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Beacon farmers aiming for sustainable feed source

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Sustainable Agriculture

Ken and Kelly Huckstep farm north of Beacon and they know they need to farm smart in the harsh north east Wheatbelt conditions.

Diversification into livestock is a risk adaption in a changing climate and their merino flock is aimed at the fat lamb market.

The Huckstep’s are working with Wheatbelt NRM to demonstrate how farm planning can improve ground cover for soil health and production benefits.

Over the years Ken and Kelly have put a lot of work into incorporating forage shrubs into their system.  Forage plantings are addressing salinity and providing shelter and summer/autumn feed options for their sheep enterprise.

By working with Wheatbelt NRM the Huckstep’s hope to improve their management practices across their business and increase their knowledge particularly in regard to summer feed crops and forage shrubs.  They seek to provide a sustainable feed source in marginal areas across all soil types that reduces salinity and improves livestock health and production.

The farm planner AgVivo will be working with Ken and Kelly to identify these areas on their farm and prioritise the best areas to improve.

Contact Bonny Dunlop Heague at bdunlop@wheatbeltnrm.org.au to follow how Ken and Kelly and our other mixed farmers are progressing.

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