The National Horticulture Roadshow has been launched to fund and promote a series of industry events across Australia that will showcase the latest advancements in horticultural practice and technology. With grant funding of up to $50,000 available for eligible organisations, these events and activities will take place over a twelve month period, from 1 August 2024 to 31 July 2025.  Applications close Friday 28 June 2024 at 5pm AEST. For more information on the National Horticulture Roadshow, click here: 
nff.org.au/media-release/up-to-50000-grants-available-for-horticulture-events-across-australia

Are you a sheep or cattle producer? If so, have you tried using the DPI Drought and Supplementary Feed Calculator?
This tool is free and will assist you in developing feed rations during times of drought and dry seasons. The app can be downloaded onto mobile phone or desktop and allows you to enter such details as choice of feed, supplier price, herd number, the condition of your own pasture and more to calculate a total ration cost for a period of time that you determine. 
Think about how useful that information would be when creating your expenditure forecast for the next six months, as well as calculating the impact on your bottom line. Would you like to learn more? Feel free to contact me by phone or email.
In the meantime, please click on the link below:
​www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/animals-and-livestock/nutrition/feeding-practices/drought-and-supplementary-feed-calculator

The close of 3G is only days away now. Telstra and Optus will start turning off 3G from Monday, 28th October 2024 so you need to be ready. The Regional Tech Hub are able to help with your transition to 4G or 5G before the 3G network is switched off. Click on the link above, then click on Phone, then a little bit down the list you'll see "3G Shutdown". Click on this for more information. NOTE: If using your phone you'll need to click on the Menu (3 horizontal bars) to access the options.

In late October, 2023, the Federal Government announced it's ​On Farm Connectivity Program, with one of the objectives of the program being to enable primary producers to take advantage of advanced farming technology. Under the program, rebates are granted to eligible suppliers of agtech products, on the condition that the rebates are then passed on to farmers through discounted prices. According to The Land newspaper, dated Thursday, 14th December, 2023, there were already at least 79 businesses now signed on to the scheme. For more information, here's a link:
www.infrastructure.gov.au/media-communications-arts/better-connectivity-plan-regional-and-rural-australia/farm-connectivity-program

Have you tried the Ag360 App? The app is free and uses long range weather forecast information along with other data customised for your property to help you make important decisions. Head to the NSW DroughtHub or watch this short video: youtu.be/aKzftmU_bP8 
The weather forecast can be narrowed down to within a 5km radius of your property. In short, the concept is: by knowing what's ahead weather-wise - how much rainfall, extreme weather events and so on - you can predict how much grass/pasture you'll be able grow which in turn will help you in deciding - amongst other things - how many animals to run on your property. It's not a brand new platform (it was launched by a subsidiary of the University of New England in 2020) but it is getting some attention lately and it isn't difficult to find training, support and helpful videos online. 
Ag360 also have a website: ag360.com.au/

What do you know about ​Sustainability Reporting? Are you an SME? In September 2024, sustainability reporting for large business was mandated by the Federal Government. Whilst this doesn't directly impact small business, Scope 3 requirements for Emissions Reporting states that a reporting entity must disclose information on indirect greenhouse gas emissions "that occur in the value chain of an entity, including both upstream and downstream emissions".
That means large entities will be requiring information from the businesses that they engage with, including primary producers.
.If you're only just starting to get into it, or perhaps you're as confused about it as a lot of others are at this time, there's a workshop coming up that's not to be missed. Check out the Workshops tab for dates and locations.