In an ambitious effort to tackle key challenges facing beef productivity in northern Australia, the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) has joined forces with MLA in a groundbreaking $24.4 million partnership. The collaboration aims to combat three critical threats: pasture dieback, land condition decline, and pasture rundown.
The Queensland Pasture Resilience Program (QPRP) will spearhead research, development, and extension activities throughout QLD over the next five years, with additional support from the Australian Government through the MLA Donor Company (MDC).
Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner said the partnership is about helping producers build on their world-leading success.
“The program will form the centrepiece of the Queensland Government and MLA’s feedbase investment in Queensland,” Mr Furner said.
“With a heavy focus on adoption, this program will give graziers the skills they need to improve the sustainability and profitability of their businesses, and that means good jobs for Queenslanders.”
As well as improving land condition through sustainable grazing land management, the program will encourage greater adoption of pasture legumes, which reduces methane emissions intensity. This will support the red meat industry’s goal to be carbon neutral by 2030 and the Queensland Government’s Low Emissions Agriculture Roadmap 2022-2032.
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) managing director Jason Strong said, “Pasture is the foundation of profitable and sustainable beef production, and the QPRP is strengthening our pasture systems from the ground up.
“The QPRP is a long-term partnership that will tackle major issues including pasture rundown, declining land condition and pasture dieback with practical research and adoption activities, creating a pathway to help producers lift their productivity,” Mr Strong said.
“It will also link strongly with the industry’s goal of being carbon neutral by 2030 (CN30), as resilient and productive pastures are a key component of the CN30 target.”
Pasture legumes improve the productivity of native and sown grasses that are in good condition, boosting profitability. They can also help manage pasture dieback, pasture rundown and declining land condition.
Capitalising on DAF’s world-leading research and extension expertise, the Queensland Pasture Resilience Program will help grazing businesses improve:
• land condition and carrying capacity
• animal growth and reproduction rates
• capacity to manage drought
• carbon market opportunities and methane reduction
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