Drought training success in Lachlan catchment
A drought management project which linked training to financial incentives has been hailed a success by a leading agricultural training evaluation company.
NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and the Lachlan Catchment Management Authority (CMA) together ran 27 training courses for 532 landholders to enhance their drought management skills.
NSW DPI project manager, Simone Fuller, said Coutts J&R assessed the project where participants who completed the StockPlan® PROfarm course were eligible to apply for a drought grant from the Lachlan CMA.
"Grants up to $10,000 were on offer to graziers to establish drought lots or sacrifice paddocks where they could feed stock in a small area to protect the rest of the farm," Ms Fuller said.
"The cash incentive was a huge catalyst for change with 69 per cent of farmers who received grants installing drought lots for the first time.
"At the same time many farmers who did not apply for the grant went ahead and installed a drought lot after completing the training."
Farmers were able to use the course to decide whether to feed, agist or sell.
StockPlan® is a decision-making package which uses computer modelling to work out the economics of feeding sheep and cattle through a drought.
Drought lots allow farmers to keep stock off the bulk of their farms, which helps maintain groundcover, protect the environment and safeguard their asset base.
"Results from this project have already been invaluable and have impacted on how we plan to better deliver training to our PROfarm clients across the State," she said.
"It has also created new opportunities for NSW DPI and the Lachlan CMA to work together and enhance our services to landholders."
A formal presentation of the Coutts J&R assessment report was made yesterday in Orange.
Photographs available from bernadette.york@dpi.nsw.gov.au
Media contact: Bernadette York, Orange (02) 6391 3936 or 0427 773 785