Monaro Seasonal Outlooks, Preparing for the Upcoming Season
Funded by: Department of Industry, Black Summer Recovery Grant
Duration: March 2022 to March 2024
Amount: $58,405
Background:
MFS were successful in a grant application to continue its delivery of seasonal outlooks during the period March 2022 to March 2024, through the Department of Industry – Black Summer Bushfire grant.
Aim:
A primary outcome of the Seasonal Outlook will be to provide a platform for engagement and discussion in a group setting so producers can share and reflect on disaster management and mitigation strategies going forward. The Seasonal Outlook will also provide local producers with scientific modelling (utilising the Farming Forecaster tool) that will be helpful in their on-farm decision making.
Benefits of Seasonal Outlooks:
- Increased confidence and understanding of seasonal outlooks and trigger points.
- Pasture growth potentials, soil water holding capacities, different wilting points of certain pasture species.
- Translate this to the amount of feed availability for the next three months and the likely impacts on ground cover, stock performance and condition score, weight gains, lambing/calving and weaning success rates as well as the probability of needing supplementary feeding etc.
- Better understanding of the different water use efficiencies of crop and pasture systems.
- Better understanding of soil and water interactions at critical crop & pasture growth stages.
Outcomes to Date:
Autumn 2022 Seasonal Outlook – 22nd March 2022
Venue: “Delegate Station”, Delegate & “Woburn”, Bungarby
Attendance: 40
Spring 2022 Seasonal Outlook – 3rd August 2022
Venue: Ag Tech Symposium, Cooma Showground
Attendance: 230
Summer 2022 Seasonal Outlook – 7th December 2022
Venue: “Kybeyan Station” Kybeyan
Attendance: 60
Autumn 2023 Seasonal Outlook – 15th March 2023
Venue: “Hazeldean”, Cooma
Attendance: 105
Winter 2023 Seasonal Outlook – 10th July 2023
Venue: “Springvale”, Mila
Attendance: 70
Summer 2023 Seasonal Outlook – 6th December 2023
Venue: “Woburn”, Bungarby
Attendance: 80
Autumn 2024 Seasonal Outlook – 13th March 2024
Venue: “Coolringdon”
Attendance:
50
