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the australian farmer
The methods vary, but the goals are shared: create soil that holds water, sustains life, and provides a stable base for productivity. Beyond the paddock, resilient land brings finan- cial advantages. Healthy soils improve water-use efficiency, which can extend the growing season and reduce irrigation costs. Better plant nutrition and structure can mean less expense due to fewer chemical inputs. And increasingly, banks and buy- ers are recognising soil health as a key indicator of long-term farm value. Many producers also report smoother operations: fewer paddock bogs, better trafficability, less com- paction, and less downtime during critical windows like sowing or harvest. A more resilient soil base often means fewer workarounds, less repair, and greater consistency—especially when weather, ma- chinery, or labour are under pressure. There’s also growing interest in the role of healthy landscapes in broader climate resili- ence. While it’s difficult to prove a direct link to increased rainfall, some landholders report more frequent dews, ground fogs, and light showers in areas with good vegetation cover and soil func- tion - conditions that help farms thrive in between major rain events.
Western Australia wheatbelt and New South Wales central west are seeing their topsoil improve year by year, while also reducing the need for synthetic fertilisers and other inputs. Cover cropping, in particular, is growing in popu- larity. It offers benefits for both soil health and busi- ness economics - improving structure, preventing erosion, adding biomass, and creating a buffer. Horticulture and Microclimate Management In horticulture, resilience is often about protecting permanent plantings from heat stress and erratic water availability. Growers in South Australia’s Riverland, Lockyer Valley in South-East Queens- land, and northern Victoria are using composts, mulch, inter-row plantings and living groundcovers to maintain cooler soils and build a more con- sistent root zone environment. These approaches support crop health, reduce disease pressure, and improve water use efficiency. Economic Benefits of Soil Resilience Crucially, these strategies are not one-size-fits-all. Every farm has different conditions, but the prin- ciples of maintaining cover, building organic mat- ter, and supporting microbial life apply widely.
Learning regenerative farming in the field, VIC
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