About the episode
Australia’s peak farming bodies are demanding urgent action from the Federal Government to respond to an independent review of the Rural Investment Corporation so that it can offer lower interest loans to farmers during drought. Dry conditions have seen the emergence of toxic weeds, particularly around rivers, dams, creeks and drains areas. Recent rainfall has seen the emergence of green pick over paddocks and dry dams are finally starting to fill. But farmers are still spending up to six hours a day feeding livestock. Australia is a land of ancient soils and about half of it is acidic. Traditionally farmers have used lime based fertilizer to boost productivity. Now Australian scientists from around the country are trialling a much cheaper alternative: using crushed basalt, a byproduct of the mining and construction industries, at a cost of just $30 a tonne. All the details Ag Victoria workshops titled In good Times and Bad: an Adaptive Farming Future. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
