Press release                         1 July 2009

CLIFTON LANDCARE GROUP SECURES BLUEPRINT FOR THE BUSH FUNDING

Clifton Landcare Group has received $29370 funding under the  State Government program:  Our Place, Our Future Initiative 2008-2009, Resourcing rural capacity, image and relationships, part of the Blueprint for the Bush Program.

Entitled “Innovative Solutions for Sustainable, Profitable, Cropping and Grazing Systems” the Clifton Landcare project will deliver a series of targeted workshop / learning activities, which will include:

Advance Sowing/Pasture Cropping

2-day practical training activity in an innovative dryland planting method for cereal crops directly into permanent pasture, pioneered by presenter Colin Seis (Pasture Cropping is now used by over 1500 farmers in Australia).

This is an environmentally kind cropping method that slashes input costs and allows greater flexibility for producers.

Stress-free Stock Handling

2 days theory and hands-on activity.

Practical paddock practice session will use local cattle on a local property.

Presenter, Bruce Maynard from ‘Willydah’ at Narrabri, NSW, first practiced and refined the innovative stock-handling method on his own property.    He has now brought it to farmers and graziers all over Australia.

Several local Landcare groups will participate in these two workshops.

Adoption of Environmental Management Systems

Using Australian Land Management systems’ (ALMS)  “myEMS” program we will conduct a 3-day rotational workshop using Council’s web hub for landholders who have completed property management workshops and who wish to establish EMS for their production enterprise.

We will provide desk audits for landholders to ISO 14001.

Organic/Biodynamic Options for Sustainable Management

2 x 2-day training sessions including field trips to organic/biodynamic farms delivered by quantum agriculture/biodynamic/ organic production systems specialist trainers Hugh Lovel and Cheryl Kemp.

The first two day activity will cover basic tenets of organic/biodynamic management techniques and the second is aimed at more advanced learning.

The activities will be staggered, one early and one late in the project timeline to enable landholders to participate in both.

The workshops will start in Spring and will fill up fast!

Any landholder, rural or urban, who would like to be on the information mailing list should email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with the word ‘workshops’ in the subject line.

Or, drop a note with contact details to PO Box 68, Clifton  Q 4361.