Over the last two decades 4th generation mixed farmer, Peter Davis, had found it
increasingly harder to make a profit due to rising input costs. Recently, through simple
management changes, he has increased profits through grazing alone.

Cargo property, ‘Laanecoorie’ has been run by Peter Davis’ family for 101 years.

‘Fertilizer and chemical costs were becoming a major concern to me, with yield and
farmgate return not improving. There was an increase in chemical resistance in our cropping areas’, explains Davis.

‘It was bothering me that my farm inputs were increasing but returns had plateaued. I also noticed hand feeding of livestock was becoming more frequent due to climate variations and my livestock enterprise was carrying the cropping.

‘I saw a change was needed and I decided to look outside my own patch to learn about
alternative methods to improve my business bottom line without increasing input costs,’
said Davis.

‘We started attending some grazing group workshops looking for possible answers. Through attending workshops run by Mid Lachlan Landcare and using their free support services under the Growing the Grazing Revolution (GGR) Project, I became much more aware of our soil ecology, ground cover and pasture species. I learnt how to better manage grazing to prolong and improve pasture viability and quality.

Sustainable and regenerative grazing management is critical for future land management and profitability according to Landcare, GGR Project Manager and Canowindra farmer, Scott Hickman.

Hickman has recently seen a spike in interest in sustainable grazing and has brought in Cargo farmer, Peter Davis, to work as Support Officer for the GGR project to help meet the demand from primary producers. ‘It is great to have a talented and respected local farmer to work alongside me,’ says Hickman.

‘I hope I can help a few grazing blokes understand, through simple management changes, they can increase profits through grazing,’ said Davis.

The GGR project covers farmers in the Canowindra, Cranbury, Eugowra, Carcoar,
Woodstock, Hovells Creek, Koorowatha, Gooloogong, Neville, Lyndhurst and Mandurama
areas.

It provides mentoring and peer support to farmers wishing to improve their grazing
management and shares experience, expertise and information on regenerative farming
systems. Scott Hickman and Peter Davis are available to give support to interested farmers.

Contact Scott Hickman (Project Manager): 0427450416 email: oatleighsjh@outlook.com
Contact Peter Davis (Support Officer): 0408 643122 email: pkdavis66@outlook.com

MLL is a voluntary, not for profit, cost effective organization providing forums for all local people to inform the future direction of both the (MLL) Landcare group and the (GGR) Grazing Project.

This project is supported by Smart Farms Small Grants, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.