SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE 2nd Edition - Part 1 docx

[...]... considered key indicators for sustainable agriculture These are: • • • • Long-term real net farm income Land and water quality Managerial skills Off-site environmental effects and their attributes, as a basis for improved decision making at a national and regional level These indicators have been used a basis for ongoing research and planning in the development of sustainable agriculture in Australia ... repellence Soil fertility Soil structure Sub-soil structure Soil moisture-holding capacity Weather patterns Microclimate variations Existing vegetation An indication of sustainability Whether a farm is or is not judged to be sustainable will depend on the factors considered and the degree of importance attached to each factor An Australian government committee (SCARM) in 19 92 identified four key factors which... requirement Source: Land Care by Bill Matheson (19 96) Inkata Press 8 Sustainable Agriculture The use of these land types for agricultural production must be balanced against other required or potential uses for that land, including conservation, water catchment, etc Assessing land capability The following steps can be used to assess land capability: 1 Draw plan(s) of farm property showing the characteristics... hopefully balancing production (eg agriculture) versus other needs (eg conservation) The characteristics of a site can affect: • the type of enterprise it can be used for • the type (quality and quantity) of inputs required to achieve different outcomes Agricultural land in Australia is commonly classed into eight levels of capability or use, as shown in Table 1 Table 1 Land Classes in Australia Class... Classes in Australia Class Description I Land suitable for all types of agriculture on a permanent basis II Land suitable for most types of agriculture on a permanent basis provided careful planning and simple modifications are applied (eg reduced tillage, fertiliser applications) III Arable land with moderate limitations for most types of agriculture provided careful planning and intensive management practices... enterprises that are sustainable on your land (See the section on ‘Assessing land capability’ in this chapter.) Genetic improvement This principle involves breeding or selecting animal or plant varieties which have desirable genetic characteristics If a particular disease becomes a problem, you select a variety that has reduced susceptibility If the land is threatened with degradation in a particular way,... different parts of the farm You might need to regroup areas differently and rearrange current paddock divisions 3 Determine management requirements in conjunction with proposed uses for different parts of the property 4 Consider personal, financial, manpower and other resources to decide on land uses for different areas of the farm Consider the following criteria to categorise different parts of the... readings can help determine when to do different things (eg planting) and help plan future operations on a farm Regional records do not show the 6 Sustainable Agriculture subtle differences that can occur from one property to the next, or within different parts of the same property If possible keep your own records, but be sure to do so on a regular basis Even a few weeks of missed records can give... soil (eg salinity) Soil temperature Use a portable temperature meter with a probe to measure at a depth of 10 15 cm This enables farmers to determine when to sow (ie when germination temperatures are suitable for a crop or pasture species) Don’t rely on one reading Do several readings in different parts of the field/paddock to be seeded, as temperatures can vary from place to place One high reading may... tillering, flowering and pre-harvest) A neutron probe might be installed to make such measurements Electromagnetic characteristics The electromagnetic characteristics of a site may indicate certain things about crop or livestock production capabilities, such as: • Sources of underground water Different things to different people 7 • Natural radiation which can influence growth rates • Sub-surface characteristics, . alt="" SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE JOHN MASON Second Edition National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication: Mason, John, 19 51 . Sustainable agriculture. 2nd ed. ISBN 0 643 06876 7. 1. Sustainable. plantings and windbreaks 15 5 10 Managing animals in a more sustainable way 17 1 11 Understanding products used in sustainable agriculture 19 1 Appendix 19 7 Index 203 Contents This page intentionally left. disease control 77 6Sustainable natural weed control and cultivation 10 1 7 Management 11 3 8Managing plants – Crops and pastures 12 9 9Managing plants – Tree plantings and windbreaks 15 5 10 Managing animals