Agribusiness Summit 2023 - Stuart Austin

Stuart Austin delivered a great presentation focussed on natural capital, soil carbon and managing our livestock effectively. All of which go hand in hand with regenerating a rural property.

Stuart’s key point was to put our energy into things that we can control – grass, cattle and cash, and not to focus on things outside of our control – interest rates, markets and weather.

He stressed the importance of managing your livestock effectively through ensuring their wellbeing is in check, and utilising the right animals to manage your pasture. Focus on improving your soil carbon to improve your soil health, water holding capacity, reducing compaction and improving your landscape resilience. The soil carbon credits are just a bonus.

Throughout his presentation he recommended a number of courses, and consultants that may be of use to try and improve natural capital and soil carbon. These included an RCS Grazing for Profit course, Low Stress Stockhandling course (Chook Kealey) and Tarwyn Park Natural Sequence Farming course (Stuart & Peter Andrews).

Stuart’s closing recommendations were;

·       You can’t manage what you don’t measure (get soil tests done, start recording data on rainfall, livestock movements etc)

·       Focus on what you can control – grass, money & livestock

·       Question everything, get curious – bust paradigms!

·       Density & diversity will change the world – but get the first 4 RCS principles right first!

·       Focus on building soil organic carbon for the right reasons

This event was proudly partnered by Bigambul Native Title Aboriginal Corporation, supported by B&W Rural, Growth Agriculture, NAB, and Green Triangle Farmers, and received funding from the Queensland Government’s Natural Resources Recovery Program.