Ag Tech Sunday - Data proves what good farmers already know

This article is bought to you by PMG Finance and Mecardo.

By Garry Gale - Food Agility CRC

Sometimes you'd think that sustainability is a relatively new concept by the way it's been presented and talked about by policymakers in recent years.

But for generations of Australian farmers, sustainability is something that's been there for years as part of their farming DNA.

It's just that sustainable practices aren't always obvious, let alone available for all to see.

Today, technology gives us much greater access to data on natural capital, so we can really see the connection between sustainable farming and enhancing economic and social prosperity.

Ad- PMG Finance - Specialising in Farm Machinery, Vehicle, Earthmoving and Equipment Finance - Ad

Ad -For the very best Agricultural Analysis commentary think Mecardo. Read every article in Prime Ag News - Ad

That's a key focus of Digital Agriculture Services (DAS) - it's opening a digital window of vast amounts of intelligence about almost every farm, rural property or agricultural asset in Australia.

In partnership with CSIRO, DAS is integrating the most complete property, productivity, climate risk and drought data available into the DAS Rural Intelligence Platform™and its soon-to-be-released DAS Rural Property Report™.

That's delivering insight and analytics on rural assets Australia-wide, including farm-level information such as each property's land use, soil type, potential crop yields, carrying capacity, rainfall, bush-fire risk and more.

Let me give you a superb example. Goondicum Pastoral at Yarrol, west of Bundaberg in Queensland, has been run by the Campbell family since the 1860s.

Some years back, in the 1920s and 1930s, trees were ring-barked and cleared from the property as required under the pastoral lease at the time.

By the late 1950s, it was clear that practice was both uneconomical and environmentally unsustainable, so vast areas were replanted to native forest.

Now they are seeing the benefits - with plenty of grass and shade, there isn't the same 'wear and tear' on the land from grazing cattle.

It's a showcase of best practice in sustainability.

Not only is Goondicum Pastoral running less cattle than 25 years ago, they are making more profit than at any time in their history.

Ad- PMG Finance - Specialising in Farm Machinery, Vehicle, Earthmoving and Equipment Finance - Ad

Ad -For the very best Agricultural Analysis commentary think Mecardo. Read every article in Prime Ag News - Ad

   

Their 'low stress, high-return' policy delivers better sale prices for their cattle, and lower interest rates from their bank.

They've proven sustainable farming isn't a cost, it's actually a wealth accelerator.

Analytics from the DAS platform highlight the Goondicum Pastoral Co success story.

Situated in sub-tropical central Queensland, Goondicum's land condition is among the best in Australia, being either A or B quality prime agricultural land.

Remnant vegetation data shows just how many trees have been planted right across Goondicum Station, preserving wildlife habitats and leading to greater sustainability throughout the property.

Not surprisingly, carbon levels are outstanding as well.

These are just a few of the higlights gleaned from a DAS Rural Property Report™ on Goondicum Pastoral.

This next generation rural intelligence developed by DAS means we can not only capture a more complete picture of any specific rural property across Australia, we can illustratejust how shifts in behaviour and land management have greatly improved productivity and sustainability.

Now that's a picture worth taking for future generations.

Garry Gale is a key strategic advisor to rural technology company Digital Agriculture Services (DAS) and a leading authority on natural capital. He is an Adjunct Professor of Innovation at RMIT University in Melbourne, Head of Partner Experience for the Federal Government's Food Agility Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), and a Board Member of the Australian Conservation Foundation.

Ad- PMG Finance - Specialising in Farm Machinery, Vehicle, Earthmoving and Equipment Finance - Ad

Ad -For the very best Agricultural Analysis commentary think Mecardo. Read every article in Prime Ag News - Ad