Soil Cropping and Recharge

The Soil Cropping & Recharge project was managed by NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) and funded by Lower Murray Darling CMA (LMD CMA) and Mallee Sustainable Farming Inc.

The project was undertaken in conjunction with 10 participating farmers in south western NSW working together to understand the drivers of productivity and sustainable land use on there properties. This is achieved through

• improved soil health and cereal management;
• decreased risk of wind erosion; and
• reduction in groundwater recharge.

In 2006/07 the initial 10 landholders three year involvement concluded while In 200708 10 additional landholders commenced the project. Practices monitored in 2007/08 included:

• converting to no-till and long term cereals in successive years;
• test strips of micronutrients of all the paddocks;
• Soil reports of each of the paddock.