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Mentor Farms

Expressions of Interest for 16/17 Projects open 1st July 2016 via the Grants and Incentives page - click here

The North East CMA is supporting community driven innovation in agriculture by delivering Mentor Farm grants through the Australian Government's National Landcare Programme.

The North East Victorian Mentor Farm Program is aimed at supporting groups of landholders with demonstrations sites to test the viability and application of new farming practices, techniques and/or technology to help them improve their business and its sustainability. These sites can demonstrate innovative practices, a piece of new science or simply test potential solutions to local problems in a farming system. Through these demonstrations, groups of producers are able to design and set up practical hands-on activities that support the ongoing learning and development of the group.

If you are interested in learning more about the Mentor Farms projects funded this year refer to the Media Release below and the list of successful projects:

Media Release Mentor Farm projects 2015/16

List of successful Mentor Farm project 2015/16

 

Image: Dairy Farm Dederang, Simon Dallinger 2014

If you are interested in learning more about what Mentor Farm projects have been funded in previous years see below:

Previous Mentor Farms projects

 


 

ENCOURAGING STUDENT TO PURSUE A CAREER IN AGRICULTURE AT TALLANGATTA SECONDARY COLLEGE

This Project is a partnership between Tallangatta Secondary College, Alpine Valleys Dairy Pathways Project and the North East CMA to encourage students to learn about NRM in agriculture. This was done via practical application as students got to visit a farm, understand the business decision involved in farming and understand complex issues such as soils through visiting a laboratory in Werribee. To learn more about this project and hear from those involved directly in the project check out the You Tube Clip below:
Tallangatta Secondary College - Careers in Agriculture
Feedback from the students involved has been really positive with a common theme emerging that there are many career options in agriculture and that farming is a highly complex business which has the opportunity to embrace innovation and be profitable.

UNDERSTANDING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NITROGEN APPLICATIOS AND SOIL MOISTURE IN A CROPPING SYSTEM

This project was a partnership between Riverine Plains Inc. and the North East CMA using soil moisture probes to utilise site specific, real-time soil moisture data to make informed decisions on the potential for added nitrogen to be effectively used by the crop, thereby increasing the economic benefit of application and reducing the chance of nitrogen loss to the environment.

Riverine Plains Extension Officer Dr Cassandra Schefe explained to 15 land managers that soils are not soils and how to use the data gained in this project to make informed decisions about your farm.

A short film was produced on this project  - see the you tube link below:

Riverine Plains Soil Moisture Project