Natural Sequence Farming

Govt vows cash to make farming resilient
November 10, 2007 - SMH 1:34PM


A re-elected Howard government would spend $6 million on a demonstration and study of natural sequence farming.

The technique, developed by NSW Hunter Valley landowner Peter Andrews, is designed to improve the health of floodplains and streams by slowing the rate of water flow after rain.

Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull said natural sequence farming techniques trialled to date had proved resilient to drought and deserved further investigation.

Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran said $6 million would be spent setting up a network of demonstration sites and establishing a scientific review panel to analyse and audit each site.

Greens senator Rachel Siewert said the funding was a welcome initiative but it needed to be part of a broader approach to improving water use in farming.

"The series of trials (of natural sequence farming) need to fit into an overall strategic approach to managing the landscape in a changing climate," she told AAP.

Greens senator Rachel Siewert said the funding was a welcome initiative but it needed to be part of a broader approach to improving water use in farming.

"The series of trials (of natural sequence farming) need to fit into an overall strategic approach to managing the landscape in a changing climate," she told AAP.

© 2007 AAP

Some good news at last but it is only a pledge....we have support from the Greens now we need to lobby the Labour Party to get bi-partisan support so that it all becomes a reality. The Govts chances of being re-elected looks slim according to all the pollsters.

As they say in the classics 'it ain't over till the fat lady sings'.....the next week will be critical. If your thinking of voting for whatever party put some heat on your labour candidate to get a commitment from them.

I know what you mean Duane, it could be a case of too little too late, and major parties seem to have a habit of promising a lot more when they are on the ropes.. Wonder how the whole NSF ethos will fit with the parties when they realize they may be doing, big, election campaign coffer filling companies out of coin because lets face it thats why a lot of protections and policy that seem archaic are still there...Too cynical?? sorry

That's true Muzza...no chemical company wants to see NSF get up for all the obvious reasons.

But the people want clean food, water, chemical free food for themselves and for their children.

Cancers, MS, obesity, diabetes are all symtomatic , I believe, of a mineral and nutrient imbalance, in our food.

Recent reserch out of the UK and CSIRO suggests that our foods have 40% less nutrients in them than 30 years ago.

So very right, nutrient density has to be a huge prority in our move forward. If we could stop looking at quantity above all else and be rewarded for a better product hopefully the uptake of NSF would be two fold and beyond