Agriculture is Australia’s fastest growing industry, and our ability to adapt and innovate is what enables us to remain competitive in a global food market.
As part of AgForce’s commitment to building a productive, profitable and sustainable agricultural industry, we provide opportunities for landholders to upgrade their skills and find out more about policies and legislation affecting their businesses.
One way we do this is through our Projects division, which delivers a range of free services and practical workshops.
Over the past 12 months, AgForce Projects delivered 90 events to more than 1400 landholders, including field days, workshops, webinars and information sessions.
The team has travelled across Queensland delivering advice on topics such as dealing with coal seam gas companies, pest animals, best management practices, and how to take advantage of computer mapping and GPS technologies on farm.
The information and workshops provided to landholders are constantly evolving to keep pace with legislative change and technological developments.
Throughout 2017, the Coal Seam Gas and Mining Landholder Support project delivered 29 events to over 700 landholders, providing advice to producers about their rights and responsibilities and how to negotiate conduct and compensation agreements.
AgForce also launched our next level property mapping workshops in 2017. These courses contain less theory and take a more practical approach, allowing participants to get to quite advanced stages of working on their own property maps during the workshop.
With the support of the Queensland Farmers Federation, the Australian Government and the Queensland Government, the AgForce Projects and Training team delivered 49 no-cost pest animal management and chemical application safety training workshops.
These workshops were delivered as far north as Laura, as far west as Boulia, as far south as Stanthorpe and as far east as the Gold Coast hinterland, and led to more than 550 landholders being trained in the latest tools and techniques to tackle feral pests.
With 2017 drawing to a close, we are now planning workshops for 2018 and I encourage readers to log on to www.agforceprojects.org.au for more information and to register your interest in a workshop near you.