Current Land Projects | NRM Projects

About the project 

As farmers are increasingly exposed to variable climate conditions and changing market expectations around sustainability, it can be hard to decide on the best course of action to ensure they remain viable – Our Natural Advantage supports farmers to make future-focussed decisions with confidence.  

Our Natural Advantage demonstrates and communicates practical actions farmers can adopt to support production and resilience, meet changing conditions and capitalise on co-benefits of protecting and enhancing natural capital on farms. Working with local agricultural industries, this project will set up on-farm demonstrations and associated extension and communication resources, supporting actions which aid farm productivity and resilience and align with industry sustainability frameworks. Additional one-on-one and targeted implementation support will assist farmers to deliver identified improved practices on farm. 

Demonstrations Under Development

On-farm Natural Capital Accounting Demonstration in partnership with TIA and supported by Fonterra and Dairy Tasmania

Cradle Coast NRM proposes to work with Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) in undertaking a natural capital account at TIA’s Elliott Dairy Research Facility, to demonstrate the value of accounting for and actively considering on-farm natural values and ecosystem services for north-west Tasmanian dairy farms.

There are various drivers which are increasing interest in and scrutiny around the management of on farm natural capital, including carbon and biodiversity markets, changing financial reporting expectations, export market requirements, premium brand opportunities, increasing on-farm costs and changing climatic conditions.

This proposed farm-scale natural capital account and report aims to clarify the confusion around what natural capital accounting is and what role it could have in supporting farmers.  The on-farm natural capital account and associated extension and communication activities will demonstrate the process of undertaking an on-farm account on a working dairy farm and demonstrate the ways this account can support farm business planning including meeting supplier and industry expectations, emerging market opportunities, boosting productivity and farm economic and climate resilience.

Demonstrating the value of diverse cover crops for intensive vegetable productions in partnership with Harvest Moon

Multi-species cover crops can reduce farm inputs, improve soil health and contribute positively to overall farm profitability while also aligning with industry sustainability standards and emerging market expectations.

Harvest Moon are integrating broadscale incorporation of multi-species cover crops between vegetable cash crops and are recognising the value in their production systems.

Cradle Coast NRM is partner with Harvest Moon to showcase the great work the business is doing to practically incorporate multi-species cover crops into north-west Tasmanian vegetable production systems.  This demonstration aims to support on-going business decisions at Harvest Moon, but also demonstrate to the broader north-west Tasmanian cropping community and Harvest Moon contract growers, practical and profitable ways to incorporate diverse covers to ensure farmers get the best value from incorporating them into their production system.

The ultimate aim is that more farmers will recognise the value of, and be confident that they can practically incorporate, multi-species covers into their production system, which will drive the adoption of improved land management practices across the Cradle Coast region.

The Our Natural Advantage newsletter 

The Our Natural Advantage newsletter is Cradle Coast NRM’s monthly climate smart farming snapshot.

Each monthly edition provides practical information, resources, and opportunities for north-west Tasmanian farmers and agricultural service providers around climate-smart agriculture risks and opportunities.