NATIONAL LANDCARE WEBINAR Regenerating Australia’s Soil Health Series Hosted by the National Landcare Facilitator in partnership with Soils for Life The NLF is an initiative of

“Regenerating Australia’s Soil Health ” PART 3 How do we measure and extend effective practices? Speakers: Tim Wright, Bill & Rhonda Daly, John Talbot NATIONAL LANDCARE WEBINAR

Measure, monitor, extend… BILL & RHONDA DALY NATIONAL LANDCARE WEBINAR PART 2

About ‘Milgadara’ Young Purchased in 1911 by Harry Daly- now 4 th generation 1250 ha – 20 kms east of Young Crop 300 hectares – canola, wheat, oats, lupins 5500 sheep -Self replacing merino flock - Prime lamb enterprise 120 head steers traded annually Rainfall 25” (when not in drought!!) Sandy Loam – CEC 4-5  Low calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, boron & sulphur  High potassium Douglas Range – headwaters for Murrumbidgee catchment

5 Why we needed to change- soils were dead Soil structure was declining with less water infiltration and less water holding capacity Soil compaction/hard pans at 20 cm Soil minerals were imbalanced despite 24 years of applying lime and 50 or more years of single super. Soil organic matter levels were declining – 1.5% and lower No visible sign of larger species of soil life, earthworms, dung beetles, fungi. Increasing amounts of soluble fertilisers to achieve same yields Animal nutrition and health declining Profitability was declining due to large chemical & fertiliser bills Negative impact of chemicals on soil and human health Increase of resistant weeds, diseases and pests

How we changed Adopted management and fertility practices that enhanced microbial activity Production of on farm Humus Compost™ from agricultural waste and intensive animal husbandry. Reduced the use of soluble fertilisers in cropping by 50%, added carbon to buffer any negative effects Stopped single super use and applied humus compost mineral blends on pastures Produced microbial compost tea for liquid injection and foliar fertiliser Replaced Urea applications with liquid foliar fertilisers Retained all stubbles using a Stubble digestion program to break it down Shortened rotations and introduced minimum tillage Rotational grazing was continued Tree planting undertaken Bio-dynamic principals introduced with broadcast tower and radionics

Extracted Humus Compost Tea Extracted Compost Tea is a water based solution/suspension of the microbes, enzymes, nutrients and humus polymer (carbon) contained in compost Microbial Liquid Injection

Tree Planting June

1.Observation - feet in the paddock, smell, taste, look 2.Comprehensive soil and plant testing 3.Root depth and root mass 4.Crop yields and quality 5.Penetrometer and refractometer 6.Pasture – quality and diversity 7.Animal performance - lambing percentage from birth to weaning, weight gain yield of your carcass at time of slaughter, wool quality 8.Profitability $ Happy healthy family Measuring and Monitoring If you can’t measure it you can’t monitor it

10 Practical indicators of soil health

11 Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria and VAM colonising oat roots The greater the microbial population in the rhizosphere, the greater the nutrient absorption by the plant

May 2002 Rocky East 2010 Canola undersown with Lucerne, Chicory, Arrowleaf Clover & sub clovers

Rocky East

Paddock #2 - Comprehensive Soil Test monitoring 3 pools of nutrients Test cost $143 Test cost $77

PhosphorusCalciumMagnesiumPotassium Soluble Exchangeable Total Paddock #2 – Soluble, Exchangeable & Total Minerals in the total nutrient pool can become available if robust and diverse microbial activity is encouraged

Test cost $60.50

Healthy living soils, improved soil structure and greater water holding capacity Fertiliser savings Fuel savings Improved plant health and vigor Increased yields & quality Increased lambing percentages and overall animal health – less drenching, increased wool production Reduced weeds, disease and pests Increased soil organic carbon Benefits

Canola grown using Humus Compost & biological seeding program with compost tea Liquid Injection 15 units Nitrogen at sowing and an aerial application of Twin N YIELD 3 T/HA & 47.2% OIL

19 TITLE OF CURRENT SESSION Testing by DECC following a three year trial by Dr Maarten Stapper 10 cm top soil built in two years

20 Benefits of Soil Carbon Increases Water Holding Capacity 1.88% OM = 300,800 litres 2.23% OM = 356,800 litres Increase of 56,000 litres water retained per hectare Carbon Sequestration We increased organic carbon by.26% in the top 15 cm of soil, this represents a 6 t/ha increase in soil OC which equates to 22 t/ha of CO 2 sequestered

Berkshire Triticale crop undersown with Arrowleaf Clover Reduce mono cropping and supply ‘free’ nitrogen

6 t/ha dryland wheat grow with only 4 units of N (Conventional Industry Practice use 54 units of N) Nil Fungicides 22

Wool production increased in 2008 by 2 kg per head. Premium paid by buyers for brightness, comfort factor and low vegetable matter.

Profitability Healthy happy families “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.” - Chief Seattle

Ideas for future measuring and monitoring of carbon and nitrogen sequestration in soils A systems approach using comprehensive testing* to understand and support microbial activity that builds carbon and nitrogen into our soil. Suggestions for Emphasis: Biochemical Sequence—the importance of sulphur, boron and silicon 10: 1C:N ratio in soil—a sign of living soil 6:1N:S ratio in soil—a sign of self-sustaining soil activity Measure Urea, Nitrate and Ammonium (signs of excretory N activity) Compare this to Total C and Total N (amino acid N is structural N) * As developed by Environmental Analysis Laboratory (EAL) at Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW in cooperation with Nutri-Tech and Quantum Agriculture.

Soils for Life Field Day ‘Milgadara’ Young G rowing Soils-Growing Life ‘ July Please visit to registerwww.soilsforlife.org.au