Earlier this year The Fitzroy Basin Association (FBA) introduced a pilot scheme to help landholders improve ground cover on their properties, enhancing sustainability and reducing the flow of sediment to the Great Barrier Reef. You may have heard these referred to as “Groundcover Stewardships”. This program has now matured to be known as “Voluntary Land Management Agreements” or VLMA’s. Under this scheme, graziers with “C” or “D” category [what would place a property into one of these categories?] portions of property can be eligible for a range of assistance to improve the condition of the land. Every property is different and will benefit from a range of actions.

If you have land with areas lacking good grass cover and would like to improve it, talk to one of our project officers who will come to your property and discuss the situation. The assistance ranges from fencing and water points, through ripping, [dependant on soil type and slope.], & seeding followed by wet season spelling and will be tailored to your conditions and aims. In some circumstances there can be a payment of up to 50% of the agistment rate when cattle have to be removed to allow wet season spelling.

Under a VLMA payments are spread over 5 years, with 20% after the contract is signed followed by 30% at the end of the first wet season. The remaining 50% is spread as annual payments following the wet season.

The major component of this program is to match stocking rates [of what?] to carrying capacity and so allow the land to produce to optimum levels.

Feed budgeting is an integral part of this and the annual payments are dependent on measured improvement in ground cover. Levels to be attained are established through consultation with the landholder combining the type of country, condition of the pasture at the beginning [of what?] and actions being undertaken to get the most sustainable combination. Historical data is also used when calculating sustainable targets to ensure accuracy.

To find out more about how you can benefit from a Voluntary Land Management Agreement please call the FRCC office today to speak to a Project Officer, or click here to read more.(link to flyer)

Unfortunately we can’t make it rain but we can help you get the most use of what does fall in the future! [this sentence is very casual compared to the rest of the post and seems out of place]

Below is a potential VLMA site [maybe pictures should be at the top of each post?]