VLPA Update (Issue 50)

PETER MCCLUSKEY from the Victorian Limestone Producers Association reports on combating soil acidity through the use of lime.

THE seminar series addressing soil acidification which commenced in February 2010 has continued in western Victoria culminating in the very successful Westvic Dairy field day and seminar at Terang in late April.

The VLPA has had the support of Southern Farming Systems for several funding applications to the Commonwealth “Caring For Our Country” agricultural extension program in the last couple of years and although not successful in obtaining our own funding, the VLPA can claim to have been part of the movement to recognize the deleterious effects on agricultural productivity caused by soil acidification.

Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Authority (GHCMA) recently obtained funding to run a series of workshops in western Victoria on acidification. GHCMA has contracted Southern Farming Systems to organise the seminars which in turn has invited VLPA to provide input via specialist speakers.

The VLPA obtained the services of Dr Kevin Reed ex-DPI Hamilton and now of Reed Pasture Specialists to speak on pasture matters and the use of lime together with Scott Cameron of Westlake Fertilisers to speak on lime application in cropping. In addition Tim Johnston of DPI Geelong spoke on the general need to combat soil acidity.

A field day was held at Lake Bolac in late February followed by seminars in March at Cavendish, Mininera, Beaufort and Dunkeld. A comprehensive field day and seminar on soil acidification and nutrient best practices was run by Westvic Dairy in Terang in late April also via the GHCMA funding.

Westvic Dairy is a research and development body funded in part by dairy industry levies. A number of lime products from the region were displayed to give participants first hand appreciation of how the product can be processed and how it works. Perennial Pasture Systems, a farmer member body operating in the Ararat region with similar objectives to Westvic Dairy but applicable to the local climate and agricultural orientation of the region, ran a conference in March covering the use of lime to combat toxicity in pasture varirties and the role of soil carbon in pasture management.

Andrew Speirs of MS&A agricultural consultants covered the role of lime in pasture management and VLPA had an information display including a list of all member producers at the associated trade display. Th e North East Catchment Management Authority has invited VLPA to have a display at its forthcoming soil carbon conference in Wangaratta in late May.

These events have been well attended to date and it is pleasing to see Commonwealth Government financial support directed towards this important problem for which lime provides a quick acting and natural solution.

Further information is available from Peter McCluskey on 0408 496 588

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