Biological Farming

Bionutrient Solutions, Moree are holding a field day at Collymongle, a Twynams farm outside Collarenebri which is set to showcase some impressive results occurring in cotton (and other crops) using biological techniques. The field day was originally scheduled for 2nd March, but rain forced its postponment to 16th March . For those that can make it, there will be a lot of really interesting things to observe. I can email or fax through further details.

Soil Carbon

Its a wonderful sitting back on the sidelines watching the rise of a new movement sweeping in - particularly when that movement is literally a win-win for everyone. Apparently the National Party is pledging to spend $3.6 million investigating methods of storing carbon back into soils. While it is sad that the issue of soil carbon is likely to enter the political arena and it is the fear of rising CO2 levels that is fueling its momentum.....the end result is going to be simply great.

In the meantime, the Australian Soil Carbon Accreditation Scheme (ASCAS) will be launched at the Katanning 'Managing the Carbon Cycle' Workshop in WA on 21-22 March. Yes, farmers are about to get paid for their soil carbon sequestrations here in Australia! This press release - Soil Carbon 'Goldmine' for WA Farmers - explains how 'Farmers participating in the ASCAS project will receive 'Soil Credits' worth $25 per tonne carbon dioxide. This equates to over $90 per tonne of carbon sequestered in soil, making 'carbon farming' a potentially lucrative enterprise...'. The attached paper provides more details and information, and will be presented by Dr Christine Jones at Katanning. Aust Soil Carbon Accreditation Scheme 14/03/2007,11:01 42.61 Kb

Soil Health

The lastest Ecos magazine has a great article - Saving the Life of Farmland Soils - which looks at Australia's farmland soils and the increasing risk of their becoming sterile. It is certainly part of the movement occuring that I speak of above.

Climate Change

For those who may be curious about my CO2 remark above I highly recommend you watch The Great Global Warming Swindle; and for those that have a niggling feeling about man-made climate change and have followed some of my snippets and doubts on this, this is an absolute must; and for those that have been whipped up into a frenzy of fear by An Inconvenient Truth (and other media airplays) then this is an absolute absolute must! By the way, there is an easier way to download these videos with less fuss. Start the video, then press pause and leave it for an hour or so (and go do something else). When you come back and press play it will run smoothly.

Cash for On Farm Conservation

Farmers could soon be paid 100pc of the cost of managing their own land for the environment under a new "stewardship" program which has just been given a tick by the Federal Government. Read more...

Chemical Card^tm Course

NSW Farmers Association is offering chemical training through their Chemcial Card^tm Course which involves home study plus a one day workshop. The workshops will be held in Goondiwindi on 30th March and Moree on 2nd April. Discounts are offered to NSW Farmers' Association Members. Chemical Card Course - Goondiwindi & Moree 14/03/2007,11:57 90.23 Kb

Young Rural Australians

Up to 20 innovative individuals (18-35 year olds) will be chosen to participate in the Australian Government's Enhancing Entrepreneurial Skills Course in Melbourne in May which aims to inspire rural people to adopt a market-driven approach to their business. Applications close 30th March 2007.

Women's Advancement Initiative

Community and Food

I linked the wrong video to the Walmart story last newsletter....my apologies. This should have been the Wal Mark link. The video I accidently linked you last week - Supermarket Secrets Revealed - was planned for this newsletter. It is a wonderful English expose on how food is made so cheap, particularly meat based products. I thought I knew about some of the horror stories already, but even I was surprised at the extent of it.

Health

Fluoride

I was absolutely horrified to see that there is a push to have fluoride added into bottled water here in Australia. Fluoride (as in silicofluorides or sodium fluoride, which are used in most fluoride-based products, not the more benign calcium fluoride) is unarguably a poison - used in rat poisons etc. It is fascinating to follow the history of fluoride either via this video or this article , and its use for supposedly preventing tooth decay (yes, it is a case of follow the money trail!). Bacteria are responsible for tooth decay, and it is true, fluoride is one of many substances that will kill bacteria on contact (hence why it may have bit of an impact on tooth decay) - but there are a multitude of safer substances to use. Besides, the build up of tooth decaying bacteria is a result of poor health (but that is for another day). While it may be considered harmless as a contact 'bacteriocide' in the mouth, it was never, and should never be swallowed. Gosh, there are even warnings against children eating toothpaste due to likely fluoride poisonings, and recently the American Dental Association even posted a warning about using fluoridated water in baby formulas. Fluoride is bad bad bad.

Events

For events in March

For events in April

Bionutrient Solutions Discussion Group, Collarenebri NSW 16th March 2007. This event was previously scheduled for 2nd March but rain forced a rescheduling.

Managing the Carbon Cycle Workshop, Katanning WA 21st - 22nd March 2007.

NSW Farmers Association Chemical Card Workshop, Goondiwindi Qld 30th March 2007.

NSW Farmers Association Chemical Card Workshop, Moree NSW 2nd April 2007.

Place and Purpose Conference - spatial models for natural resource management and planning. Bendigo Vic 30th - 31st May 2007 .

Postscript

Relax and enjoy this series of photographs - they are simply exquisite. Just press the arrow at the bottom forward to move through them all.