Many of the strategies needed by broadacre crop producers for coping with climate change already exist, and are part of the normal range of crop management practices.

Strategies identified for coping at the farm level include diversifying species, changing varieties, shifting planting dates, changing crop management practices and conserving soil water.

"While not specifically designed to deal with climate change, a considerable number of current research projects aimed at developing ‘agronomy packages’ for a range of crops are relevant," NSW Department of Primary Industries southern farming systems research leader, Dr Alison Bowman, said.

"This is because the capacity to match crop genetics or varieties to a particular management system and region is one of the most effective ways of dealing with environmental changes.

"Other already existing tools include zero-till and controlled traffic farming systems.

"These have provided critical technology for conserving soil water," Dr Bowman said.

For producers in the northern cropping zone, in particular, these offer management options not otherwise available for spreading seasonal risk.

New seasonal risk management tools will also assist, such as the development of a system for predicting the onset and impact of insects and diseases such as blackleg and Sclerotinia in canola.

Priorities for broad scale cropping include the development of web-based decision support systems to help primary industries cope with greater climate variability, and production systems that sequester carbon and lower unwanted emissions and which have the capacity to adapt to climate change.

Tools already developed for managing within-season climate variability such as Yield Prophet and Whopper Cropper - if linked more effectively with climate prediction tools - would greatly benefit growers.

Contact Dr Alison Bowman, Wagga Wagga, (02) 6938 1628.