Cutting costs and protecting waterways on the South Coast

Saving farmers money and reducing pollution into waterways.

That’s the message Clean Coastal Catchments (CCC) took to south coast dairy farmers at a recent Fert$mart workshop in Bodalla.

Developed by Dairy Australia, and delivered in partnership with NSWDPI, Local Land Services and the Bega Group, the Fert$mart program works with farmers to tailor fertiliser use to the needs of farms, reducing wastage and nutrient runoff.

Dairy expert, Tim Williams from Agrimilk Consulting spoke on the day of the impressive savings that can be achieved through the Fert$mart program.

“A Fert$mart plan prepared for Bodalla farm, Yattarna, has identified savings of up to $300 per hectare by recycling nutrients from dairy effluent,” said Mr Williams.

This year CCC Research has funded a series of Fert$mart workshops at Bodalla, Bega and Brogo with more than 70 farmers and agronomists attending.

These workshops look at ways to reduce expensive synthetic fertiliser applications, while also reducing the amount of potentially toxic nutrients flowing into local waterways.

Phosphorus and nitrogen fertiliser pollution flowing off farms can lead to algal blooms downstream that can impact fish and other aquatic life.

The Clean Coastal Catchments Research project is funded through the NSW Government’s Marine Estate Management Strategy.