#Strongwomen. "I write about the power of trying, because I want to be okay with failing. I write about generosity because I battle selfishness. I write about joy because I know sorrow. I write about faith because I almost lost mine, and I know what it is to be broken and in need of redemption. I write about gratitude because I am thankful – for all of it." Kristin Armstrong
I live in the most special place and have created this wonderful little tropical paradise outside my kitchen window
Its become a haven over the years for some wildlife I wish would move elsewhere but today I looked out my kitchen window to see the the frogs were back and it is obviously breeding season and this morning I was inadvertently a voyeur
In my rush to get the camera there was far too little attention paid to focusing
I love this one – it so looks like they are kissing
If this protest on the banks of the Yarra last Friday is anything to go by livestock farmers in Victoria are coming under a bit of pressure albeit as a result of pressure on the government to act.
Get livestock out of our rivers. It’s time to moove!
We’ve got some pretty spectacular rivers in Victoria. They provide us with the water we drink, and are the lifeblood of our ecosystems and communities. We can’t live without them. Nor can the thousands of native species that call our rivers home. Incredibly ecologically rich places, river banks provide important corridors for native animals, as they migrate and adapt to the changing climate.
So it would be udder madness to let cows and other livestock trample the banks and poo in the rivers, right?! Yet our riverbanks, including more than half the river frontage owned by the public, is open slather for livestock.
Every day 4,500 tonnes worth of cow poo lands in Victoria’s creeks and rivers. Not only does livestock access to rivers destroy habitat, cause erosion and muddy the water, but pooey river water ends up in drinking water catchments!
The solution is simple – fence off riverbanks, provide an alternative watering place for stock and let the riverbanks return to their natural state. It’s a win for the environment, and as it reduces risk of disease and injury to cows, this state-government funded program would be a win for farmers.
It’s time to moove cow out of our rivers.
Now as you can see from this video I share their ethos and have been very active in this space for quite some time
I am not alone. More than 70% of Australian dairy farmers acknowledge waterways are precious and are committed to keeping them healthy and clean.
So what would it take for the other 30% to jump on board? The stats say 9 out of 10 farmers learn from other farmers. The answer is simple. Its time to get out there and share our stories with each other as well as the community, form partnerships and tap into community good funding when its available and lobby the government when it isn’t . After all our farming families rely on healthy waterways just as much as anyone else – perhaps more
Sustainable Intensification (SI) is of great interest to me because it is potentially an ideal scenario for high rainfall, highly fertile soil farms in high amenity value land pockets like this one.
The presentations which you can find here provided fascinating insights into what farmers who wanted to travel the path of SI could aspire too.
I was lucky enough at lunch to sit next to the man who first coined the SI phrase Professor Tim Reeves whose presentation you can find here
Professor Reeves uses the Oxford University definition of SI
“The goal of sustainable intensification is to increase food production from existing farmland while minimising pressure on the environment. It is a response to the challenges of increasing demand for food from a growing global population, in a world where land, water, energy and other inputs are in short supply, overexploited and used unsustainably. Any efforts to ‘intensify’ food production must be matched by a concerted focus on making it ‘sustainable.’ Failing to do so will undermine our capacity to continue producing food in the future.
As Nick Rose from Fair Food Farmers United reminded me this week the complex problems of feeding the world will not all be solved by producing more food. Good article here
I caught up with Cathy Phelps from Dairy Australia for coffee the following day. Cathy is Dairy Australia’s Natural Resource Management Program Manager and she has possibly seen every farming system and as diverse array of farmers ( including those of David Lord’s See slide 9 here ) that exists. Cathy shared this great quote from Sir John Beddington, UK Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser with me
‘we should not promote ideologies, like ‘organic’ farming and instead focus on evidence based information to identify sustainable farming practices
“… instead of continuing the ideologically charged ‘organic versus conventional’ debate, we should systematically evaluate the costs and benefits of different management options. In the end, to achieve sustainable food security we will probably need many different techniques—including organic, conventional, and possible ‘hybrid’ systems—to produce more food at affordable prices, ensure livelihoods for farmers, and reduce the environmental costs of agriculture
Again I ask the farming community can we stop focusing on whose system is best and celebrate all the great farmers out there and work with the rest of the world to reduce the horrendous and heartbreaking problem of food waste.
Pictures are from Professor Reeves presentation See here
There was also a lot of discussion about building capacity in farmers and the difficulties of even starting to have discussion with us about this.
It is very often said by many people too many of us over estimate how good our farming practices are and our financial literacy is. I will blog about that shortly if I am game
I recently presented at the Australian Landcare Conference and must admit I walked away quite sad. The conference itself was awesome ( and so wish I hadn’t missed this presentation) but I was so frustrated by the mixed messages that at times came both from the stage and the audience. There was the woman in the audience who was very lucky I wasn’t standing directly behind or beside her when she stood up and said the only ethical farmers are those using organic farming principles. Anyone who reads my blog knows this is rubbish for a number of reasons but in this case once again I reiterate its not the system that determines “ethical’ farming practices its the management of the system.Lets get it right madam its the people not the concept. See Footnote for my definition of “ethical”
People who market their produce by degrading others make me so cranky. Its so wrong and so desperate and its damaging the reputation of agriculture. If your product cant stand on its own feet and have its own compelling value proposition why customers should purchase it over another then you are wasting your time.
The other thing that caught my attention was the growth of the “produce less be paid more” farming philosophy. I have no problem with this philosophy at all and there is a definite market for genuine differentiation from a small but growing group of people who are willing to pay for food produced according to their values.
But lets put the facts on the table and the proof is not there that it is a more sustainable model than the ‘produce more with less’ known in agricultural circles as sustainable intensification ethos that the majority of Australian commercial farmers follow. The proponents of the ‘produce less and and be paid more’ model suggest Australia and other first world countries should produce only enough food to feed their own countries and assist third world countries to be self sufficient.
This is very noble indeed and I too have no problem with the values behind this. But is it realistic?. If you look at the fact there are very few countries who are happy to trade and our little country sits about 4th on the world list that’s a bit scary. Our grains generally go to third world countries and our livestock products supply the growing demand for protein by the upper and middle classes in Asian countries. Bringing developing countries up to a level where they can feed themselves is a very complex problem. Interesting article here. Only small farmers and agroecology can feed the the world.
It is well recognised this will not happen until women in these countries are educated and who is going to pull that one off when women are too often the contribution of women is so undervalued in many of these countries.
It is also well recognised in countries like ours we have had cheap food for so long we think its a birth right. We have to ask ourselves the question. Will we not only be prepared to pay more for food and also pay more taxes to support people in other countries to become self-sufficient?????
On top of this every year the amount of arable land worldwide decreases by 1%. There is a worldwide water crisis. As the per capita use increases due to changes in lifestyle and as population increases, the proportion of water for human use is increasing. Together with the mismanagement of water resources world wide this means that the water to produce food for human consumption, industrial processes and all the other uses is very scarce.
BTW Did you know Australia is the largest consumer of freshwater globally?. See what we (CSIRO) are doing to address this here. Hopefully this research hasn’t been affected by the massive government budget cuts to the CSIRO
This week I am off to the Primary Industries Climate Challenges Centre Think Tank on Sustainable Intensificationwhere I will hear from world experts on this model. Whilst our business followed the sustainable intensification model I would be quite happy to join the group of people farming to ‘produce less to be paid more’ but I wouldn’t be spruiking that its more environmentally or animal friendly until the science tell me it is. I have invited the Fair Food Farmers United to share what drives them, their vision and their mission and I am thrilled they have agreed. I look forward to sharing that blog with you as well as what I learn next week.
UpdateTammi Jonas free range pig and cattle farmer has now written a follow up blog that shares what drives her found here . Tammi is an advocate of the ‘produce less for more’ model and walks the talk. I love the way she has summed up her blog. If you have some thoughts on the question she poses please go to her blog and share them
Don’t produce more for less, produce less for more.
By that I mean we must value the land, animals, and workers and ensure their health is paramount in every agricultural system and then ask eaters to pay a fair price for our efforts.
All of which is easier said from a farmer in a miniscule supply chain selling direct to eaters. The bigger challenge is for the majority who are under pressure from centralised market power and long supply chains…
What do you think? How can we address the serious structural imbalances between farmers, processors, distributors and supermarkets in Australia? How can we support all farmers to make a living growing food in the fairest ways possible?
My last thought on this today “How genuinely committed is the world to getting Saving the Planet right and are we all prepared to walk the talk?
Tomorrow I will blog on the big NGO’s who support the sustainable intensification model. Many farmers will be surprised and may do a big rethink on who they partner with. Maybe not – one of agriculture’s problems is we don’t get out enough. We do a lot of talking and not enough listening. After all if we don’t listen how can we expect to be heard
Footnote Please note I am not anti any type of food production system as long as it fits my “ethical” values – i.e. food produced in a way that respects animals, people and the planet and provides a fair return for the farmers.
Last week it gave me great pleasure to present on the Future of Landcare with a focus on engaging youth at the Australian Landcare Conference in Melbourne.
Thanks to Peter Piggot who snapped this shot of me on the stage
In today’s post I would love to share with what I had to say in words and pictures. I hope it gives you food for thought and I welcome your feedback
I do what I do because I love this country
I care deeply about the farmers who look after 60% of its land mass
I am very proud that those farmers produce 93% of the food that Australians consume.
I am however very concerned that in this country we waste a whopping 4.5 million tonnes of food a year yet 2 million people can go to bed hungry every night. That is almost 10% of the population
Most of us take for granted that Agriculture feeds, it clothes us and it puts a roof over our heads
Yet very few people are aware of how challenging it is to do this when every year you have
1. Declining natural resources – less land and less water and on top of this
2. Increasing consumer expectations about how food and fibre should be produced
As a farmer I am very concerned that so few people recognise the ramifications of this country being the hottest and driest continent
AND the consequences of scarce water resources and poor soils meaning the other statistic that really worries me is less than 6% of this country is suitable for growing crops.
I am also passionate about youth. Some people would say I am almost obsessed about youth, identifying talented youth and engaging them and nurturing them.
There is a pool of great young people keen to play their part in Landcare.
I know this because I have the pleasure of working with a number of these wonderful young people every day
We need these young people and we must value their contribution
We need to work at developing new and exciting opportunities where these young people can make a positive and expanding contribution.
This may mean a rethink of how Landcare operates and what Landcare is and does.
I believe Landcare can have a pivotal role in regenerating communities at the same time as regenerating the land.
To do this we need to support our young people
If they are to continue stepping up to the challenge and putting themselves out there and we do not support them when they have a negative experience then we may lose them.
It we get it right it’s not just the environment that benefits – our people our communities – the health, wealth and happiness of this great country – are the big beneficiaries
To get it right our young people need training, mentors and supportive networks if this is to be a success
Today I want to share with you one such success story
The Young Eco Champions project was funded by Caring for our Country support in 2012
The project saw us saw shining the light on a highly innovative and exciting partnership of young farmers and young people in natural resources management who were working together.
Together they undertook
Self and Professional development
Project development and implementation of on ground works
Community engagement activities
Developed multimedia communications strategies and delivered them to share the story with the community
What did this look like?
We bought together Young Farming Champions and Young Eco Champions and provided them with training including high level media training, leadership and communications skills to deliver their story to community audiences.
They delivered Landscape scale conservation activities through a mentoring partnership between Young Eco Champions and farmers.
They promoted conservation information to wider community through:
· visiting Schools
· holding Field days
· Creating Case studies
· Writing Blogs
· Writing scripts and starring in videos
· And putting masterpieces on the web like this
But wait there is more
The Young Farming Champions and the Young Eco Champions were then able to go into schools as part of the Archibull Prize which uses creativity to teach sustainability
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The aim of the project was to
1. Raise awareness of, and a passion for landcare principles in young farmers, in schools and in the community and equally
2. Raise awareness and understanding amongst young landcarers and the community of the challenges and constraints of modern agricultural systems
What we hoped do achieve was threefold
1. Firstly we wanted to cement the idea that sustainable food & fibre production is reliant on collaboration between farmers and landcarers and the community
2. Secondly we wanted to secure innate/inborn partnerships between NRM professionals & our food and fibre producers.
3. And thirdly we wanted to increase the participation of young people in managing natural resources.
DID WE SUCCEED – OF COURSE WE DID
As Eve Sawyer said ”Never underestimate the power of passionate people”
Now as I said at the beginning – Most of us take for granted that Agriculture feeds us, clothes us and puts a roof over our heads
Yet very few people are aware of how challenging it is to do this
As you have seen the Young Farming Champions and the Young Eco Champions program in partnership with the Archibull Prize is an innovative and fun way to bring together our farmers and school students to work together to
address the challenges of today and
develop a road map for a bright future
Increasingly in the future IF our farmers are going to be able to continue to supply safe, affordable, nutritious food and quality fibre – agriculture has to be a partnership with the community.
We all want to lead a life that matters but we also want to enjoy the process and feel a connection and feel like we belong.
I am a passionate believer that Landcare is a wonderful role model of a community with that essential fabric, heart and soul
If Landcare is to have a solid foundation and to retain its share of budget it too has to have strong community partnerships and broad support.
It’s time to prioritise theses connections. We can’t afford to let them get lost in the crowd.
Like a lot of Agriculture it is time for Landcare to marshal its troops and start telling its story more often and in new and exciting ways.
And the best people to start this conversation are the young people in Landcare who may not be fully engaged in traditional activities.
Each of us needs to ask ourselves the question
If I do nothing different now, what will be the result in a year from now….. And is that okay?
My vision for agriculture
I have a vision for agriculture I hold so strongly and I am totally unwilling to accept defeat.
Would you agree with me that if we are going to attract the best and the brightest young people we have to find innovative and creative ways of doing it?
Would you also agree if we are going to retain these people we have to deliver value for them?
The good news is as you have seen there is a solution
I would invite you all
Everyone in the room
Everyone right across Australia
To join me in investing in the people of the future!!!!!!!.
I enjoyed the following Q&A panel session and being on the stage with some of the wonderful people who have supported Art4Agriculture from the beginning ( PIEF and Landcare Australia)
Thank you to Landcare Australia and the committee for giving me the opportunity to showcase some of agriculture and the natural management community’s wonderful young people. They are definitely out there and its my generation’s role to invest in them
A lot of farmers I know who grow and produce for the commodity market (i.e. producing food or fibre that is functionally indistinguishable from that of your competitors) live in a self imposed bubble. They farm because they like it, they are good at it and they love the isolation from the rest of the world that it allows them .
Over the last few months I have had this increasingly emotional desire to wrap them all up in cotton wool and protect them even further from the world. There will of course be a lot of them who will say they can look after themselves thank you very much and so they can
I am beginning to think I get out too much or I think/care too much but my gut is telling me its not going to get any easier and more people need to get out of the bubble and have conversations with the people who buy the end products made from what they produce
Let me give you just one of multiples of questions I get asked. Just last week I had a conversation with some-one that I spent 3 days with at a workshop at the Melbourne Business School who was very knowledgeable on a hell of a lot of things except the ins and outs of grain feeding cows. What he wanted to know was why we don’t say on the milk cartoon/bottle labels whether the cows have been grain fed or grass fed..I was bit ( a lot) shocked by this question. Well to start with it would be very difficult because as you can see from this slide we have a huge variation in cow feeding production systems in the Australian dairy industry
This chart describes the range of production systems operating across Australian dairy farms – & how farmers are increasingly becoming more flexible and opportunistic.
The reason being is smart farmers take advantage of what’s best for their farm system and their cows at any given time. The more supplementary grain you feed the more milk you should get remembering this is only cost effective when all the moons align.
When I asked why he thought this was important he said grain was bad for cows and consumers should be able to make ethical choices. Indeed consumers should be able to make ethical choices. The trouble is more and more consumers are making very ill-informed ones. Yes too much grain is bad for cows just like too much sugar is bad for kids. But smart parents like smart farmers are very diet conscious and control the amount of sugar they give to their kids. Grains (or supplementary feeding as farmers call it) is a great option for cows as its higher in sugar aka energy than pasture and if you can buy it cost effectively it provides the opportunity to produce more milk per cow and this helps to keep milk affordable as well as a highly nutritious staple for families in Australia.
As you can see from the graph 50% of dairy farms in Australia supplementary feed their cows grains to generate 52% of milk production. I can assure you that the 2% that feed their cows a diet of all grains really know what they are doing and their cows are healthy and firing on all cylinders. Its also very important to remember that cows are feed grains not suitable for human consumption and this option can mean life or death for cows in a drought and we have a lot of them in Australia..
I am very reliably given to understand that a lot more is now known about cow nutrition than human nutrition and its safe to say dairy cows in this country have a much healthier diet than a lot of humans. Do we need to remind ourselves that over 50% of people in this country are overweight You will also be interested to know that the smart farmers employ nutritionists to advise and monitor cow diet.
.Last week I wrote a very popular post on Art4AgricultureChat because I was very concerned (furious) about some other misconceptions that keep cropping up everywhere I go. See here.
I am glad it resonated because its more and more critical that people make informed food choices not only for them and their families but also for the planetI
We have got to stop this ever growing propensity to demonise certain types of agricultural systems out of hand
The media and websites are full of stories about the perils of conventional, large-scale agriculture, pointing to simpler ways of producing food that appear to be more in harmony with nature.
Large vs. small, family farms vs. corporate, organic vs. mainstream, free range vs. housed, grass fed vs. grain fed.The reality is it’s not the system it is how it is managed that really counts.
When it comes to the best approach to natural resource management and animal well-being we need to focus on measurable results that, in turn, will generate innovation and solutions to some of our most pressing problems on this planet. Not the least of which is to provide affordable, nutritious, ethically produced food that allows a reasonable return on investment for farmers that will allow them to feed a future 9 billion people and maintain life on Earth as we know it.
It is not just the community that is putting pressure on farmers. Some farm businesses and major retailers have taken to denigrating other farm management systems as a marketing tool to promote their own.
Judicious use of scientifically validated technology is one of the great advantages developed food producing nations like Australia has over many other countries. We have rigid and well regulated systems and safety checks in place that make our food some of the safest in the world, irrespective of whether it has been derived by conventional or non-conventional methods. If we read the labels and play by the rules we can be confident that the technologies that we use on farm are safe and the food that we produce is superior and as safe as any in the world.
Our farming systems can not be locked into a religious type paradigm of what we think is best .We must continue to adapt to our changing resource base, the seasons and climate, the economy and our markets. We also know that nature does not always get it right and some times we need to use technology to tip the balance back in favour of the farming system and the ever increasing people we need to feed.
We must acknowledge this if we are going to keep feeding our world from an ever shrinking resource base with a market place that continually wants to pay less for food that costs more to produce we must always use technology and innovation smartly. Equally we must consider the collateral effects of its use ensuring that our management and farming practices are at best practice rather than just reaching for the key to the chemical shed or the drug cabinet.
The majority of Australian farmers big and small, boutique or commodity will always aim to produce the best quality and safest food that is grown with the best interest of the environment and animals that it comes from. Its time to salute everyone of them.
Thank you to the wonderful Deb Brown for sending me this great image to sum up my blog
‘Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people. ” ― Franklin D. Roosevelt
My heart sang this week when I had a chance to make a quick visit to my latest bush regeneration project and wow is the the bush regeneration team doing a great job.
With over 90% of the prime agricultural land in my region being owned by lifestyle farmers who in the main don’t produce food on their farms its pivotal that they form strategic partnerships with people with the local knowledge to help them overcome the challenges they face. . One major challenge is our high rainfall ( av 2000 mm in my part of the world) encourages the rapid proliferation of nasty invasive weeds in our beautiful rain-forests and woodlands. The majority of our lifestyle farmers are very keen to rid their farms of these weeds and get the best outcomes for their native vegetation but don’t have the knowledge,time or access to the necessary expertise
This where I come in. I source funding and connect the farmers with each other and the experts. This particular project is 30% funded by a Community Environment Grant ( sadly all this type of funding has now disappeared under the federal coalition government ) and 70% funded by the 3 lifestyle farmers who own the adjoining project sites
The three properties are independently owned and two are leased to dairy farmers for raising their young stock. I am managing the project which is a partnership between the owners,South East Local Land Services, Conservation Volunteers Australia, Landcare Illawarra and local bush regeneration contractors to restore native vegetation and link fragmented rainforest remnants
The vegetation community at this site is Illawarra Dry Subtropical Rainforest (MU4) which is recognised as an endangered ecological community (EEC) under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. The vegetation is dominated by a canopy of Maidens Wattle (Acacia maidenii), Guoia (Guoia semiglauca) and Whalebone Tree (Streblus brunonianus) with a variety of native shrubs, vines and groundcovers in the understorey. The rainforest remnants have become degraded due to infestation of Lantana, Wild Tobacco and other weeds and this project aims to treat woody weeds to assist revegetation and regeneration.
This site has a high diversity of dry rainforest species occurring within the work boundaries.
The objectives are:
To protect and enhance the remnants of the vegetation community – Illawarra Dry Subtropical Rainforest
To reduce the area of natural areas impacted by Noxious, weeds of national significance (WoNs ) and environmental invasive weeds.
To improve connectivity between fragmented local remnant bushland through weed control activities and revegetation.
Assist regeneration by removing weeds and maintaining the site over a period of 18 months
Assist volunteers with planting of the primary weeded areas and maintenance
The following management issues have been identified
Evidence of deer rutting has been noted within zone 3
Lantana density at the western extent of the work site is very high and primary weed control has been slightly slower than expected due to this high density
One of the identified threatened species is Illawarra Socketwood (Daphnandra johnsonii) and five distinctly separate populations of the Socketwood occur within zones 2 and 3. Very excitingly the Illawarra Socketwood at the time of writing is currently producing seed at these sites. Many populations of Illawarra Socketwood tend to produce seed that is not viable due to attack by galls and various other environmental factors. The population at these sites are producing viable seed which makes this population significant from a regeneration and preservation perspective. The staff from ‘Plant Bank’ at the Australian Botanic Garden have subsequently shown an interest in collecting seed from this site and storing it at plant bank. Germination tests will also be carried out to test the viability of the seed stock and no doubt plants will be ultimately grown from this seed to be planted out at the gardens.
The following table lists the weeds that have been treated at this site and the control methods used:
Common Name
Botanic Name
Treatment Method
Crofton Weed
Ageratina adenophora
Spray
Mist Flower
Ageratina riparia
Spray
Moth Vine
Araujia sericifera
Cut and Paint, Spray
Cobblers Pegs
Bidens pilosa
Spray
Fleabane
Conyza albida
Spray
Cape Ivy
Delairea odorata
Cut and Paint, Spray
Lantana
Lantana camara
Cut and Paint
White Passionfruit
Passiflora subpeltata
Cut and Paint, Spray
Cape Gooseberry
Physalis peruviana
Cut and Paint, Spray
Inkweed
Phytolacca octandra
Cut and Paint, Spray
Blackberry
Rubus fruticosis
Scrape and paint
Fireweed
Senecio madagascarensis
Spray
Cassia
Senna septentrionalis
Cut and Paint
Paddys Lucerne
Sida rhombifolia
Spray
Wild Tobacco
Solanum mauritianum
Cut and Paint
The work in progress in pictures
Many hands courtesy of Conservation Volunteers Australia make light work of clearing the lantana in Zone 4 – the front gully.
Zone 4 secondary weed control follow up. Note the regeneration of native trees.
Great to be able to see the rainforest without the weeds.
Zone 3 The boundary fence line before we started the project
The same fence line 8 months later
Even the heifers are impressed with the work in Zone 1
Primary Control in Zone 1
Extensive tree planting in Zone 1
Truly amazing outcomes are happening in Zone 2 in the back gully which was heavily infested with Lantana
Zone 2 looking down the slope prior to the commencement of works
The same view after primary and secondary weed control
Zone 2 looking up the slope prior to the commencement of works
Post primary weed control
Zone 2 planting native species
The endangered Illawarra Socket Wood which is seeding in Zone 2
Great outcomes indeed for the farmers, the natural landscape and the beautiful Illawarra region. Lets hope the short sighted choices by the current federal government don’t find us in a situation where we lose forever the gains we have made. See previous post here. Again I say
Lets appreciate what we have before it becomes what we had
The article looks at the challenge of changing attitudes towards action (or inaction) on climate change. According to the article findings from recently published PCCCS report aren’t very complimentary to climate change scientists – pushing their arguments and beliefs in the form of charts, data and weighty studies but generally missing the mark and lacking traction.
The PCCCS says the major barrier to influencing change is not about the quality of the scientific data or the compelling no-brainer facts, but that many people denying or resisting their arguments simply have a different world view, and often different political values.
This is not the first time this has been said and to their credit the smart people in the scientific community widely acknowledge they are part of the problem. But (and please correct me if I am wrong) we don’t seem to be getting much traction in moving away from the squiggly diagrams loaded science and moving towards a community based we are all in this together mindset and giving the community ownership of the mantra
What’s good for the planet is good for us.
This is the image that bought it all into perspective for me
This is what Steve has to say
Engage for change
The recent release of a paper by a bunch of British academics into the challenge of changing attitudes towards action (or inaction) on climate change has some interesting and sobering suggestions for communities pushing change agendas in food and agriculture.
The report by the Policy Commission on Communicating Climate Science (PCCCS) was published in May this year by the University College, London. The findings aren’t very complimentary to climate change scientists – pushing their arguments and beliefs in the form of charts, data and weighty studies but generally missing the mark and lacking traction.
The PCCCS says this is because they are often ill prepared to engage with the emotionally, politically and ideologically-charged public debate on the issues, and the use of their science. The major barrier to influencing change is not about the quality of the scientific data or the compelling no-brainer facts, but that many people denying or resisting their arguments simply have a different world view, and often different political values.
The PCCCS recommends the scientific community needs to take a totally fresh approach and equip themselves with a new suite of skills. It should band together through a professional body, get training in effective communication and seek better engagement with the community and policymakers. It also says they should stop resorting to alarmist, world-destructive consequences of inaction.
This is not just about the climate.
The suggestions are highly relevant in a wider context, where researchers try to “push” change through methods they believe are best.
The challenges ahead in sustaining the world in nutritious food will continue to run into many fights that challenge ideology. And they will continue to be tackled by armies of passionate people trying to sway with swathes of facts or sponsored evidence.
When trying to enlist the farmers into the adoption of business improvement programs, don’t drown them in data and glossy paper. Finding out what will engage people. Unlocking an appetite for change should be the highest priority in landing an effective message, rather than investing in better ways to present facts and package more compelling data. Investments in benchmarking for the sake of it run headlong into this risk area.
The same applies to arguments on the either side of debates about food production from the use of GMOs to organic methods, and even through to the evils of certain nutrients and ingredients in food processing.
People hold beliefs because of who they are, what their social value set defines in them – but not what they read or don’t read.
Steve also has some interesting thoughts on the recent PETA ‘expose’ into very isolated shearing practices in the wool industry. See Are we buying the PETA yarn?
Wearing my “I am very proud Australian farmer hat” and I am in a room of farmers and the question is asked “Who of you considers yourself a bit of an environmentalist?”… I would like to be confident, that like mine, every single hand in the room would go up without a moments thought ( or checking out what everyone else is doing). I fear however that this may not be the case
Environmentalists advocate the sustainable management of resources and stewardship of the environment through changes in public policy and individual behaviour. In its recognition of humanity as a participant in (not enemy of) ecosystems, the movement is centred on ecology, health, and human rights.
Is there any more noble cause than ecology, health and human rights? With over 60% of Australia’s landscape being looked after by farmers its goes without saying ( or it should) all Australian farmers are environmentalists
Yet environmentalist seems to be one of those words that farmers shy away from using in case they get labelled “greenies’ or ‘tree huggers’ or heaven forbid ‘friends of Green Peace or WWF’
Stand tall stand proud fellow farmers we aren’t just talking about it we are walking the walk .Shout it from the rooftops “ I am a proud Australian farmer and I am an environmentalist” After all have you ever met a farmer who aims to leave their land worse off then when they arrived?.
For those of you who would like to see what some of our proud Australian farmers who are self declared environmentalists are up to there are some great blogs and websites for you to visit
I live in a very special place. When I wake up early in the morning and watch the sunrise its shear beauty often moves me to tears.
Every three weeks the view from my front verandah looks even more nutritious and delicious when the real cows come to visit.
I just don’t know how I could cope if I woke up every morning to watch it slowly bleaching and dying in front of me which is what is currently happening to our World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef
Can you believe that despite the Great Barrier Reef being one of the healthiest coral reef ecosystems there has been a 50% decline in coral cover since 1985.
Last weekend at the invitation of the Camp Earth Hour Retreat my front verandah on Heron Island looked like this.
As you can imagine it was hard to leave but then not everyone is like me and gets to live some-where just as special.
I am a great believer in the adage
Appreciate what you have before it becomes what you had.
This brings me to the question “why is the reef dying?” Well lots of reasons and most of them are man made areas including catchment run-off, degradation of coastal ecosystems and direct-use activities such as shipping and fishing. Why has it become a burning bed issue and crucial we act now. Dare I say it CLIMATE CHANGE
You know what I dislike most about the people who say it isn’t, they are the type of people who don’t take responsibility for anything. Thank goodness they are just a small minority albeit a noisy one. I care very much that it even might be a possibility.
Professor Lesley Hughes ( who I was lucky enough to meet this weekend) sums up why we should all care beautifully in this slide
