SERVE-AG NRM GROUP
ASSISTING LANDHOLDERS IMPROVE THEIR PRODUCTIVITY,
PROFITABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY
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Serve-Ag has a broad range of skills and experience in assisting landholders improve management of their natural resources to enhance long term productivity, profitability and sustainability.
Our Natural Resource Management Group works with farmers throughout Tasmania, assisting them address issues relating to soil health, water quality, salinity, chemicals and nutrient management. Our key strength is in the area of soil health, as a healthy soil is the foundation to maximising farm productivity and achieving long-term sustainability. |
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We use a ‘Plan – Do – Check - Review’ approach when dealing with natural resource management issues, assisting farmers identify topics of interest and issues most relevant to them, and then take action through on-ground activities including workshops, trials and monitoring.
This approach is effective as it allows farmers to identify the issues which affect them regionally and locally, and then be involved in planning and undertaking actions to address the issues on their own farms. Follow-up monitoring and evaluation is carried out to see what worked and why, and so that future actions can be modified to be even more effective. Both environmental and economic needs are addressed to ensure the outcomes are truly “sustainable”.
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Our NRM staff assist participants through all stages of this process by tailoring activities to meet local and individual needs; facilitating group meetings; coordinating local trials and monitoring; and bringing in experts in particular fields to provide new knowledge and expertise. Sharing the information with other groups also increases the learning capacity of each group, and promotes interest in and understanding of areas that may not have been considered previously. |
We have NRM staff located in the northwest, north and south regions of the state. We are happy to assist individuals or groups of land holders to plan and undertake on-ground actions to improve their long term productivity, profitability and sustainability.
Give us a call any time to discuss how we can help.
Some of the productivity / environment win-win scenarios we work on with farmers are:
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Activity/Topic |
Production Benefits |
Environmental Benefits |
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Enhanced fertiliser management programs |
Reduced input costs; increased utilisation of applied fertiliser |
Reduced leaching and subsequent off-site impacts of excess nutrients in waterways |
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Improved water use efficiency |
Reduced pumping costs; increased production per ML of water |
Reduced leaching of nutrients and pesticides; Reduced soil erosion and subsequent turbidity in waterways |
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Better pesticide use practices |
Reduced input costs; more effective pest control achieved |
Off-site impacts of pesticides minimised; Overall reduction in pesticides applied |
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Increased understanding of how to improve soil health |
Overall productivity increase; improved water retention; reduced reliance on inputs such as fertilisers and pesticides to maintain yields |
Improved soil structure and biota; reduced run-off and erosion with subsequent benefits to local waterways |
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Introduction of improved crop varieties |
Improved productivity; reduced input costs |
Overall reduction in pesticides and fertilisers applied |
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Feed budgeting/planning |
Improved production, increased certainty |
Reduced stress on the environment (soil, plant and water resources) |
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