MSF Farm Talk Podcast

Mallee Sustainable Farming

MSF's Farm Talk Podcast proudly brings Farmers, Researchers and Ag Industry connections together to chat innovative farming practices to help build a sustainable farming future for our Mallee growers. Mallee Sustainable Farming is a farmer-driven organisation specialising in Research, Development and Extension for NSW, VIC & SA's low-rainfall Mallee region. For more information visit: www.msfp.org.au/podcast 

  1. Sandy Soils, New Solutions: Insights from Soil CRC Project

    4 dgn geleden

    Sandy Soils, New Solutions: Insights from Soil CRC Project

    In this episode of the MSF Farm Talk podcast, PIRSA’s Amanda Schapel shares insights from the long-running, collaborative, Soil CRC Sandy Soil Project. The project is investigating how clay and organic amendments can improve the productivity and resilience of sandy soils through literature reviews, pot trials and long-term multi-site field research. Amanda explains why sandy soils can behave so differently depending on factors such as depth to clay, grain size and rainfall environment, while also outlining the multiple constraints often present in sandy systems, including compaction, acidity, water repellence, and poor nutrient and water-holding capacity. Drawing on a review of 89 projects and 270 treatments, the episode explores how organic amendments can rapidly improve deep sandy soils, although benefits may decline after several years, while subsoil clay provides a slower but more persistent productivity response. Amanda also discusses the performance of novel amendments including bentonite, zeolite and compost products, highlighting the importance of matching amendments to specific soil constraints and balancing long-term benefits with cost-effectiveness. Project page with additional resources including research report, fact sheets and webinars: https://soilcrc.com.au/projects/new-amendments-for-sandy-soils/ This work has been supported by the Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils, whose activities are funded by the Australian Government's Cooperative Research Centres Program. Support the show: https://msfp.org.au/about/membership/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    20 min.
  2. Exploring Crop Rotation and Legume Integration: Year 1 Insights from the Millewa - with Louise Brok

    18 jun

    Exploring Crop Rotation and Legume Integration: Year 1 Insights from the Millewa - with Louise Brok

    Mallee Sustainable Farming Research Officer Louise Brok shares insights from the Millewa long-term crop rotation trial established in 2025 in the Victorian Mallee. The trial is evaluating pulse-inclusive farming systems, featuring 50% legumes across five fully phased rotations over four years. The project is investigating profitability, nitrogen fixation and fertiliser requirements, and groundcover retention. Designed for the low-organic-carbon sandy soils of the region, the work aims to test and validate farming systems that improve both productivity and resilience in high-risk environments. Despite an extremely dry 2025 season — with crops dry sown on 5 May and receiving only around 90 mm of growing-season rainfall — the trials still delivered valuable early insights. This episode explores the first-year results from the crop rotation and legume integration trial, along with additional demonstrations including wheat–vetch intercropping with varying vetch termination timings and a MAP fertiliser rate demonstration. 📄 Year 1 Results Fact Sheet: Millewa Fact Sheet Year 1📋 Legume based cropping systems project page: Legume Based Cropping Systems - Mallee Sustainable Farming This project is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program. Support the show: https://msfp.org.au/about/membership/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    12 min.
  3. Navigating Carbon Farming and Emissions Accounting - with Ed Scott

    4 jun

    Navigating Carbon Farming and Emissions Accounting - with Ed Scott

    In this episode of the MSF Farm Talk podcast 🎙️, recorded at the March MSF Mallee Research Updates, Ed Scott explores how carbon farming and emissions accounting are evolving in Australian agriculture — and what it means at the farm gate. Ed discusses the shift from carbon credits toward sustainability reporting and Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, and why grain buyers and supply chains are increasingly focused on emissions intensity. He also explains how tools like the GAF Tool and AIA platform can help growers benchmark performance over 3–5 years. The conversation highlights practical opportunities to reduce emissions while maintaining profitability, including improving nitrogen efficiency, incorporating legumes, increasing yield potential, and strengthening on-farm data capture and documentation. Ed also links emissions intensity to precision agriculture, discussing variable rate inputs, layering data such as yield, protein, NDVI and soil tests, and the emerging market programs and incentives shaping the future of farming. Emissions Accounting Tools:Greenhouse Accounting Frameworks (GAF) for Australian Primary Industries: Tools | Primary Industries Climate Challenges CentreAIA Environmental Accounting Platform: Home | AIA EAP This podcast episode of the Regional Drought Resilience Planning program is supported by Mallee CMA and Mallee Sustainable Farming, through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and the Victorian Government. Support the show: https://msfp.org.au/about/membership/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    18 min.
  4. Tackling Mallee Seeps: Insights from the MSF Research Update

    21 mei

    Tackling Mallee Seeps: Insights from the MSF Research Update

    Tackling Mallee Seeps: Insights from the MSF Research Update In this episode of the MSF Farm Talk podcast 🎙️, Chris McDonough shares insights from a Mallee Research Update in Victoria on identifying and managing Mallee seeps — areas where perched water tables bring water and salt close to the soil surface, causing ponding, crop loss and bare saline scalds. The discussion covers the importance of early detection, understanding water-table salinity, and practical management strategies to restore affected areas. These include re-establishing living groundcover with salt-tolerant species such as puccinellia and tall wheat grass, and lowering perched water tables by intercepting and utilising excess water with perennial plants like lucerne strips. Chris also highlights a range of tools and videos available on the MSF website, including a five-step decision tree to help growers assess seep type, landscape position, severity and salinity.   Explore the Mallee Seeps project pages to learn more about identifying mallee seeps, best-practice management approaches, and grower case studies. Project Page, Resources and Case Studies: Mallee Seeps - Mallee Sustainable Farming Mallee Seeps Decision Tree  - Mallee Sustainable Farming Case studies of seeps trial sites in the Victorian Mallee - Mallee Sustainable Farming Evaluation & monitoring methods for Mallee seeps - Mallee Sustainable Farming Mallee Seeps Satellite NDVI Imagery - Mallee Sustainable Farming Soils Connect (Practical Soil Management Resources):Soils Connect | Your Hub for Soil Knowledge & Innovation   This podcast episode of the Regional Drought Resilience Planning program is supported by Mallee CMA and Mallee Sustainable Farming, through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and the Victorian Government. Support the show: https://msfp.org.au/about/membership/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    10 min.
  5. Managing Dry Saline Land: Insights from the MSF Research Updates

    7 mei

    Managing Dry Saline Land: Insights from the MSF Research Updates

    Managing Dry Saline Land: Insights from the MSF Research Updates In this episode of the MSF Farm Talk podcast, Chris McDonough shares practical insights from a recent MSF Mallee Research Update in Victoria, exploring how growers can better manage dry saline land and improve crop establishment in challenging conditions. Chris explains how transient subsoil salinity can move to the soil surface during dry periods through capillary rise and evaporation, often making the top 5 cm significantly more saline than the layers below. The episode also unpacks how salinity impacts crops through osmotic stress and toxicity, reducing germination, emergence and plant survival. The discussion focuses on practical management strategies aimed at improving establishment and maintaining ground cover, including: Retaining surface cover such as straw or mulch Using opportunistic rainfall events to aid establishment Avoiding practices that bring saline clay to the surface Considering more salt-tolerant crop varieties This episode provides growers and advisers with practical considerations for protecting soil surfaces, improving resilience and managing productivity on saline-prone soils. Explore the Dry Saline Land project pages to learn more about identifying dry saline land, best-practice management approaches, and grower case studies. Project Pages: Dry Saline Land - Mallee Sustainable Farming Fixing Saline Soils - Mallee Sustainable Farming Case Studies: Case Study 5: Rick Plant | Resilient Soils Saline Soils Case Study How to spread straw Spreading sand vs straw Soils Connect (Practical Soil Management Resources): Soils Connect | Your Hub for Soil Knowledge & Innovation This podcast episode of the Regional Drought Resilience Planning program is supported by Mallee CMA and Mallee Sustainable Farming, through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and the Victorian Government. Support the show: https://msfp.org.au/about/membership/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    11 min.
  6. Veris Mapping Explained: Seeing Soil pH Differently - with Jordan Ball

    27 apr

    Veris Mapping Explained: Seeing Soil pH Differently - with Jordan Ball

    Veris Mapping Explained: Seeing Soil pH Differently - with Jordan Ball. In this episode of the MSF Farm Talk Podcast 🎙️Kylie Matthewson catches up with Jordan Ball from AgMap Soil Testing at the recent MSF Pre-Seeding Workshop & VRT Forum at Lameroo in March. Jordan presented on the day on Veris mapping, acidity and other applications. The discussion explores how Veris mapping can help farmers better understand and manage soil acidity variability across their paddocks. Take-home messages: Soil pH variability is common and often underestimated Veris mapping provides precision insights to target lime where it’s needed most Soil acidity is an ongoing challenge—monitoring and management are key Using the right tools supports better input decisions and long-term productivity If you want to hear more, like 👍 and subscribe 🔔 to the MSF Farm Talk Podcast 🚜🎙️ This podcast episode was recorded at the MSF Pre-seeding Workshop & VRT Forum at Lameroo in March and is supported by the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board. Support the show: https://msfp.org.au/about/membership/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    11 min.
  7. Keeping Sandy Soils in Place: Exploring dust control solutions with Shane Phillips – BioCentral Labs

    26 mrt

    Keeping Sandy Soils in Place: Exploring dust control solutions with Shane Phillips – BioCentral Labs

    🎙️In this MSF Farm Talk podcast episode, host Sarah Day chats with Shane Phillips, lead chemist at BioCentral Labs, about dust control solutions for sandy soils in broadacre cropping. Shane discusses two products being trialled in the Mallee this year – DustChek, a polymer binding agent, and AquaBoost, a fermented seagrass bacterial product – and how they could help reduce soil drift and erosion risk. For more information on BioCentral Labs products, visit: https://www.biocentral-labs.com/To learn more about the project, check out the media release: https://msfp.org.au/new-project-funding-secured-as-drought-and-dust-take-hold-in-the-mallee/ Keep an eye out for updates from this project during the growing season. If you want to hear more, like 👍 and subscribe 🔔 to the MSF Farm Talk Podcast. This project is supported by the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board with funding from the South Australian Government’s Landscape Priorities Fund, with co-investment from GRDC. Support the show: https://msfp.org.au/about/membership/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    9 min.
  8. Test Strips, Tough Seasons: What VRT Is Really Delivering

    11-12-2025

    Test Strips, Tough Seasons: What VRT Is Really Delivering

    In this episode of the MSF Farm Talk Podcast 🎙️, host Sarah Day catches up with growers David Daniel, Adrian Bormann and Nathan Paech 🚜 to reflect on the season 🌱 and unpack their experiences with variable rate technology (VRT). Together, they explore the motivations behind running test strips and the key insights gained along the way. The growers share honest reflections on using data to guide decisions 📊, optimise inputs 💧🌾, and refine their approach for future seasons 🌤️. Listeners will come away with practical, paddock-ready advice 💡 on integrating VRT and test strips into their own farming systems. 🌾 If you want to hear more, like 👍 and subscribe 🔔 to the MSF Farm Talk Podcast 🚜🎙️ This podcast episode is supported by the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board and the Australian Government through funding from the National Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: https://msfp.org.au/about/membership/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    14 min.
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Info

MSF's Farm Talk Podcast proudly brings Farmers, Researchers and Ag Industry connections together to chat innovative farming practices to help build a sustainable farming future for our Mallee growers. Mallee Sustainable Farming is a farmer-driven organisation specialising in Research, Development and Extension for NSW, VIC & SA's low-rainfall Mallee region. For more information visit: www.msfp.org.au/podcast 

Informatie

  • Maker
    Mallee Sustainable Farming
  • Jaren actief
    2020 - 2026
  • Afleveringen
    100
  • Beoordeling
    Veilig
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Mallee Sustainable Farming
  • Website van aflevering
    MSF Farm Talk Podcast

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