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Prograze |
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The following article has been adapted from the August 2006 edition of LANDNews, news and information from ACT Landcare. Further information about ProGraze® is available on the NSW DPI website.
Prograze® Overview Prograze® is based on a model for working with producer groups and was developed by NSW Agriculture officers at Armidale in the early nineties. Prograze® aims to provide beef cattle and sheep producers and those who service these industries with skills in pasture and animal assessment, assisting them to identify ways to use these skills to improve their grazing management decisions. Prograze® also deals specifically with the interaction of pasture and livestock and the impact each can have on the other. It deals with the management issues associated with this interaction. Prograze® also emphasises the role pastures and pasture management have in addressing issues of environmental sustainability. Prograze® Funding The participants at this Prograze® course have been particularly fortunate in having a substantial proportion of the cost of the course subsidised by the Molonglo Catchment Group (MCG). TAMS staff were able to successfully negotiate with the MCG for the program to be subsidised in this manner. The Chair of the MCG, Mr Lynton Bond, was at the first session to present a cheque for $5,000 to Phil Graham. Funding to the MCG was provided through the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program for the implementation of the Molonglo Catchment Strategy. The National Landcare Program aims to encourage sustainable agriculture. Mr Bond said ‘with about 70% of land in Australia being managed by farmers, it is clear that by enabling farmers to put into practice the information learnt on courses like Prograze®, they are better able to make decisions to achieve long term sustainability’. Funded Incentive Programs Geoff Hyles responded to Mr Bond on behalf of the group and acknowledged the role of the catchment groups and the opportunity that exists for interaction between rural and urban stakeholders. Geoff also encouraged landholders of the benefits of becoming involved with the catchment groups and the funding incentives that are quite often available for on ground works of an environmental/restoration nature. The MCG also has funding identified for the establishment of perennial pastures in the Molonglo Catchment that includes Jerrabomberra Creek, Woolshed Creek/Majura Valley, Reedy Creek and Lower Molonglo River areas. Funding incentives for other on-ground works may be available to interested landholders through the various catchment groups or TAMS. Phone the ACT Landcare Facilitator on 6205 2914. |
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