Barossa farmers learn to thrive into the future

THRIVING in challenging conditions requires livestock producers to look at their farms from a range of perspectives including livestock, land, business and people.

The Barossa Improved Grazing Group (BIGG) is focussing on helping producers consider these perspectives in their fourth annual conference ‘Thriving into the Future’ to be held later this month.

BIGG chair Graham Keynes says the tough conditions producers are currently experiencing mean that  having a strong business across all areas is a necessity.

“In dry times more than ever it is vitally important to get every aspect your farming business right.”

“For this year’s conference we’ve taken that fact and have organised speakers from the range of perspectives to help make sure producers have all their bases covered.”

Key topics to be covered include how to effectively integrate cereals and livestock with Rural Directions’ Simon Vogt, animal health with local vet Dr Catherine Harper and using soil testing to improve production and reduce costs with Dr Ryan Walker. The conference will also feature advice and information from local agronomists and a presentation by grape grower  Adrian Hoffmann on the difficult decisions he has made to help his business thrive.

“Along with our expert speakers, another important aspect of our conference is understanding how other producers are handling the drought,” Mr Keynes said.

“We’ll have a panel of producers talking about what they’re doing on their farms, and the conference dinner is an opportunity to talk to other farmers and hear what is, and what isn’t, working for others.”

Major sponsors of the conference are the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board and the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme and the NRM Levies.

Details: The Thriving into the Future Conference is on Thursday, March 21, from 1pm to 9pm. Visit Biggconference.eventbrite.com.au to book your ticket or call 0402 788 526 for more details.

For media interviews:

Graham Keynes, Barossa Improved Grazing Group, 0427 639 082, karinyastation@activ8.net.au