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RegenWA newsletter
December 2023
Welcome to the Noongar season of Birak, a season represented by the colour red to signal the onset of the warm weather.
Since our last newsletter, we've been busy with some great events and guests including Bruce Maynard, attended the Wheatbelt Integrity Field Day and the Western Australian Horticulture Update and caught up with our friends at Commonland.
We are beginning to plan for the new year, bringing you more events, news and resources in the regenerative agriculture space. Keep reading to learn about our exciting grant successes, and how to be one of the first project participants in 2024.
The RegenWA team wish you a safe and rejuvenating festive season, and look forward to seeing you again in 2024!
Have an upcoming event? Want to share your story or find out more information? Contact us at info@regenwa.com, @regenwa on Twitter/X, @regenwa on Instagram or visit our website.
REGENWA Projects 2024
Community Stewardship Projects in 2024
We are pleased to announce that we have two regenerative agriculture projects starting in 2024, supported by funding from the Western Australian Government’s State NRM Program.
Accelerating Regenerative Agriculture Adoption
Farming enterprises are underpinned by natural capital (water, soil, biodiversity, carbon), which generate ecosystem services for food production and other societal benefits. The problem(s) stem from the draw-down of our finite stock of natural capital through food and fibre production, or being lost through erosion or nutrient runoff.
This project will implement a program of works designed to accelerate farmer adoption of evidence-based regenerative practices that protect or enhance farm natural capital by providing practical on-ground support, access to mentors, training packages, improved awareness via events and learning from local demonstrations.
If you would like to be actively involved in the project then please click here to express your interest in participating in the project.
Make your Hectare Count! Empowering Peri-Urban Landholders to Practice Regeneration
In recognition of the role landholders play in keeping our environment healthy, Perth NRM are pleased to be continuing work with small landholders in Perth’s important peri-urban region to facilitate on-farm workshops and field days focusing on regenerative natural resource management practices. Topics include: soil health and testing, pasture management, protection of remnant vegetation and composting.
The workshops will answer questions about land management and provide you with practical tips to start implementing on your property straight away. You will also join a group of like-minded people working towards improving wildlife corridors and waterways - creating a healthy environment for future generations.
If you own or lease a small rural property and would like to upskill on the topics listed above, then please click here to express your interest in participating in the project.
These projects are supported by funding from the Western Australian Government’s State NRM Program.
REGENWA EVENTS
Invertebrate Management with Dr Lizzy Lowe
Join us for this free webinar, on Tuesday 6 February at 10am, to hear from Dr Lizzy Lowe on invertebrate management, particularly in human modified systems such as farms and cities. Invertebrates contribute many important ecological services which are essential for agriculture including pollination, nutrient cycling and pest control and they form an important element of natural capital on farms. In her current role, Lizzy is investigating the impacts of natural resource management on urban invertebrates and their ecosystem services.
NEWS
It has been a busy year and RegenWA is proud to have continued to support regenerative agriculture in WA. A huge thanks goes out to our partners and everyone who has worked with us this year. For a full wrap up of the past 12 months, read our article here.
Missed the recent Regen Ag 2023 conference? The recordings are now available for you to view and catch up on all the great presentations and discussions during the event. View the recordings here.
One of Australia's leading agricultural innovators -Bruce Maynard - recently travelled to WA to share his knowledge of Stress-Free Stockmanship, a practice which he has developed over the past 30 years. If you missed it, we captured the key learning here.
The Wheatbelt Integrity Group (WIG) recently hosted their annual farming field day in Newdegate featuring key speaker Ken Bailey. He shared a wealth of information on soil health and the importance of soil carbon. Read more here.
The GRDC are on a hunt for growers who implement a range of farming practices to assist in research exploring current cropping methods, focusing on regenerative agriculture. To find out more and to express your interest, see the GRDC media release.
OPPORTUNITIES & SUPPORT
We're partnering with Soils for Life for the 'Soil Health Challenge for Croppers' which offers a limited number of croppers two years free access to the Soilmentor app. The challenge supports farmers to track and better understand their soil health in a group learning project. Apply here.
The on-farm connectivity program aims to assist primary producers to take advantage of digital agribusiness solutions to boost productivity and improve safety. The maximum grant amount is $30,000. Find out more about the grants here.
The John Cripps horticulture scholarships have been established by DPIRD to increase collaborative research by government, universities and industry to meet the challenges which impact productivity, profitability and sustainability in horticulture in WA. Find out more about these scholarships here.
OTHER EVENTS
- South Coast NRM webinar - 'Can grazing management increase soil management?'; Zoom; Thurs 7 Dec.
- Evoke Ag 2024; Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre; Tue 20 and Wed 21 Feb 2024
If you have upcoming events, or see an event the RegenWA community would be interested in, make sure you hit us up on info@regenwa.com, @regenwa on Twitter, @regenwa on Instagram or on our website.
REGEN ONLINE
South West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub have a series of dry season resources designed for growers, grower groups and the broader agricultural community. You can also sign up to receive their monthly newsletter.
Sustainable Table’s Regenerative Food & Farming Map - this resource maps regenerative producers and businesses across Australia, allowing them to connect and collaborate, whilst also allowing conscious consumers to discover and support regenerative enterprises. Check out Sustainable Table and their Regenerative Food and Farm Map here.
A new case study from the Mulloon Institute has been added to the Landscape Rehydration Hub on our website. The case study (pdf) explores farm-scale landscape rehydration activities on Paraway Farm in South-West WA.
DPIRD Case Study of Tolga Farm: 'High performance of a low input, mixed western Australian farming system: public policy implications from the case of Tolga farm'. Read the paper here.
Open Food Network Australia is building a regenerative produce discovery portal to provide clarity and assurance for the regen ag sector in Australia. Are you a regenerative producer wanting to be showcased, or an interested buyer? You can register here to keep updated on how you can be involved in the portal development and launch.
Transformation Ag have written a summary article of their 2023 erosion and fertility trial. You can read the pdf here.
RegenWA Network Membership
We ask all our members to share this newsletter with their contacts and community groups and invite growers to register (no cost) regardless of what type, size, location, interest, and knowledge level of biological farming.
A diverse community is a strong, healthy community.
RegenWA is supported by Perth NRM through funding from Lotterywest, Commonland and Soil Wise.
Soil Wise is funded by the National Landcare Program Smart Farms Small Grants – an Australian Government initiative. It is supported by Healthy Estuaries WA – a State Government program.
