The Eyre Peninsula Sustainable Agriculture Program is a collaborative initiative bringing together Agricultural Innovation & Research Eyre Peninsula (AIR EP), the Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board, researchers, industry specialists, and local organisations to support the long-term productivity and resilience of EP farming systems.

Working in partnership with growers, the program delivers a coordinated, evidence-based approach to addressing key soil and climate challenges across the region. Through 10 interconnected projects, the program provides practical activities including workshops, trials, soil testing and monitoring programs, communication resources, and field demonstrations.

These activities aim to:

• build local knowledge
• support informed decision-making and
• improve soil health and farm profitability across the Eyre Peninsula.

Project areas include:

• managing in a variable climate
• crop establishment
• sandy soils
• soil salinity and mallee seeps
• soil amelioration
• acid soils
• regenerative agriculture and
• increasing understanding of EP soil health.

The program also focuses on strengthening farm resilience and will culminate in an Innovations Tour later in 2026.

This newsletter includes information about what’s being done so far in a few of these areas.

Sandy soils discussion near Minnipa in March this year, as part of the EP Sustainable Ag Program..

As part of the program, growers can also access regular climate insights, including the latest seasonal climate update from Seasonal Risk Agronomist Dale Grey, helping farmers make more informed decisions in an increasingly variable climate (read on to see the March update).

Together, these projects are supporting EP growers to build more resilient, productive and sustainable farming systems for the future.

This three-year program to support Eyre Peninsula farmers to drive agriculture growth while adopting sustainable practices, 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.

Carbon Calculator Workshops, March 23-26: Ungarra, Minnipa, Kimba

Not sure where to start with measuring your emissions on farm? These are hands-on sessions designed for farmers, giving you the chance to explore the tool and ask questions. Visit the AIR EP events page for dates, locations and registration.

Statewide carbon farming series

In addition, a series of free statewide carbon farming webinars are underway, aiming to equip SA farmers with knowledge about carbon farming and emissions reduction topics.

Farmers and land managers across Eyre Peninsula (and the state) are invited to join in the webinars, which present information in an easy-to-understand way.

Each webinar is free to attend and focuses on practical considerations, opportunities and limitations, helping participants navigate the carbon space with clarity and confidence.

• Coming up on March 25 is a webinar about soil carbon in SA – what builds it, what loses it and what you can influence. Register for the one-hour webinar starting at 12:30pm.
• On April 1, a webinar will explore how livestock producers can tackle emissions without compromising productivity. Register for this one-hour webinar starting at 12.30pm.

See the full list of upcoming webinars.

These webinars are delivered by South Australia’s Landscape Boards with funding support from the Commonwealth of Australia through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water under the Carbon Farming Outreach Program.

Dry saline land (DSL), often referred to as ‘magnesia country,’ is land degradation caused by transient subsoil salinity wicking to the surface through hot dry periods, and has been on the increase over the last decade.

The key to stopping and reversing DSL is to grow (or apply) soil cover - maintained through summer months to stop the capillary rise of salt - which research has shown can easily concentrate in the top 5 cm of soil to 2-3 times toxic levels for crop growth.

However, significant rainfall events can have the double impact of leaching some of that surface salt into the top 20 cm, as well as diluting the salt around the seed zone to levels that may allow for germination (depending on the level of toxicity present). This is why seasons that have large autumn rainfall can temporarily diminish DSL impacts.

Many areas of the state recently received between 50-150 mm of rain. Many farmers have been getting their seeders into action to get cover on eroding sandhills from the previous season. For farms that have large areas of bare DSL (as in the picture below), this also presents a significant opportunity to sow some barley as soon as possible to achieve soil cover.

Depending on soil types, severity and weather conditions, there may only be a 2-3 week period when seeds can germinate and establish. I would also consider not controlling volunteer growth in some of the worst areas, as the seed present when the rain fell may have got the best conditions to establish...

Read the full article by by Dr Chris McDonough, from Insight Extension for Agriculture to find out more about this work, undertaken through the EP Sustainable Ag project.

A large area of bare dry saline land.

Seen deer on or near your place? Report sightings to help with current control programs.

Sandy soils have long limited production across the Eyre Peninsula. 

AIR EP and delivery partners collaborated with growers to evaluate practical amelioration strategies under paddock conditions through a sandy soils project.

Demonstrations at Kyancutta, Poochera and Streaky Bay investigated ripping, soil mixing and nutrition strategies to address common sandy soil constraints including:

• Water repellence
• High soil strength layers (naturally occurring or compacted) 
• Low organic carbon and fertility
• Low plant available water
• Nutrient tie-up (particularly on calcareous sands)

Results from these demostrations are now available with a key learning being that where constraints were correctly identified and treated, sandy soils showed strong economic potential. However, where the primary limitation was not compaction, ripping alone delivered little benefit and there are other issues to consider.

Read the full article with results and key points from each demonstration, prepared by Brett Masters from EPAG Research and Amy Wright from AIR EP.

Seasonal Risk Agronomist Dale Grey from the Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, presents a 9-minute video update on February rainfall, temperatures, modelled soil water deciles, EP soil moisture probe network readings, global weather indicators, and climate model predictions for the next 3 months.

This work has been made possible through the EP Sustainable Agriculture project.

One of the key areas of focus of the project is 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.

If you have any feedback on the video or content you would like to be included, please let us know. Contact Naomi Scholz, AIR EP Executive Officer, eo@airep.com.au.

Two of the Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board's major plans have undergone reviews during the past year.

The 10-year Water Allocation Plan for the Southern Basins and Musgrave Prescribed Areas was reviewed last year with two rounds of consultation. The final updated plan will be finalised for implementation by end of June.

Consultation on our draft five-year Eyre Peninsula Regional Landscape Plan closed in late February and we are now working towards that plan also being ready for implementation in the new financial year.

This plan will guide how we safeguard Eyre Peninsula’s natural and productive environment in partnership with the local community. Sustainable agriculture remains one of our five priorities, being renamed to Primary Production. The focus of that priority for us is: Protect and maintain soil health and land condition to enable productive, adaptive and sustainable primary production.

We thank everyone who contributed to feedback on these plans which will be available on our website when they come into effect.

Carbon Calculator Workshops, March 23-26, Ungarra, Minnipa, Kimba
Not sure where to start with measuring your emissions on farm? These two-hour, hands-on session are designed for farmers, giving you the chance to explore the tool and ask questions. Visit the AIR EP events page for dates, locations & registration

Soil carbon in SA, March 26, 12:30pm webinar
Find out what builds soil carbon, what loses it and what you can influence. Find out more or register for the one-hour webinar.

Fox bait distribution, March 26 in Port Lincoln, Tumby Bay, Cummins, 10:30am-12:30pm
Next week is the last week of our autumn fox bait distribution sessions. See our events page for more details. Missed your local distribution? Contact your nearest Landscape Board office to book in bait collection.

Paddock Proof: Safe Trials, Real Results, 30 March, Cleve
In this interactive workshop, learn how to run simple paddock experiments to see what improves soil function, crop performance, and input efficiency. This hands-on, locally relevant session will show you have to set up successful on farm trials, monitor what matters and focus on the outcomes that support better decisions on your farm. More information and registration.

Sheep, cattle and carbon: research and on-farm progress, April 1, 12.30pm webinar
Curious about how livestock producers can tackle emissions without compromising productivity? Hear from experts about practical ways to reduce livestock emissions and opportunities for SA producers. Register.

See the AIR EP events page for event updates

Sustainable agriculture is one of our five priorities at the Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board - the others being biodiversity, pest plant and animal control, water and community.

We have a Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator who is available to provide a range of support, focused on facilitating partnerships and connections that help farmers, landholders and community groups work together to achieve sustainable outcomes.

Amy Wright is our facilitator, based in Kimba. Supporting her is project officer Bek Peters, based at Ungarra. These facilitators - located across Australia's regional areas - are supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program.

Local grower-led research and extension group, Ag Innovation and Research EP (AIR EP) is contracted to host the Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator role and the 3-year sustainable agriculture project. Please reach out to Amy if you want to know more about how she can help you. Email amy.wright@airep.com.au or phone 0467 004 555.

The Sustainable Agriculture EP project is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program and delivered for the Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board, a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners panel by AIR EP, EPAG Research, PIRSA and Ag VIC.