Snowy Monaro Farmer - July 2023

ACROSS the region, emerging farming enterprises are opening their doors to the public as the agritourism industry quickly take shape in the Snowy Monaro.

With the lavender industry booming throughout Australia and the Snowy Monaro, the future of a regional lavender trail is looking bright.

“The Australia wide growth in lavender production and AgriFutures adopting it as one of its emerging industries has seen an amazing interest shown in our local region,” Monaro Country Lavender’s Jan Illingworth said.

Avonside Alpine Estate is another of the region’s farming businesses successfully navigating the

agritourism market. Olivier and Jacquie Kapetanakos who run Avonside Alpine Estate, generate income from organic mixed farming with chickens, pigs, a couple of goats, a breeding Polled Highland Cattle, and permaculture for organic vegetables.

What has helped in leading the estate to becoming such a popular farm stay is the animals. They not only provide for the estate, but are also a huge attraction for guests, especially international guests, making Avonside Alpine Estate a very family-orientated place to stay.

Read more about the region’s lavender industry and Avonside Alpine Estate on page 4.

Cattle prices to continue fall: mid-year outlook

Rural Bank’s Australian Agriculture Mid-Year Outlook has found favourable seasonal conditions and strong production over the first half of 2023 ensured strong winter crop establishment and pasture growth, particularly on the east coast.

Despite a positive start to the year, softening commodity prices are now impacting Australian farmers following several seasons of strong prices.

The mid-year outlook,

released this week by Rural Bank, forecasts a continued fall for cattle prices in NSW as ongoing pressure from increasing supply on the market applies downwards pressure on pricing.

The outlook for the second half of 2023 indicates the price differential between fine and medium merino wool will close as finer wools record larger declines with medium wools already near historic lows with the Eastern Market Indicator (EMI)

expected to remain below 1,350 cents.

2022/23 wool production in NSW is now in line with the previous season in terms of progressive gross weight and overall bales sold with volumes rebounding following NSW shearing delays.

Many sheep producers have retained older ewes and Merino lambs due to the drop in sheep meat prices which will keep wool supply elevated in the back half of the season.

“A higher Australian dollar is also expected to weigh on the competitiveness of Australian agricultural exports, but overall, we expect marginal impact with our dollar still sitting below historic averages,” Rural Bank Head of Agribusiness Development, Andrew Smith, said.

For wool growers, the next six months are expected to see Australian wool supply rise for the fourth consecutive year.

AGRITOURISM: Oliver Kapetanakos from Avonside Alpine Estate is leading the region’s agritourism appeal.

Photo by Lisa Hogben.

Soil success for Monaro Farming Systems

A partnership between Local Land Services and Monaro Farming Systems (MFS) has been successful in engaging local land managers to continue their commitment to ongoing soil fertility monitoring and understanding of nutrient management.

The Monaro Farming Systems ‘Soils Club’ was initiated in 2010 has been running continuously since then. With funding through Local Land Services and the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program since 2019, the club has been able to continue its annual soil sampling program and annual Soils Club field days.

“With over 130 farming businesses participating and samples collected from paddocks across the Monaro, the MFS Soils Club has provided a great opportunity for people to test, monitor, learn about and manage their soils,” Local Land Services Agricultural Advisor, Jo Powells, said.

“This has been an

amazing effort with over 1100 samples collected by land managers over the past 5 years, some of which have been the driest and then wettest on record and made soil sampling quite the challenge.

“This demonstrates a real commitment by farmers to monitor their nutrient levels and make informed decisions about their fertiliser programs.”

Chair of the Monaro Farming Systems, Mandy Horton, was buoyed by not only the sheer number of soil tests undertaken by their farmers but also by

the level of participation in the Soils Club field days.

“The sampling and collection of all these soils for testing is a huge undertaking for our group but it’s one that our members are committed to being involved in,” Mrs Horton said.

“The success of the MFS Soils Club has been reinforced over the years to its position as one of our most significant activities over the year. Our annual Soils Club Field Day provides MFS members as well as the general public with opportunities to

MFS Winter Field Day coming up

The Monaro Farming Systems’ Winter Field Day to be held at ‘Springvale’ in Mila on July 12 is offering a great day of information, demonstrations and networking, along with two fantastic guest speakers.

Tim Williams of Agrimilk Consulting Pty Ltd will be the first speaker. Agrimilk Consulting is a private agricultural consulting business servicing clients both within Australia and internationally.

focusing on Animal Breeding Management.

Sally’s career spans over 30 years, including 20 years with NSW Department of Primary Industries, and setting up her own Sally Martin Consulting business, now known as SheepMetriX.

“Rug up, bring your chair and come and join us for a day packed with information, demonstrations, good company, great coffee and hot food,” an MFS spokesperson said.

hear from soil scientists, researchers and experts in soil management, and continues to be very well received with over 50 people attending our last Soils Club event.

“The increased knowledge and education as well as the longterm data collected on their farm soils has, and continues to be, immensely valuable to our farmers. Interest in soils and nutrient management remains high, as it is such an important part of our farming businesses.”

Tim specialises in agronomy, ruminant nutrition, management and analysis, and will have a great deal to share with those who come along to the Field Day.

Sally Martin of SheepMetriX will also be a speaker on the day, and growing up on a grazing property on the Monaro, she will feel right at home at the event!

Sally studied Agriculture Science at University of Western Sydney Hawkesbury and Post Graduate studies at University of New England and Sydney University

The MFS Winter Field Day will be held at ‘Springvale’ on Mila Road at Mila near Bombala on Wednesday, July 12 from 9.30am to 2.30pm.

Please RSVP to Frances via phone 0456 948 892 or email executive@ monarofs.com.au as soon as possible.

Members, sponsors and industry representatives attend free, and nonmembers are welcome at $35 per head.

This project received grant funding from the Australian Government.

SOIL TESTING: Graziers viewing the nutrient trials at the last MFS Soils Club outing.

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during this period demands to sustain a foetus and support milk

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Plan a retreat at Avonside Alpine Estate

Lisa Ashurst

OPTING to follow a lifestyle choice can be a challenge sometimes, but preparation, know-how and a determination to see the dream come true can all go a long way towards turning an idea into a reality.

This is how it has turned out for Olivier and Jacquie Kapetanakos of Avonside Alpine Estate.

Situated midway between Berridale and Jindabyne, the property is ideally located for the snowfields and at 1200 metres above sea level, it also gets its fair share of snow.

Olivier and Jacquie purchased the property in 2015 and made the decision from the off-set to live and develop the property in as environmentally sound way as they could make it.

In 2017, they moved into Jindabyne while awaiting the arrival of two linked cabins, which came in kit form from the Czech Republic, and following the cabins’ arrival, they moved into the main house.

Sam Tonks

NOT every farming operation lends itself to tourism, but there are some that provide the right mix of appeal and productivity, with lavender farming being one that could soon become a draw card to the Snowy Monaro region.

With the lavender industry booming throughout Australia and the Snowy Monaro, the future of a local region Lavender Trail is looking bright.

AgriFutures Australia has the vision of promoting Rural Destination Tourism

The attractive cabins are completely off-grid and in 2019 won the LG Off-Grid Home Award. They can be booked separately as two bedroom and a three bedroom accomodation, but being uniquely interlocked, can provide five bedroom accomodation for a family or group.

Avonside Alpine Estate also generates income from organic mixed farming with chickens, pigs, a couple of goats (who made short work of the blackberries and other weeds), Highland

Cattle, a breeding program for Polled Highland Cattle, permaculture for organic vegetables and the couple produce a couple of hundred kilos of organically grown garlic as a winter crop each year.

Olivier and Jacquie also breed the very appealing South Down Baby Doll sheep; a short-legged, short-neck variety which are a meat and wool breed. The couple also utilise their pigs and chickens for crop rotation and they do a wonderful job of fertilising and digging the ground over.

But what has helped in leading the estate to becoming such a popular farm stay is the animals. They not only provide for the estate, but are also a huge attraction for guests, especially international guests, making Avonside Alpine Estate a very family-orientated place to stay.

All the animals on the farm are people friendly, and guests, can interact with them, pet them, and join in at feeding times too, which is as enjoyable for guests as it is for the animals, and all goes

toward making it a unique farm experience for the whole family.

Olivier and Jacquie also planted 400 truffle trees on the property in 2020 and expect to harvest from 2025-26.

This will complement the 700 truffle trees, which supply Snowy Truffles to Sydney as well as around the local region, established on property bordering the Alpine Way. Truffles are a true winter crop best harvested in the Snowy Mountains region.

With the way the property has developed,

Lavender farms a tourism opportunity

through ‘destination farming’, featuring value-adding traditional agricultural industries and niche marketing.

“The Australia wide growth in lavender production and AgriFutures adopting it as one of its emerging industries has seen an amazing interest shown in our local region,” Monaro Country Lavender’s Jan Illingworth said.

“Traditional lavender tourism involves busloads of day trippers, but MCL is working towards adopting a different concept to hopefully encourage longer-stay visitation, particularly in our small

towns and villages.

“A ‘Lavender Trail’ of specialty niche products produced from different varieties on each farm will make for a unique country visit, adding another attraction to the Snowy Mountains experience.

“Our vision is for an expansion into other traditional agriculture value-adding production and workshops so the Trail can co-ordinate and showcase our region to prospective tree-changers and city people craving that special country experience.”

There are already several lavender growers throughout the

Bombala area including Bibbenluke, Craigie and Delegate, while there are also prospective growers in Bredbo and Berridale.

“The idea is that visitors would travel around seeing the different aspects of lavender farming. Each farm would be growing different varieties, and therefore producing different goods,” MCL’s Karen Cash said.

“Growers would be matching what they produce with the most suitable varieties of lavender, and this in turn would add to the different appeal of each farm to visitors.”

its popularity required the Olivier and Jacquie to employ a farm hand to help with running the farm, and also to help with farm stay guests and day visitors.

Bookings are essential for day visits, but for a very reasonable $60, a family visiting for the day can see the farm, experience unforgettable interactions with the friendly animals and enjoy a great meal. Visit www. avonsidealpineestate.com. au for further information and/or to make a booking.

AGRITOURISM: The lavender farming industry is booming, with Monaro Country Lavender working towards a ‘Lavender Trail’ to attract people to the region.

All animals on the farm are people friendly.

Avonside Alpine Estate is a popular farm stay.

Heavy cows sell to $2 per kg

SEVENTY scale cattle and 200 store cattle were yarded for the Cooma monthly cattle sale in late June.

Heavy cow in limited supply sold to $2.00 per kg with middle weights ranging from $1.60 to $1.80 again on limited supply. No bulls for this sale.

Store cattle saw lighter mixed age Hereford PTIC cows sell to$1100. Store steers sold to a top of $1020 for 9-10 month old Angus weaners. Most sales of steer weaners ranged from $800 - $950, with lighter younger steers in and around $650-$750.

Store heifer weaners were not showing much weight and were harder to sell ranging between $600$650 while lighter weights sold from $450-$500

Next Cooma cattle sale is July 21.

Wagga Wagga sheep sale numbers reduced

Leann Dax, MLA market reporter

Total Yarding: 29000 (-14750) | Sheep Yarding: 5000 (-6750) | Lamb Yarding: 24000 (-8000)

Numbers fell on the back of last week’s price correction. The market fluctuated wildly at times across trade weight categories.

A major supermarket did not operate while another key domestic processors only purchased the very best lambs weighing from 23kg to 27kg carcass weight.

Generally both export and domestic buyers were

selective when bidding. There was a good line up of heavy export lambs grain assisted however not all processors were in attendance due to winter maintenance.

Trade competition was infrequent and prices fluctuated around quality, with recently shorn lambs paid premium prices.

Trade lambs 21kg to 26kg sold from $114 to $166 to average 530c to 537c/kg cwt. Light weight lambs to the processors ranged from $29 to $88/head.

Merino lambs sold from $86 to $128/head. In the heavy export market weight

continued to be the driving force behind any bursts of bidding. The bulk of the heavy export lambs sold up to $10 cheaper. Lambs 26kg to 30kg sold at $141 to $168/ head. Over the 30kg made from $160 to $200/head to average 511c/kg cwt.

Only a few buyers operated in the sheep market, with a major processor only bidding on recently shorn pens.

Heavy Merino ewes and wethers sold from $90 to $125/head. Heavy Crossbred ewes made from $92 to $135/head. Trade sheep with cover averaged 325c to 352c/kg

Food producers face fierce financial headwinds

Almost two thirds of food producers say they’re going backwards financially, as food inflation impacts more Australian families.

A NSW Farmers business sentiment survey revealed 64 per cent of farmers reported business conditions had deteriorated over the past 12 months, while only 12 per cent stated they had improved.

Worryingly, that trend

was set to continue over the next year, with 66 per cent of farmers expecting business conditions to get even worse and fewer than 10 per cent predicting an improvement.

The main economic causes of these negative sentiments were commodity prices and interest rates, NSW Farmers economist Brendan O’Keeffe said, with 72 per cent of farmers voicing concerns

about the prices paid for the food and fibre they produce, while 51 per cent saw increasing interest rates as a handbrake on the sector.

“We know the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator has almost halved in a period of less than year, from 1,092 c/kg cwt in September 2022 to 561 c/ kg cwt as of late June,” Mr O’Keeffe said.

“According to ABARES, wheat and canola export

prices as of June 21 had decreased by 30 per cent and 37 per cent respectively over the past 12 months.” One farmer responded that there had been a “dramatic decrease in income and major increase in all expenses” – a sentiment echoed by many in the industry, Mr O’Keeffe said, which was in stark contrast to the rising food prices people were paying.

“We’ve seen food prices at the retail level increased by 7.9 per cent in the 12 months to May, with price rises right across the board from bread to meat. This cannot be explained by supply shortages with production strong across grains, fruit and vegetables, and livestock,” he said.

“If anything, food prices should be decreasing due to more consistent supply of fruit and vegetables

since the floods in JuneJuly last year, while food demand is stable, and it is likely people are reducing spending wherever possible in the face of higher interest rates.

“Finally, it can’t be explained by cost increases, as shown by a large decrease in fuel prices of 8 per cent over the past 12 months, which is a major input to postfarmgate logistics and transport costs.”

NSW Farmers welcome biosecurity appointment

NSW Farmers has welcomed the announcement of an interim Biosecurity Commissioner, saying it has never been more important to prioritise the issue.

Dr Marion Healy has been appointed as an Interim Biosecurity Commissioner to guide the formation of an independent biosecurity commission, and begin work to map out the pest and weed threats

impacting the state.

NSW Farmers Biosecurity Committee chair Ian McColl said it was a very welcome move given the ongoing threat of foot and mouth disease, lumpy skin disease, and khapra beetle, as well as localised outbreaks of varroa mite, QX disease and Japanese encephalitis, which reinforced the need for a strong biosecurity system.

“Fundamentally, good biosecurity is about keeping diseases,

pests and weeds under control so they don’t impact agriculture or the environment, and I think it is very positive to see biosecurity being elevated as an issue and recognised as a significant risk to agriculture and the economy,” Mr McColl said.

“Our members have reported increased pests and weeds coming onto their property from public land, and it’s good to see Dr Healy will start scoping the Good Neighbour

Program to hold public land managers to the same standards as everyone else.

“We are also pleased to see Dr Healy has been tasked with engaging the Natural Resources Commission to report on the impact of invasive species on public land and the damage done to the agricultural industry.”

Mr McColl said Dr Healy had a strong track record in the biosecurity space, and thanked the Premier for keeping his promise

to appoint a Biosecurity Commissioner.

“It’s almost a year since Mr Minns stood up at our 2022 Annual Conference and promise to legislate and fund an Independent Biosecurity Commission, headed by a new Biosecurity Commissioner who would provide independent advice and report to Parliament on an annual basis,” Mr McColl said.

“Biosecurity was one of our key priorities at

the recent state election, and we have been a vocal advocate for stronger biosecurity systems underpinned by a longterm, sustainable funding model.

“Farmers play a key role in biosecurity but we cannot do it alone, we need partnership with government to tackle these challenges given the substantial economic, emotional, and animal welfare costs associated with an outbreak.”

Reality Bites on the Monaro: A Winter Wake-up Call

Sow What

by Stu Burge

July is the very heart of winter on the Monaro.

A month that livestock hate and landholder’s loveto escape …!

This winter is especially a reality check after the most amazing three consecutive wet, mild winters.

However, for those of us with experience of the Monaro this winter is far more typical of most (unfortunately) with ongoing lack of precipitation and a run of cold temperatures and frosts.

The reason for this sense of “reality” is demonstrated in the accompanying “screen shot” from ABC television taken on May 23 which has been repeated on many occasions this winter.

Here we see a frontal system sweeping across Australia bringing rain to much of south-eastern Australia west of the Divide but with a distinct absence on the Monaro and south coast.

This of course is no real surprise and simply demonstrates a typical orographic rainfall event whereby we miss out due to our proximity and location in the lee of the Snowy Mountains.

(Fortunately for the allimportant ski industry such moisture laden events usually bring much needed snow but alas under such conditions this dissipates before reaching the lower elevation grazing lands.

In practical terms it means that we are located in a “rain shadow”.

This rain-shadow is especially felt around Dalgety – BobundraBerridale and Cooma if we look at long term rainfall isohyets while the southern Monaro around Bombala and Delegate as well as higher elevation country to the east (Nimmitabel –Countegany – Jearangle) the influence tends to be less pronounced.

The practical

significance of this is evident in the accompanying photograph(s) which clearly demonstrate the impact of this phenomenon on the grazing environment at present.

Here we see parched frosted pastures and declining levels of available green feed which reflect the inherent pasture growth rates at this time of the year.

July is the month of lowest pasture growth and is accordingly the bottom of the so-called “winter feed trough”.

Of course there is nothing we can directly do to affect rainfall nor influence winter temperatures. There are however a number of management factors that landholders can implement to modify these meteorological effects.

Maintaining organic matter via a layer of litter on the soil surface helps to modify the impacts of frost and low temperatures as well as maintaining soil moisture.

The “miracle of the litter mat” also contributes to the enhancement of a healthy soil through stimulating soil biology and soil microbes.

A more pronounced, interventionist and costly way by which Monaro landholders cope with the reality of winter and helping to address the winter period of least feed availability is to “grow more grass”.

This means the sowing of “improved pastures” and winter forage crops which have the capacity to exhibit higher growth rates during winter when compared to native species.

While native species provide the backbone of the grazing industries on the Monaro and provide stability in our grazing systems the downside is that they have much lower growth rates than those species which have been selected or bred for higher winter growth (as well as providing higher animal nutrition).

For example, as a broad guide, a totally unimproved “native pasture” with few or no introduced species and no fertilizer input will grow at 1-2 kg/ha/day during July.

By contrast an “improved pasture” with sown introduced species which receives a carefully planned fertiliser input to correct nutrient deficiencies has a potential July growth rate of 7-10 kg/ ha/day (depending upon rainfall and soil type).

For winter forage crops these can be much higher again depending upon time of sowing.

This transfers to a substantially higher stocking rate and therefore overall farm profitability.

This is not to say that every paddock should be sown to improved pastures but it highlights the need for balance and a wholeof-farm approach as the basis of a sustainable grazing system.

Storm on horizon for rural land use?

By Snowy River

Interstate Land Care

Some people would say that Australia is at the crossroads with family farm viability. Recently prosperous times are quickly transitioning to financial and political risk for rural businesses.

If we consider the economic conditions in 2023, pressures for natural asset services, and the range of corporate investment in agricultural lands, there are many factors prompting the attention of our regional farmers.

One factor that is returning to conversations amongst farmers is the relationship between farmland supply, farm forestry options, and multiple use native forestry.

Under the right policy conditions, Australia’s primary industries can thrive and deliver sustainable outcomes.

However, when competing forces are fuelled through regulation or land-use mandates, there is a reasonable chance that our farming community will need to address these factors,

including the social impacts of changing landuse. The announced end to native forest harvesting in Victoria is a current example.

Chairman of Snowy River Interstate Landcare Committee, Robert Belcher, confirmed that it is a constant battle to support landholders with timely information and projects that do not impinge on their property rights.

“For example, with about $4B p.a. trade deficit in Australian wood products, a projected need for more plantations, and with global interests promoting

the closure of native forest industries, we may see a return to rural landuse conflict,” Mr Belcher states.

“How will we get the mix of farm and forest products correct and how will tangible products such as food and wood fair against financial instruments such as carbon rights, natural asset trading, and “lock it up” dark green agendas?

“It is a reasonable expectation that if we can have a strong and professional native forest sector, then we have a foundation where wood products and livestock farming can be in

harmony. Get this balance wrong, and we may in fact see further decline in Australian forest products as political heat escalates from land-use change.”

A recent project that Snowy River Interstate Landcare Committee supported was targeted grazing exclusion of 42ha and revegetation of about 20ha on six farms in the Bombala and Delegate area.

Mr Belcher indicated that these sites were developed with farmers in order to promote Spotted Tail Quoll habitat through funding by the Commonwealth

Government Bushfire Recovery Fund.

“Although this project was focused on habitat restoration rather than timber production, we always work carefully to match landholder interests with funding opportunities,” Mr Belcher said.

“The participating landholders wanted

to integrate grazing exclusion zones in a way that improved habitat and did not diminish their Common Law property rights. History has shown that a stable civilization is underpinned by recognition of Human Rights and Property Rights. So that is how we aim to work within the rural Landcare space.”

Harvested native forest near Bendoc on the Victorian border; ceasing native forest products may influence farm land-use.

A farm revegetation corridor in Corrowong near Delegate in NSW.