Investing in Total Grazing Pressure management

Across 1.9 million square kilometres of Australia’s rangelands, producers constantly face challenges in managing Total Grazing Pressure (TGP). 

An MLA-funded project is underway to identify research and development investment opportunities that will help achieve production gains through TGP management.

Led by NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI), the project aims to review current data and identify information gaps to develop a detailed investment plan for MLA. The main regions of interest are the arid and semi-arid rangelands of central and south-west Queensland, western NSW, SA and WA.

Given the intricacies of management issues vary from property to property due to differences in production systems, species abundance, infrastructure and state legislation, the project aims to gather insights into the issue by obtaining input from as many producers, land managers and service providers as possible through this survey: surveymonkey.com/r/RangelandsTGP

The survey is collecting information about the number of domestic and non-domestic grazing animals and their impacts on soils, pastures and business profitability.  It is gauging what management practices are most effective for TGP management in different regions, as well as views on important information gaps. Further industry engagement may be necessary to investigate issues or themes that emerge from the survey responses.

The results will form part of an extensive review of existing TGP management data informed by science and current practice. A knowledge database will synthesise the information most relevant to industry to support future research and development, as well as natural resource management (NRM) activities.

The project is a partnership between researchers and NRM bodies from four states – Queensland, NSW, SA and WA. Other partners include National Rangeland NRM Alliance, Queensland’s Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, South West NRM, NSW Western Local Land Services, Revell Science, Rangelands NRM, Natural Resources SA Arid Lands, and Department of Primary Industries and Regions SA.

Hard copies of the survey are also available. Contact: Trudie Atkinson NSW DPI Development Officer T: 0427 102 431 E: trudie.atkinson@dpi.nsw.gov.au

For more information about the project, contact: Cathy Waters NSW DPI National Project Coordinator T: 0417 626 288 E: cathy.waters@dpi.nsw.gov.au