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Welcome to the GRDC Sustainable Farming Practices Website.
If you are a farmer or manage farmland, get the data form and enter your farming practices details.
We have tried to keep it as simple as possible, because we know that you don't really want to fill out another form.
However, it is important, because the industry doesn't have this data.
We need to find out what practices are being done and at what level they are being carried out .
What effects this has on production and sustainability.
Click the email button when you have finished, and that's all you have to do.
GRDC Farming Practices Dataform
Download the GRDC Farming Practices Dataform or if a SEPWA member download the SEPWA Group Data Entry Form.
then e-mail us at admin@farmingpractices.com.au
Please click on the link below to download the Dataform for your state:
NNSW Dataform
SNSW Dataform
WA Dataform
VIC Dataform
TAS Dataform
SA Dataform
QLD Dataform
If you have any difficulty in opening or downloading the form, email us and we will send you a data form.
Send and email to admin@farmingpractices.com.au
How to fill in the data form
Page one
Consists of some explanatory notes, contact details and the invitation to share your data.
At the bottom of the page is an area where you can enter your GRDC identification number, if you know this. This number can be found on the address sheet in any “Ground Cover” magazine sent you, usually a series of numbers above your name on this sheet.
If you cannot find this, then leave the field blank.
Data Sharing: We know many farmers are tired of being constantly being asked for data and surveys. To this end we seek to share your data with agencies for similar pruposes, for example GRDC, State DPI's. However, we will only share data with your permission, and for this we will ask you each time. If you are in general happy to participate in sharing then leave the box blank. We will not share data without asking you first.
GENERAL GUIDANCE:
There is no need to fill in every field in the form.
Many will not apply to your farm or your farming system.
Where a field does not apply simply leave it blank, and move to the next field.
When you get to the end, click on the “Submit” button, and your email program will appear with a new message ready to send. You will see an attachment loaded (this contains only the data you entered on the form).
Simply hit ‘send’ and it is done!
Once we have processed your data you will receive an email with a report attached. This will open in your web browser.
Call or email us at any time: Alan Umbers: 0428 432557 or email
Page two:
ASFPD (Australian Sustainable Farming Practices Database) No:
If you have previously filled in one of these forms, gave us a slip of paper at a GRDC Update or if you have contacted us to have the dataform sent, you may have already received a reference number from the ASFPD database. If so put it in here, if not leave blank.
Property No.
In WA DAFWA have a database of property identification and some details. These are updated from time to time, and hold some data about the manager of the property. If you have this number, then enter it here. It will assist with sharing of data and save further data gathering activities.
Other states may not have such system, and so you can leave the field blank if you do not know your property number, of there is no such system in your state.
NGR or CBH Number:
If you have yoru NGR number enter it here. If you have a CBH number (in WA) enter this here. It will assist with future Quality Assurance or Traceability needs, if these emerge in the market place, so saving potentially more paperwork at that time.
Existing Details as listed with DAFWA – CRIS:
This section only appears on the WA DAFWA version of the dataform.
The list of details shown under this column are the details the DAFWA database has for you. If these are correct you need do nothing. If some are out of date then please provide the correct details in the right hand column.
If no details are sown at all, then please fill in the right hand column with the details as listed:
Name, email address, fax and phone numbers, address etc.
These are normal details needed to accurately send back you report and other communication.
Your locality and postcode:
These assist to place where your farm is, and so find the best comparative data to use for comparative analyses.
1: Shire Name, Name of Farm and % of farm in shire:
It is important to accurately place your property in the correct shire, since this also allows the appropriate comparative data to be accessed. We know that many farms are split across more than one shire, and many landholders have more than one property, with these also potentially in more than one shire.
We aim to provide comparative and amalgamated data based on your total holding, and so the best way to look at the data needs for this table is to consider your total holding(s), and estimate how much of this total is in the shire(s).
For example, if you hold two farms, one of 1200ha and one of 1400ha, with both of these in the one shire, then simply enter both farm names and allocate 100% to both in the shire. If the properties were in separate shires, then list both farm names, again with 100% allocated to their appropriate shires. However, if the shire boundary passed through the second farm, with (about) 700ha in one shire and 700ha in another, then you would allocate Property name 1 with 100% in it’s shire, and property 2 would have 50% allocated to both the shires it is in.
4 and 5: GPS - Latitude and GPS - Longitude:
If you know the latitude and longitude of your farm(s), then this will assist greatly with allocating your data to the correct shire and NRM body. Simply provide coordinates for about the middle of your total holding (or centroid).
Our system prefers decimal degrees, though we can handle degree, minutes and seconds.
Knowing the location of the farm, either from what shire or using the GPS coordinates can also assist with identifying the underlying soil type, with this being used in calculating some soil water and greenhouse gas factors.
It also helps with drawing the correct comparative data for the shire, so your farm is compared with thopse in your shire.
6 and 7: NRM Body: (CMA, Catchment Council, Regional Group, NRM Board, etc):
This refers to the Natural Resource Management body your farm(s) is in. NRM Bodies are known as Catchment Councils in WA, Catchment Management Authorities in NSW and Victoria, either Catchment Boards or NRM Boards in SA, and generally Regional Groups in Qld.
As per the last question, you can estimate how much of your holding lies in the NRM Body (if you know which one you are in), or if you know your holding is split across two then estimate a percentage. If you do not know which NRM Body you are in, then leave it blank, and based on your shire and latitude and longitude, we can find which one using these within the database.
It is important for us to be able to place your holding in the correct NRM area, since we aim to provide amalgamated data (that is, your farm data plus all others in the area) to these Bodies to show progress and indicators, using levels of various farming practices, for them. This is one of the aims of this initiative, and should remove much need for such bodies to gather data from farmers in their catchments.
2. General farm Information:
2.1: Farm Records:
If you use farm record keeping software, then tick this box. Common products include Paddock Action Manager (PAM), Back Paddock, Crop Facts, Phoenix, AgriMaster and others. We are working with some software companies to find simple ways for farmers to upload data to the database, and so avoid filling in forms each year.
If so, which product do you use:
If you do use a farm recording product, then just type in the name of the software package you use.
2.2: Where do you obtain your agronomic advice:
It is now common for grain producers to retain the services of a professional advisor, or use other sources of advice from agronomists or other places. We are interested in how valuable some of these sources of information are, and so ask that you estimate what value you get from various sources of information on a percentage basis. For example if you feel you get about 80% value or usefulness from your agronomist then put 80 in the box next to that agronomist type, and the remaining 20 wherever you feel appropriate.
2.3: Have you attended any training or workshops this year, number attended and rating:
This is about trying to get some estimate of the amount of training and learning is occurring in the industry. We know there are many activities provided, both formally and informally, and these data can assist with showing the industry and farmers as professional and continuing to learn in order to better operate their farms and businesses.
We are also looking to get some idea of how useful the various types of activities are, and so ask for a rating for these. Simply estimate how valuable the activities you list were, from 1 to 10, with 1 being not useful, and 10 being extremely useful.
2.4: List any farm groups or other groups that you belong to:
Many farmers are members of Farming Systems, Grain and Graze, Conservation Farming, No-Till, LandCare or many other groups. We are working with many of these to provide data to them (again to assist with minimizing duplication of surveys), and so knowing which (if any) groups you are member of will assist us in doing this. Many of these groups are actively collaborating with our database, and so you may have had a dataform sent to you from them.
Page three:
2.6: Name of Nearest Rainfall Station:
If you know the nearest Bureau of Meteorology Rainfall station, then this can assist where we do not get rainfall data for your farm. We have all BoM station rain, temperature and evaporation data and this assists in calculating water use efficiency for crops. The temperature and other data we can access from the Bureau can also be used in calculating greenhouse gas emissions, in conjunction with soil type knowledge.
2.7: Actual Rainfall Figures for this year:
If you have your rainfall data (total in mm for each month), enter these, if not we will use BoM data from the nearest station as identifies above. The annual field is meant to be the total for the year in question, not the average annual rainfall for your farm.
2.8: What type of farm is this?
Tick for each one that applies to your holding. You can enter some details for activities that are not listed in the main area in the right hand side fields.
2.9: Livestock:
Given that many grain producers are also livestock farmers, these figures will be important to include for many reasons. We are basically looking to the numbers of cattle or cheep that you run, as an average through the year, and also how many are turned off the property this year. These figures can also assist with estimating greenhouse gas emissions.
Estimate area that is used for grazing (Ha):
An estimate of the area used for grazing can assist with calculating average stocking rates. This may be useful for showing indicators of pasture or land and soil cover management.
Estimate of average stocking rate animals per ha on areas grazed:
This allows you to estimate your stocking rate across the farm for the year, and is a better indicator of actual stocking rates.
Number of people and ages working on the farm:
This is the only area of ‘social’ questions in the form. This information will assist the industry to get a better understanding on how many people are ‘dependant’ on grain production for income, how many people are ‘employed’ in grain production and the number of families involved.
These data can help with indicating how important the industry is both economically and socially to the country.
Off-farm income:
It is commonly noted that off-farm income is a more important factor in many farms these days. The data here will allow the industry to show these trends.
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From here on the form is about information concerning the cropping and pasture management practices in use on the farm.
3. Year for the data in this form:
We are looking to gather data for the crop year, and this is usually from January to December for most grain crops. While this varies (especially in the northern region), we have settled on a calendar year for most crop data.
3.1: AREAS:
This section is where we gather fundamental information about your holding, in Hectares. If you only know details in acres, then divide by 2.471 to get hectares.
3.11: Area of Holding:
This is the total area of your holding(s) totaled. If you have more than one farm, consider adding these together for a single figure here.
3.12: Area of Crop – Dryland:
Area you cropped (rainfed) in the year listed above (for example in 2007).
3.13: Area of Crop – Irrigated:
As above, but given many irrigated crops are planted in spring and harvested in the new year, estimate how much irrigated crop you had in the year ending Dec. More detail on planting and harvest dates will be entered later.
3.14: Area of Pasture (improved and unimproved in total):
Area of pastures on your holding, both improved (i.e. sown to improved species like medic, clover, lucerne, perennial grasses), plus those pastures that are unimproved, or ‘native’ area that are grazed.
3.15: Area of Native and/or Remnant Vegetation:
This may simply be the ‘remainder’ of the holding that is not cropped or grazed, mainly native trees and other vegetation. More detail is sought later in the form.
3.16: Area of Fallow – Cultivated:
It is acknowledged that little fallow is used in WA. However, for those who do runs some fallow this is where it is to be indicated. The estimated area of cultivated fallow in the year of interest. This may be what was pasture at the beginning of the year and then became fallow, or how much was neither cropped now grazed, but left as fallow. Summer weed control can be considered a form of fallow, though this is indicated further down.
If you are using a fallow system, but with herbicides to commence the fallow, then enter these data in 3.17 below ("Spray Topping").
3.17: Area of pasture – Spray Topped:
Area (mostly will be pasture) spray topped to prevent annual seed set. This will be a lower herbicide use than the next question, and will be more common in WA, SA, southern NSW and Victoria, then in the northern regions.
3.18: Area of Summer Weed Control – i.e. spraying for moisture or to break a green bridge:
Area that is commonly sprayed for weed control following summer rain. This is managed with herbicides to control volunteer crop or other weeds and is used typically to break the green bridge (for disease management) and for some moisture or nutrient mineralization.
3.19: Area of Green Manure – i.e. legume or other crop ploughed in:
For those who either plant a specific crop (often a forage legume or pulse based mix) and then plough into soil in spring (mainly used in south and western regions). Is often carried out for control of weeds, input of soil nitrogen and for disease break.
3.20: Area of Brown Manure - i.e. legume or other crop sprayed out:
As above, however, instead of ploughing into soil the paddock is sprayed with a knock down herbicide so the crop / pasture is left on the soil surface after being sprayed.
3.21: If fallow, Month commenced:
If you have some area of fallow, whether the traditional type commenced typically in spring or the summer weed control kind, then enter the month commenced. This assists with soil moisture calculations, and for water use efficiency.
4. CROPPING Data table:
This table is for use in showing average crop performance and data for your farm for the year of interest. We have used drop down boxes in many of the fields to try and assist.
We are looking for some information about the main crops you grew in the year, basically when (on average) they were planted, harvested and how many hectares of the crop did you have.
Again, the length of fallow is included in the second column for those who had some fallow period, if you did not have what can be called a fallow, then leave these blank.
If some crop was planted but not harvested (i.e. failed, was grazed out or cut for hay) then this will be apparent by the differences in the areas planted and harvested, and also can be shown in the drop down, for example, for ‘cereals – cut for hay’ box.
For grain giving an average protein (if known) will assist with nitrogen use calculations, and for oilseeds % oil likewise.
The data for crop yield is basically your estimate of the average crop yield for all of the crop type, for example estimate the average yield (and protein) for your wheat, same for barley, etc.
Where you need you can enter the same crop type on separate rows, for example ‘wheat – for bread’ can be placed on consecutive rows where different planting date were used. This allows those who have extended sowing periods that stretch over more than one month to show this in different rows.
4.2: Date of the Break of Season:
This helps with calculations of water use efficiency. There may be varying definitions of what constitutes the “Break”, but we feel most farmers will have their own estimate of when the season ‘broke’ for their farm in the yearof question.
4.3: Fuel Use:
This question asks you to estimate how much fuel is used in the cropping program through the year. This assists with estimating greenhouse gas emissions levels, and so is an important figure to have. An estimate to the nearest thousand litres would be accurate enough.
Page 5
5. TILLAGE PRACTICES:
This is relatively self-explanatory, and asks for your estimate of how much you farm using zero, no-till or other practices. Many farms have a mix of these for various reasons, and these data assist greatly to better see how what level of these practices are in use, and how the season or region effects these.
Zero Tillage is frequently where planting is with a disced implement giving very little soil movement at all.
No-Tillage is often with a knife point.
Direct drill usually refers to a single pass with a ‘full cut’ implement.
There is also a field allowing you to comment if you want, often giving your circumstances that make this practice useful to you.
5.4: Precision Agriculture:
There is currently little or no national data about the adoption levels of precision agriculture nationally. The adoption rates of one or more elements of precision agriculture are thought to be rapid, so these data will assist greatly with understanding how much is occurring, and where. The requirement is for the amount of hectares you use one or more of the PA choices shown.
If you use more than one of the types of precision agriculture shown, then put the same figure against those that apply
6. STUBBLE PRACTICES:
These fields are pretty self-explanatory. However, ‘Stubble Retained Intact at Planting’ means very little or no grazing of stubbles, while ‘Not Standing’ includes stubble that is still present (e.g. Grazed / Slashed / Mulched / Incorporated).
‘Cool Burn’ can also be called ‘late burn’ and refers to stubble that is burnt late, often just prior to planting and is usually a very incomplete burn of the stubble present, allowing machinery to get through very heavy stubble.
‘Hot Burn’ is where stubble is burnt earlier in the late summer or early autumn and removes all, or the great majority of stubble, with a hot fire.
Burning of Windrows for weed management is a management technique for herbicide resistant ryegrass, and is one element of and integrated weed management progam.
‘Stubble Other Stubble Raking and Windrow Burning – whole paddock’ is now being used in some circumstances, for example with canola stubbles, or where windrows of chaff are left at harvest. It differs from the above category in that more of the paddock is burnt, and includes raking of stubble into windrows for burning, whereas the category above is where header chaff rows tend only to be burnt.
‘Stubble Baled’ usually refers to stubble that is removed by baling after harvest, and removed form the paddock in large bales. Some short stubble remains attached to soil.
A comment field is included if you need to describe the techniques used on your farm.
7. FERTILISER USAGE - CROPPING
This table simply asks for total tonnes and areas of fertiliser products used in the cropping program.
Whilst it would be more desirable to consider fertilizer use on a paddock-by-paddock basis, this would complicate the data collection activity, and at this stage, we can make valuable use of farm-based figures.
Again, there are some drop down boxes that hold several of the common fertilizer products used, but you are able to type whatever product you use if it is not listed. Just select the product that you use, or if it not listed, select any product then delete and type in the product you use.
Type of Application:
This list allows you to pick from common uses such as ‘at sowing’ meaning placed with the seed or near the seed in the same operations when the crop was planted. The terms ‘1st top dressing’ and ‘2nd top dressing’ are a compromise but basically refer to the practice of early additional applications of fertilizer to the crop after it has emerged (1st top dressing) usually before the early to mid-tillering stage (or similar in broadleaf crops) in cereals. ‘2nd top dressing’ refers to additional applications for fertiliser (commonly nitrogen-based products) applied at the late tillering, or later stage of cereals.
In this table we are looking for tonnes of product used on the farm in total, and then the total hectares this was applied to. The database can then calculate nutrient levels from these.
8. FERTILISER USAGE – PASTURE:
Similar to the previous section for crops, the interest is in the fertilizer applied (in general) to the pastures of the holding. In many cases no fertilizer is applied to pastures, in some cases some is applied to some pastures and in some cases some is applied to all pastures. An estimate of total fertiliser bought and applied to pastures is all that is required for this section - tonnes and areas of fertiliser products used.
9. SOIL TESTING:
This section assist in showing how producers are managing their soil fertility, based on testing. Simply estimate how many hectares the paddocks you tested this year total, and enter, from the drop-down box, how often you do soil tests (annually, two years, etc)
Both shallow (0-10cm) and deeper soil tests (10cm down to 60cm) can be used. Shallow tests are more common, and give results for many nutrients and trace elements in soil.
Deeper soil tests tend to be for nitrogen in most cases, though these may not be very common on WA soils.
9.3: Soil Carbon:
Here we are looking for some general estimate form your soil test of the amount (%) of organic carbon across your farming paddocks.
This is to assist with getting some information on soil carbon levels in grain farms around Australia. Most soil tests (especially shallow 0-10cm) will give a result for % soil carbon. Simply make an estimate of what the average soil carbon for your cropping paddocks is from soils tests results you may have at hand. If you do not have a figure for soil carbon, then leave this field blank.
9.4: Nitrogen Usage:
Where nitrogen fertilizers are used for in-crop applications for example top dressing, many farmers are basing their decisions on whether to apply nitrogen based on some plant tissue testing, or other objective measurement. This question asks for how many hectares you do this on.
10. SOIL CONDITIONERS:
In some areas soil conditioners are used to assist with soil properties. Common products used are lime and gypsum. Knowing the use of these allows an ability to show efforts in improving some soil properties that are important for sustainability. Again, the data sought is in tonnes used and the total hectares it was applied to.
11. Soil Constraints:
On many cropping farms there are areas where one or other soil (or subsoil) constraints are present. These data can assist with research into how much of this there is, and possible programs for addressing these. The data can also assist with identifying reasons for less than optimal water use efficiency.
There are some common constraints listed in the drop-down menus.
11.2: Salinity:
Your assessment of the amount of salt affected land on your farm in Hectares by the various categories shown.
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12. Integrated Weed, Pest, Disease Management:
There are many elements to integrated weed, pest and disease management, and many farmers consider some of these in managing these.
Again, no data is available about these, and so this section has been included.
There are several categories listed, and it is likely that many farmers will be using or considering several of these across their normal farming program. Where this is the case you would enter the same number of hectares for several categories, showing that you ‘do’ several of these items on your farm.
The category listing “where you suspect or know you have herbicide resistance” is to assist the industry to better understand how widespread herbicide resistance is, and to better work to manage this problem
12.2: Grain Storage:
Many grain producers store grain on-farm. There are no national figures on how much is stored, and how it is stored. Hence these questions can assist with understanding how much is stored and under what management. Sealed storage is one means of storing grain that is desirable, and can help to show good practice both in integrated pest management and for grain quality.
12.3: Chemical Usage and Management:
When did you most recently do farm chemical training:
When did you most recently do farm chemical training.(Year): In most states it is now a requirement to undertake chemical training at regular intervals. List the year you most recently di such training. This assists with showing that farmers are fulfilling their roles in responsible chemical application.
12.4: Pesticides/Herbicides/Fungicides: Selected Chemicals Used.
It is very difficult to gather information about agricultural chemical use on farms, without getting to paddock level. This is considered too complex at this stage, and so we have focused on a small number of products that seem to be of interest.
In considering that we are unable to gather paddock-based data on chemical use, some data on general amounts used and stored is what is asked. Simply estimate how much of the products listed in the drop down box(es) you used this year, and then estimate how much may be held on-hand.
Again, if the product listed does not apply to you, or you used none of it, then leave it blank.
12.5: Estimated average quantity of farm chemicals stored on farm at any one time.(surplus to usage):
There is a perception that farmers are storing large amounts of chemicals on-farm, though commonly most will only hold chemicals surplus to usage. Estimate how much chemical you have in the chemical store through the year, generally this will be left over stocks.
12.6: Shielded sprayers for agricultural chemical application:
In some areas farmers are using shielded sprayers and wider rows to manage weeds and diseases. The sprayer has a shield over the nozzles to allow is to pass between the crop rows, and only spray the inter-row. Estimate how many hectares you have used such sprayers on.
12.7: Banded sprayers for agricultural chemical application:
As per the last question, some farmers are using banded sprayers to apply products in narrow bands, usually over the crop rows, and not spray the inter-row.
12.8: Do you participate in the DrumMuster Program (Y/N)
Most chemical users will know about this national scheme to recycle chemical containers. Simply tick yes or no if you participate.
12.9: Have you made use of the ChemClear Program for clearing away old chemical products (Y/N)
Similarly, there is a system allowing farmers to remove from their farms old or out of registration products. Again, if you have taken advantage of this facility then tick the ‘yes’ box.
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13. Native Vegetation:
This asks for your assessment of the quality of Native Vegetation on your farm and an estimate of the hectares of these. The quality of native vegetation is difficult to describe in a definition in this farm, and so you are simply asked to estimate for your own assessment the quality of the areas you have.
13.2: Native Vegetation / Remnant Vegetation
This table relates to areas you have carried out activities on this year aimed at protecting or improving the vegetation (native or otherwise) on your farm. Categories in the drop-down lists include:
Area of property you have revegetated (eg tree planting, natural regrowth):
This is an estimate of how many hectares you have revegetated in the year, planted trees or shrubs in etc.
Area of property fenced off, or stock excluded from, to protect remnant or revegetated areas. Mainly this will be new fencing to protect such areas – estimate the number of hectares you included in the fenced areas.
Area fenced off to protect waterways and riparian areas. Similarly, this will refer to your estimate of the area you may have fenced off along waterways or other such areas.
Area that may be used for future biomass crops / tree crops:
Some farmers are considering plantations of trees or other crops for carbon sequestration, biomass production that may go into ethanol production or similar.
14: Ground Cover:
This is one of the most useful measurements for environmental assessment, but can be difficult to estimate. We would like to provide pictures of what constitutes the various %’s of ground cover, though these would increase the size of the data form substantially, and would require a separate set of pictures for the various regions around the country. Instead we ask you to estimate as best you can how many hectares you feel fall in the categories listed.
The accepted time of year where soil is seen as most vulnerable is the end of summer / autumn, though again this varies with region. We ask you to estimate how much soil cover is present across the farm by category, in autumn (say at the 30th March).
15: Pastures:
Not all farms have the categories listed here, and so you only need to consider those that apply to you.
Annual pastures are often annual clover or medic, or volunteer grasses,
Perennial pastures are often sown with grasses like phalaris, perennial ryegrass, etc.
Unimproved Pasture generally refers to areas of the farm where no serious pasture improvement has taken place, or where no introduced species have been planted, but where some grazing still is available.
15.2: Pastures – Including Forage Crops:
There are many ways of providing feed for livestock, including planting of forage crops, including winter cereals that are grazed.
Several categories are listed in the drop-down boxes, and you can choose some or only one of these. They include:
Perennial Pastures - Phased often consists of cropped land with rotations that include a perennial pasture.
Perennial Pastures - Permanent often consists of areas with permanent perennial species that are rarely, or never cropped.
Permanent Shrubs or forage species are used on some properties, for example saltbush.
Tree crops are used by some graziers.
Improved Pasture may be the same as annual pastures where improved species have been planted or where such species regrow, and so the same area will often be entered for both ‘annual’ and ‘improved pastures’.
Pasture Cropping is a relatively new system where crops are planted among pasture species, the crop can be harvested, but the pasture species remain for grazing after the crop is finished.
Pasture – Cleared refers to areas that were cleared at some stage, but have not been ‘improved’ and so are often the same as the ‘unimproved’ category above.
Pasture – Uncleared refers to areas of more or less native vegetation or remnant vegetation that are grazed.
Pasture – Introduced refers to areas where new species have been planted, and may also be included in some of the other categories above.
15.3: Pastures – Grazing:
This section is about only those pastures that are grazed in this year, and refers to their management as much as anything.
Managed refers to the area that is ‘managed’ in some way, either with fertilizer, weed control or some other means of ‘managing’ the quality of the pasture.
Unmanaged refers to areas that have no management applied and are left to grow without intervention.
Ungrazed refers to areas of pasture that are not grazed this year
Never Grazed refers to areas of the property that may be considered pasture but is not grazed at all
Rarely Grazed refers to areas that are only sometimes grazed, and will often be more or less native vegetation
Grazed to reduce fire risk refers to areas that are grazed mainly to remove fuel for fire risk control
Again, many of these categories may occur such that the same number of hectares will apply to more than one of these.
16: Surface Water Management:
If applicable, please list Ha on your farm with contour banks, contour farming, other earth works or measures to minimise water erosion.
THE RESET BUTTON WILL RESET ALL DATA FIELDS. THIS ALLOWS YOU TO CLEAR THE DATA FIELDS IF YOU NEED TO.
THE 'SUBMIT' BUTTON IS WHAT YOU CLICK ON TO EMAIL THE DATA BACK TO THE DATABASE. WHEN YOU CLICK ON THIS BUTTON, YOU WILL SEE YOUR EMAIL PROGRAM APPEAR, WITH A NEW EMAIL READY TO SEND. YOU WILL SEE AN ATTACHMENT INCLUDED. THIS ATTACHMENT CONTAINS ONLY THE DATA YOU PLACED IN THE FIELDS.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO THEN IS SELECT "SEND" IN YOUR EMAIL PROGRAM AND THE DATA WILL BE EMAILED TO THE DATABASE.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ENTER MORE THAN ONE YEAR OF DATA, YOU CAN THEN RETURN TO THE DATA ENTRY FORM, AND PUT IN ANOTHER YEAR'S DATA - THE EASIEST WAY WOULD BE TO CHANGE ONLY THE "YEAR" FIELD AND THEN EDIT THE REST FOER THE YEAR OF INTEREST.
Project Aim
This project has six major objectives:
1. To gather farming practices data from grain and mixed cropping farmers around Australia.
2. To build relationships with natural resource management and catchment management organisations, researchers and other groups identified as relevant by the project partners.
3. To develop the farming practices data collection process as a means of ‘real time’ measurement of industry sustainability and the uptake of relevant research outcomes.
4. To build relationships that will ensure the farming practices data collection process remains as an on-going means of performance monitoring.
5. To assist GRDC to better target research and communication activities.
6. Where possible, to reduce the need for multiple and duplication of surveys.
Farm Practice Database Explanation
Grains Environmental Sustainability Description
Farming Practices and Sustainability
A review paper analysing the relationship between today's farming practices, grain productivity and resource sustainability.
Farming Practices and Sustainability - Scientific Basis
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
If your questions are not answered on this page, please contact us at admin@farmingpractices.com.au
What is this for?
Currently there is very little complete data on a national level on what farming practices are being carried out. This data is necessary to make accurate judgments on the effectiveness of modern farming practices on a variety of outcomes, such as productivity and sustainable land use. Given the diminishing terms of trade, every advantage is needed.
As well as this, with global warming becoming one of the most talked about issues for urban dwellers, the industry needs accumulated hard evidence that they are using the best practices possible, to offset possible regulating.
Is my personal information safe?
Individual data from a farmer will not be used individually other than when it is returned to the farmer in his (or her) environmental impact report.
An individual identifying number is issued when the data is received, and then this is how data is identified within the database. Personal details and data are not stored together.
Information is only used in an amalgamated form. Data is combined into shires and is not used until a 25% of total accumulated data is achieved to guarantee anonymity.
Will this service continue?
One of this year's aims is to solidify the ongoing existence of this service so that it does continue. There is considerable interest from many bodies who need this type of amalgamated information. NRM/CMA bodies need to have factual information to help them meet their targets. With this facility, it streamlines the collection requirements for them.
GRDC needs to have this information in order to assess projects that they have invested in.
Why should I do this?
Because you get something back that may be very valuable to you. The report not only lets you see how you are doing against the area totals, but it also gives you a specific report on how your farming practices are impacting on your farm. It does this in terms of water use efficiency, nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency, erosion and other types of similar impacts. These calculations are based on scientific research and have been verified by other scientists and agronomists.
With more data, the reports become more relevant.
With more people using this system, the reports will continue to improve because we use your feedback to improve it.
AND its a free service provided for you, to help you avoid possible regulation.
My data form wont open in the browser
This may occur if internet explorers security setting or your virus software has blocked it. Right click on your mouse and select 'Save target as" to save it to your computer. Open on your computer and continue as normal.
When does the data collection end?
The data collection doesn't end. The system is designed to be open ended for both previous and future years of data collection. You can submit data from as many previous years as you like. Data will continue to be collected into the future. Many surveys are snapshots of a small area and within a short time frame. The database has been designed to continuously accumulate data, returning reports as the data is received. When a major change is made to the report, a new one will be sent to you. In this way, we can build a clear picture of agricultural farming practices in Australia.
What year data do I put in?
You can put whichever year in that you wish, the more years of data that are submitted, the better the trend report. The year is taken from the 1st of January to the 31st of December which covers in general the sowing and harvesting of the wheat crop in Australia.
Media Releases/ Events / Notices
GRDC - Media Release - Growers urged to reveal grain industry's green image [National, 31 May 2007]
Alan Umbers
Project Consultant
Ph: 02 6295 9428
Fax: 02 8088 1052
Mob: 0428 432 557
