Rural Production

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Climate change
A green skilled workforce
On-farm sustainability
Industry case studies
More information
Industry training

It may sound obvious, but a sustainable rural economy and a healthy environment go hand in hand.

Climate change

Australia’s farming sector is at the front line when it comes to the impacts of climate change. Already drought and environmental degradation make it challenging to maintain traditional land management practices.

Agriculture contributes approximately 12 per cent of NSW’s green house gases. This makes the sector susceptible to the risks brought about by a low carbon economy and from the pressures to change practices.

Green skills are the abilities your staff need to work in an economy that is increasingly driven by environmental priorities such as carbon reduction, climate change and sustainability.

By being equipped with green skills, NSW primary producers will increase their preparedness for the future challenges of climate change.

A green skilled workforce

Techniques, equipment and practices in primary industries are forever evolving. You would buy new technology to increase productivity.

Investing in a better trained, green workforce can sustain your farm’s productivity too. Recent figures show that, despite the global economic slowdown, job growth and skills shortages continue on NSW farms.

Investing in green workforce development is one way you can keep good workers.

On-farm sustainability

Improving the environment improves on-farm sustainability. There are also broader community benefits including the practical demonstration that farmers are responsible custodians of the land.

Industry case studies

Farms across NSW are already reaping the benefits. The examples below show how green training is good for the land and good for your bottom line.

Grazier
Winery
Macadamia and Coffee Farmer
Fish Farmer

Native tree planing at Toulon

Grazier - super fine wool, Bathurst

“The formal training I have done has definitely helped me to look more closely at the interaction between the land and grazing, which allows me to plan ahead.” says superfine wool grower Michael Inwood of Toulon, an 800-hectare property near Bathurst in the NSW Central West, producing super fine wool. [Download PDF 300kb]

Crop production using waste water at De Bertoli

Winery - De Bortoli

When Rob Glastonbury, operations manager at De Bortoli winery arrived, he set about eliminating sodium based chemicals from the production process to stop complaints about the smell from neighbours. "This meant that all winery wastewater was 'plant usable' and it profoundly changed our thinking.” The wastewater is now used to generate over $200,000 in crops. [Download PDF 252kb]

Organic Macadamia and Coffee Farm

Catherine and Chris Ford could not have fulfulled their dream of a running an organic macadamia and coffee farm on the NSW north coast, without green skills training. “The courses showed me how to put together a management plan to ensure that we use sustainable methods. Now, I have a high level of understanding of the life cycles and interactions of crops, weeds, pests and diseases." says Catherine. [Download PDF 345kb]

Tailor Made Fish Farms

Fish Farm - Tailor Made

It’s nothing new for top restaurants to offer quality seafood, but what’s on the menu at Tailor Made Fish Farms is quite surprising. It’s a farming system that is both sustainable and environmentally responsible. “We can control so much more by growing fish on a land-based farm in a sustainable manner. Fish can’t escape, pollutants don’t go into the sea and the water is recycled,” says managing director Nick Arena. [Download PDF 268kb]