can be found on the Community Grants Hub website and GrantConnect.

The Limestone Coast Landscape Board are asking members of the public to be on the lookout for bridal veil, an asparagus weed causing a severe environmental threat. With only a handful of known infestations in the South East, keeping on top of new sites is imperative to halting its spread.

Bridal veil (Asparagus declinatus) was introduced from South Africa as a creeper garden plant and was popularly used in weddings for floral and table decorations. It has since escaped gardens into native vegetation and is now classified as a Weed of National Significance in Australia.

Infestations of this weed can be found in Naracoorte, Lucindale, Avenue and Reedy Creek.

For more information, identification assistance or advice on weeds in your area contact your local Limestone Coast Landscape Officer or by calling the Limestone Coast Landscape Board in Mount Gambier 87351204 or in Keith 87551620.

As native plants come alive with colour in Spring across the Limestone Coast, so too do pest plants.

Now is a good time to plan control the following weeds on your property:

• Salvation Jane
• Cape tulip
• Variegated thistle
• False caper
• Boneseed

For more information, identification assistance or advice on weeds in your area contact your local Limestone Coast Landscape Officer or by calling the Limestone Coast Landscape Board in Mount Gambier 87351204 or in Keith 87551620.

The Limestone Coast Landscape Board has successfully eradicated an outbreak of feral pigs in the Kingston area of the Limestone Coast.

The impact of feral pigs on the Landscape is considerable; they eat native plants, pasture and crops, damage soils in wetlands, grasslands and forests, eat native animals and lambs, reduce water quality, damage fences and have significant potential to spread diseases and are also known to attract illegal hunters, on both private and public lands.

Contact your local Limestone Coast Landscape Board Landscape Officer for control advice or the Limestone Coast Landscape Board in Mount Gambier (8735 1204) or Keith (8755 1620), or visit the Limestone Coast Landscape Board website.

Landcare are inviting nominations for the 2021 State and Territory Landcare Awards which recognises individuals, communities, and community groups across the country for their outstanding contributions to preserving the unique Australian landscape. 

Eight national award categories are now open for nominations:

• Australian Government Individual Landcarer Award
• Australian Government Partnerships for Landcare Award
• Australian Government Landcare Farming Award
• Coastcare Award
• ACM Landcare Community Group Award
• Woolworths Junior Landcare Team Award
• KPMG Indigenous Land Management Award
• Steadfast Young Landcare Leadership Award
• Green Adelaide Urban Landcare Award

Applications close 20 September 2021.

For more information or to nominate someone go to the Landcare Australia website.

The Limestone Coast Landscape Board welcome the new $220,000 fox bounty scheme which has been introduced by the state government in an attempt to cull the pest.

The South Australian fox bounty program which is managed by PIRSA, supports drought-affected primary producers by providing $10 per fox humanely killed on their land. It is a way to increase the productivity of the agricultural sector through enhanced fox control in production areas.

The fox bounty program complements existing coordinated fox control programs supported by the Limestone Coast Landscape Board such as coordinated neighbourhood fox baiting programs.

For more information, advice, baiting supply options, or for help with organising a cooperative fox baiting program in your area, contact your local Limestone Coast Landscape Board Landscape Officer.

The newly formed ‘Limestone Coast Food & Agribusiness Cluster’ which held its first ever annual food forum at the Lucindale Country Club, was supported by a grant from the Limestone Coast Landscape Board. Furthermore, the Limestone Coast Food and Agribusiness Cluster has been successful in attracting FIAL Cluster funding.

Food producers, retailers and government agencies – as well as expert presenters – were brought together to highlight food and beverage opportunities for the Limestone Coast. The forum was also designed to assist with the development of support networks.

There is tremendous potential for the Limestone Coast to be widely known as a source of sustainably produced and quality products – building on the solid reputation the region already has.

The Limestone Coast Landscape Board will further support the Food Cluster’s work through additional grant funding that will help producers develop stories about the provenance of their products and the sustainable practices they have put in place.

If you would like to know more about the Limestone Coast Food and Agribusiness Cluster, please contact Danielle England on 0429 676 007.

This project is supported by the Limestone Coast Landscape Board, through funding from the Australian Government's National Landcare Program

The Limestone Coast community are invited to attend a community meeting in Robe on Thursday 7 October 2021 (5 pm - 7 pm) to learn about potential infrastructure options to enhance migratory bird habitat at Lake Hawdon North. The project is in the investigations phase with a wide range of investigations currently underway.  Consultation with neighbouring landholders and other stakeholders has also commenced.

The meeting is an initiative of Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin (HCHB), a $70 million program to be delivered across five years to support the long-term health of the Coorong, with a focus on the Coorong South Lagoon.  The HCHB Program is jointly funded by the Australian and South Australian governments. 

Bookings are essential - please book via this Eventbrite.

For further information please contact Lake Hawdon Community Engagement Project Officer Tania Rajic on 0418 448 053 or by email tania.rajic@sa.gov.au.

Get involved!

AgConnect promotes the latest sustainable agricultural news and events across the Limestone Coast. If you have an upcoming event or agricultural news you would like to share contact us:

Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitators:

Skylea Mclean: skylea.mclean@sa.gov.au

Eykolina Benny: eykolina.benny@sa.gov.au