Minister for Agriculture Gayle Tierney visited Hamilton SmartFarm to announce the next stage of the $42.5 million DairyFeedbase program, which will deliver six transformational projects across soils, forages and animal nutrition over the next five years.
From researching soil health and pasture composition changes, to measuring and reducing methane emissions, the six projects will aim to increase the profitability and productivity of dairy farms while reducing their impact on the environment.
The projects will also link to other national research underway and make the most of Victoria’s world-class facilities at the Ellinbank and Hamilton SmartFarms and AgriBio, located at Bundoora.
Since 2017, the DairyFeedbase program has worked closely with the dairy industry and developed a range of farmer ready products and tools – including satellite and sensor technologies to measure pasture production and quality across their farms.
The program has also made research breakthroughs such as optimising herd nutrition to boost productivity in a way that is resilient to the challenges of increasing temperatures and climate variability.
Together with the sister program, DairyBio, the economic benefits are anticipated to exceed $1 billion by 2030 and demonstrate the programs’ potential for enhancing farm profits, milk production and herd health outcomes.
These initiatives can both benefit farmers through increased profitability and contribute to meeting sustainability goals by increasing resource efficiency, delivering on the objectives of Victoria’s Agriculture Strategy.
To learn more about the DairyFeedbase program please visit dairyfeedbase.com.au.
