Enhanced Producer Demonstration Site Program Phase III

Summary

The Enhanced Producer Demonstration Site (EPDS) concept was developed in 2014 to build on the success of local on-farm demonstrations for accelerating adoption and practice change by southern Australian beef and sheep producers.  

EPDS offers excellent learning opportunities by supporting producer groups to explore practices relevant to their operations; observing, measuring and evaluating the practices and how best to incorporate changes on their own properties. At the same time, the group undertakes skill development activities relevant to the practices demonstrated. Livestock producers are generally enthusiastic participants in these group projects that allow them to learn according to their preferred style; through direct experience and through farmer-to-farmer contact.  

This project follows two previous EPDS partnerships between MLA and Agriculture Victoria. 

• EPDS Phase 1 project ran from 2014-2017 with 8 demonstration projects.  

• EPDS Phase 2 project ran between 2018-2022 and involved 7 demonstrations and the completion of EPDS Phase 1 demonstrations. 

This EPDS Phase 3 project enables five additional producer groups to identify practices, research or technologies that potentially contribute to their productivity, profitability or sustainability and test and adapt it to their farming systems. 

The aim of the EPDS Program is to increase producer adoption of management practices and technologies that lead to productivity, profitability and sustainability outcomes. The project will support sheep and beef producer groups to demonstrate the business value of integrating new research and development outputs into local farming systems. With the support of Agriculture Victoria extension staff, they can observe, measure and evaluate the demonstration outcomes and explore how to best incorporate changes into local management systems. 

Objectives

By May 2028, across Victoria: 

Objective 1:  Conduct five new EPDS projects with producer groups to demonstrate and assess key management practices or technologies. 

Deliverables 

1.1 A minimum of 15 demonstration sites, directly engaging a minimum of 50 core producers (10 producers per demonstration project) and approximately 200 observer group members in five demonstration projects. 

1.2 Engage at least 1,000 producers 50 service providers attendees in industry development activities such as field days, workshops, webinars and presentations. It is expected that more than 4,000 producers will be engaged through wider media channels. 

1.3 Conduct benefit: cost analysis for key practices for each demonstration. 

1.4 Conduct a series of skill development and training activities relating to the practices and technologies demonstrated (e.g. Feed On Offer or condition score assessment) in order to increase producer knowledge, skills and confidence. 

Objective 2: Increase adoption of, and motivation to adopt, the practices and technologies demonstrated within the EPDS program.  

Deliverables 

2.1 80% of core producers directly engaged in on-farm demonstrations adopt new practices or technologies (or indicate their intention to do so within 12 months) as a result of their participation. 

2.2 50% of observer producers adopt new practices or technologies (or indicate their intention to do so within 12 months) because of their participation. 

2.2 Develop and deliver an extension plan for each demonstration that achieves broad-scale awareness of project activities and outcomes, including at least 1 media article/case study/newsletter, 2 social media posts and 1 field day or webinar per year. 

2.3 At the conclusion of each demonstration, continue the extension campaign to include a face-to-face or webinar presentation and the development of legacy products, including a fact sheet or project snapshot and at least one case study (print or video) per demonstration. 

Objective 3: Re-evaluate EPDS Phase 2 demonstrations to understand adoption, practice change over time and impact of this project.  

Deliverables 

3.1 Conduct interviews with core and observer producers evolved EPDS Phase 2 demonstrations and develop a stand-alone summary report on the outcomes.   

Progress

The Enhanced Producer Demonstration Site Phase III project was established to increase producer adoption of management practices and technologies that lead to productivity, profitability and sustainability outcomes.

The project supports five groups of sheep and beef producers to demonstrate the business value of integrating research and development outcomes into local farming systems. 

This year, most regions of Victoria, particularly the southwest, faced severe impacts from drought and dry conditions, including a very late (June) break after very low rainfall conditions since June 2023. This has been an ongoing challenge for the demonstrations which started during drought—especially pasture-based projects. Despite these difficulties, the five projects have continued demonstrate practices, run extension events and skill development workshops and produce media articles to promote results more widely.

The project has engaged 58 core and approximately 181 observer producers to date. Twenty-six extension activities have been conducted with 392 farmer and 36 service provider attendees. There have been 17 media and 18 (FB and X) social media posts prepared to promote the project and individual demonstrations.