Regenerative Agriculture Discussion Group - Newry Demonstration Site - Five-year update

The Newry Regenerative Agriculture Demonstration project aims to better understand how dairy farmers can profitably produce milk while accumulating carbon in the soil, and to better understand what is needed to enhance microbial life in the soil.

Farm hosts Peter Neaves and Kate Mirams will share their journey over the last five years, including:

• Multi species (annuals to perennials) vs Ryegrass and clover (annuals to perennials)
• Comparison of plant root depth and water use
• Encouraging soil microbiology
• Seed treatment
• Using microbe friendly nutrients with a Tow and Fert
• Taking the system to the whole farm impact on t DM harvested, kg N/ha use and $/ha fert spend.

David Huggins from Huggins Nutritional Services will discuss:

• Corrective nutrient applications what and why.
• Soil drench and foliar nutrients
• Using total and available nutrient soil tests - results on Multi Species and Ryegrass
• Plant tissue test results on Multi Species and Ryegrass
• Using a penetrometer, brix meter, micro-biometer and other methods to assess soil health

Rick Blackshaw from Gippsland Ag Group will take deep soil cores on the day and talk through visual soil assessment.