The effects of cropping on the grey soils of the Western CMA region

Farming on the grey soils in the Western Catchment Management Authority (CMA) region has substantially increased in the last 25 years, mainly in the Brewarrina and Walgett shires.

Most of the land used for cropping is either flood plains requiring very little clearing or lake beds requiring no clearing.

Cropping in this low rainfall zone is used as an alternate income to large grazing activities.

Cropping on the grey soils in the Western CMA region covers an area of approximately 48 000 ha (Resource Assessment and Monitoring Systems).

This Primefact covers the following topics:

• Farming systems
• Chemical properties of grey cropping soils of the Western CMA region
• Physical properties of the grey cropping soils of the Western CMA region
• Best management practices for grey cropping soils of the Western CMA region