This is a view of Uamby from the high country. You can see the homestead and farm buildings down in the valley. Uamby has been selected by the NSW Government's environmental agencies as a demonstration farm for "triple bottom line" farming practices. The Catchment Management Authorities are independent Government-funded organizations which seek to influence the practices of farmers to achieve environmental objectives. The Central Western Catchment Management Authority has $10 million to use as incentive to farmers who are willing to change the way they manage natural resources. We are involved in programs which seek to return soils to health so they are salt-resistant and more productive. This largely revolves around the transition from exotic annual pasture species which rely on high levels of artificial fertilisers and must be resown year after year. Instead the Authority is encouraging the developing of pastures based on native perennials (the grasses that were there before the arrival of white civilisation).We have received grants to help us divide our paddocks into smaller units to make it possible to conduct time controlled grazing (concentrating animals in smaller areas for shorter periods of time – which uses animal impact to graze the pasture efficiently and allows each area up to a year’s rest for the plants to recover). Multiplying the number of paddocks means a large amount of new fencing and there is the need to make water available in each new paddock. These costs can be high.
We have also been selected for a farm-planning program in which we get paid to attend an intensive training program and produce a new farm management plan. Out of the 11 farmers selected for this program, 3 will be given access to funding to put the plans into practice.
As part of the training program we have to attend 20 days training before June 2006. We have committed to host a field day on Uamby and be available for media interviews.
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