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Send us Fan Mail Biochar in Cropping Trials at Inverleigh with SFS and Soil CRC (with Cameron Barr) In this Digging Deeper episode, Southern Farming Systems (SFS) research and extension officer Cameron Barr discusses a Soil CRC biochar project run with the University of Newcastle. SFS is hosting the field component at its Inverleigh trial site near Geelong (sandy loam, long-term continuous cropping, low soil organic carbon about 1–2%), alongside a parallel glasshouse/pot study in Newcastle, noting field trials show greater variability than controlled environments. The biosolids-derived biochar (from wastewater, supplied via Southeast Water) is produced by heating to very high temperatures, with potential goals including improving soil carbon and soil health and reducing PFAS risk. The two-year rotation trial uses replicated 6×2 m plots with biochar rates of 0, 5 and 12 t/ha and incorporation depths of 0–10 cm and 0–20 cm; year one wheat showed no statistically significant differences so far. Ongoing measurements include crop assessments plus end-of-project soil organic carbon, heavy metals and PFAS, with results to be shared via the University of Newcastle, Soil CRC and SFS. 00:00 Welcome and Credits 00:32 Meet Cameron Barr 01:40 How Trials Collaborate 02:55 Field vs Glasshouse 03:53 Biochar Basics 06:40 Inverleigh Trial Setup 09:04 Early Results and Testing 11:47 Costs and Practicality 13:20 Future Uses and Outlook 15:37 Where to Follow Updates 16:16 Thanks and Sign Off 00:00 Closing Credits

Send us Fan Mail Digging Deeper: Addressing Complex Soil Constraints, a Soil CRC project, with Lisa Miller In this episode of Digging Deeper, Lisa Miller discusses why managing soil constraints is often harder than identifying them, emphasizing the need to assess the full soil profile and target the most production-limiting issues. Common constraints covered include acidity (treated with lime), sodicity and dispersion (often treated with gypsum), compaction, and dense clay subsoils where deep ripping alone can be a short-lived “band-aid.” She outlines Soil CRC findings from glasshouse and laboratory reconstructed soil profiles showing the largest plant performance gains when nitrogen and phosphorus are placed directly into constrained subsoil layers, triggering deeper root growth, increased microbial activity, improved aggregation, and nutrient cycling. Gypsum improved aggregation and reduced dispersion but provided limited yield benefits alone and could increase salinity; manures can also add salts. Miller shares trial results where lucerne pellets placed at depth outperformed deep-placed lime, likely due to nitrogen supply, and notes the importance of economics, funding, and locally relevant research. More information onAddressing Soil Constraints can be found at the Soil CRC https://soilcrc.com.au/projects/addressing-complex-soil-constraints/ 00:00 Thanks and Show Intro 00:34 Meet Lisa and Topic Setup 01:46 Why Soil Constraints Are Tricky 03:12 Common Constraints and Fixes 04:08 Deep Ripping on Clay 06:09 Soil CRC Nutrients at Depth 12:08 Gypsum Limits and Salts 13:37 Dispersion and Soil Structure 14:47 Deep Rooted Crops Strategy 16:10 Organic vs Synthetic Nutrients 18:45 Costs and Practicality 19:59 Acidity Trials Lime vs Pellets 22:02 Local Research and Funding 23:11 Career Advice and Wrap Up 25:34 Final Thanks and Credits

Send us Fan Mail Managing Soil for High Performance After a Drought with Lisa Miller In this Digging Deeper episode recorded during Springfield Day, guest Lisa Miller shares her background from a beef farm near Seymour through nursing, roustabouting in 1989, and studying Agricultural Science at Melbourne University, then working with Landcare and the Department of Agriculture. The discussion focuses on managing soil for high performance after drought, emphasizing how soil type affects wetting-up and pasture establishment, with heavier clays taking longer and sometimes showing crusting or temporary water repellence. Lisa explains drought impacts on soil biology, including reduced arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi affecting phosphorus uptake, while noting common phosphorus carryover and a post-rain nitrogen flush. She also covers transient salinity in sodic soils, boron toxicity, and bicarbonate issues, advising patience before sowing and generally avoiding mechanical intervention in higher rainfall areas. Key recovery priorities include soil testing, appropriate fertiliser decisions, careful grazing timing, and whole-farm recovery planning. 00:00 Welcome and Credits 00:33 Meet Lisa Miller 01:06 Lisa’s Path into Ag 01:52 From Nursing to Ag Science 03:43 Drought Recovery Soils 04:06 Wetting Up and Repellence 08:18 Soil Biology and Phosphorus 11:57 Nitrogen Flush After Rain 13:35 Salinity and Ion Buildup 14:59 Sowing Timing and Tillage 17:49 Priorities on a Tight Budget 19:11 Grazing Recovery and Risks 21:29 Whole Farm Recovery Planning 22:39 Season Update Southwest Vic 23:57 Surprising Learnings and Wrap 25:56 Closing Thanks and Sponsors

Send us Fan Mail Visualizing Australia’s Soil: Making Soil Data Findable, Trusted and Useful In this remote Digging Deeper podcast, host Alister speaks with Pete, a principal research fellow at Federation University’s Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation, about the Visualizing Australia’s Soil (VAS) project funded through the Soil CRC. Pete explains that vast amounts of soil data exist in government legacy reports and private collections from farmer groups and service providers, but are often lost, inaccessible, or hidden; VAS creates a map-based portal and metadata catalogue to make data findable and, where permitted, accessible. The project standardizes datasets using the international Observations and Measurements standard to enable interoperability with systems like the Australian National Soil Information System and supports FAIR principles (findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable). They discuss the need for trusted data for AI, benchmarking, liming decisions, long-term paddock trends, soil moisture probe records, stewardship certification, and emerging “data spaces,” while noting social trust and privacy concerns as key challenges. Listeners can access the portal via the Soil CRC website. 00:00 Welcome and Credits 00:32 Meet Pete and Background 01:11 From Geology to Soils 02:58 What Is VASS 05:41 Public vs Private Soil Data 09:14 Standardizing and Sharing Data 10:51 AI and Trusted Evidence 13:23 Data Spaces and Accuracy 16:14 On Farm Decision Examples 19:26 FAIR Data Principles 22:37 Future of VASS and Access 25:04 Social Side of Data Sharing 27:03 Wrap Up and Thanks 00:00 Closing Credits

Send us Fan Mail Every Decision Counts: Tom Cosentino on Stacking Farm Enterprises and Knowing Your Numbers Host Alister Micallif welcomes Tom Cosentino, a South Australian farmer from Hindmarsh Valley near the Murray Mouth, who runs dryland beef cows and is adding 1,000 laying hens in October while managing bird flu risk through planning, water treatment, and adaptable infrastructure. Speaking at Gippsland’s Red Meat Conference themed “every decision counts,” Tom reframes a $100,000 investment discussion toward larger, multi-enterprise strategies to lift dollars per hectare, including vertical integration under his brand Hindmarsh Valley Eggs and adding solar and battery power to support on-farm egg grading and packing. Drawing on his background in tax accounting and insolvency, he shares three tips: write a 10-year business plan to guide decisions and attract funding, do tax planning in near real time to avoid surprises and pull profit levers when borrowing, and obtain property depreciation schedules to claim eligible deductions. 00:00 Podcast Introduction 00:58 Meet Tom Cosentino 01:41 Bird Flu Risk Planning 04:34 Red Meat Conference Brief 05:14 Stacking Farm Enterprises 06:37 Vertical Integration And Solar 08:21 Accounting Background And Talk 09:59 Bank Years And Profit Levers 10:58 Tip One Ten Year Plan 14:14 Tip Two Real Time Tax 15:56 Tip Three Depreciation Schedules 17:14 Advisory Work And Wrap Up 18:13 Final Thanks And Credits

Send us Fan Mail In this Digging Deeper Ag Chats with Al episode from the Gippsland Agriculture Group, host Alister Micallef speaks remotely with Chelsea about a busy late-winter period of calving assistance, bull testing, and preg testing, plus her recent Red Meat Conference talk on Focus on Weighty Weaners (nutrition, trace elements, and parasite management) and an upcoming MLA webinar in October. Chelsea explains what happens during a bull fertility test: observing movement and identifying common foot and joint issues that reduce libido, aiming for condition score 3 at the start of mating, performing a physical exam including scrotal circumference and testicular palpation, and doing a rectal exam of internal sex organs. She outlines semen collection using an electroejaculator, on-site motility assessment, and lab-based morphology to identify defects (notably proximal droplets in young bulls), discusses the 6–7 week sperm cycle and timing of tests, notes typical problem rates by age, and covers practical bull-to-cow ratios (about 1:50, lower for young bulls) including considerations after fixed-time AI. The episode closes with Chelsea’s quote: “We don’t learn from our mistakes. We learn from reflecting on our mistakes.” 00:00 Welcome to Digging Deeper 00:46 Catching Up With Chels 02:01 Red Meat Conference Recap 03:30 Weighty Weaners Webinar 05:04 On Farm Mishaps Update 06:18 Bull Testing Overview 06:44 Feet Joints And Condition 12:22 Scrotal Exam And Timing 17:19 Semen Collection Process 21:37 Lab Morphology Defects 23:53 Pass Rates And Best Practice 27:41 Bull To Cow Ratios 31:13 Quote And Sign Off 33:31 Final Thanks And Sponsors

Send us Fan Mail Host Al launches Digging Deeper Ag Chats with Al for 2026 after a first full year of podcasts, outlining plans for more practical guests and more local producers, plus monthly segments from Chelsea (Herd Solutions) with veterinary/animal health updates and Morgs (Elders) with livestock market updates. At the Red Meat Conference in Gippsland, Al interviews Frank Archer, co-principal of Landfall Angus in Tasmania, a fifth-generation business celebrating 150 years, selling Angus seedstock nationally. Archer discusses Angus influence in southern herds, selecting genetics to match production objectives, and the importance of pasture utilization, noting fertility (especially days-to-calving EBVs) as the top profit driver and growth as second. He shares Landfall’s herd scale (about 3,500 calvings across Tasmania and NSW), use of genomics and embryo transfer to increase selection pressure, and the challenges of measuring bull longevity. Archer also describes two years using Halter virtual fencing to support rotational grazing, improve labor efficiency and lifestyle, explains the vibration/beep/pulse cues, and emphasizes management and fertility practices such as early calving and multi-sire joining. 00:00 Welcome Back 2026 01:05 Meet Frank Archer 01:33 Landfall Angus Story 02:54 What Counts As Angus 04:59 Breeding For Different Markets 06:13 Objectives And Management 08:10 Fertility EBVs Matter 09:46 Growth EBVs And Discounts 11:12 Stud Scale And Genomics 13:02 Selection Paper To Phenotype 14:25 Docility And New EBVs 16:04 Bull Longevity Challenge 21:03 Bull And Cow Lifespan Targets 23:57 Maintenance vs Production 25:06 Fat Cows and Profit 25:59 Emissions and Efficiency 26:24 Why Virtual Fencing 28:26 How Halter Works 31:13 Effectiveness and Issues 34:18 Costs and Lifestyle Gains 36:28 Pasture and Fertility Wins 40:28 Bull Mistakes Lesson 41:25 Advice to Younger Self 42:45 Final Thanks and Credits

Send us Fan Mail Host Alister introduces Digging Deeper Ag Chats and speaks with Pete Norwood of Full Circle Nutrition after he contributed to the Gippsland Soil School, including a practical farm visit at Rohan Bigley’s. Pete recounts growing up on a mixed farm near Mendooran, NSW during the 1982 drought, studying ag science at Charles Sturt University, and later building farms in Stratford and now Seaspray with challenging sandy and saline soils improved with gypsum and lucerne establishment. He describes a pivotal shift toward Kinsey-Albrecht concepts after solving downer cow problems via phosphorus and discovering soil-plant mineral imbalances, emphasizing calcium’s role in soil structure and the need for reliable soil and plant testing (including Albrecht methods, total tests, and sap/tissue analysis). Discussion covers nitrogen use and cofactors, sulfur leaching and application, foliar strategies, and the Growing More Topsoils project at Gippsland Research Farm and its expansion to Skeene Creek, where treatments have increased topsoil depth and improved clay structure, aiming to boost resilience and water-holding capacity. 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:59 Meet Pete Norwood 01:12 Soil School Field Day 02:35 Early Farm Life 04:24 Mendooran Soils 05:30 Drought Memories 06:00 Old School Farming 08:46 Uni and Moving South 10:02 Seaspray Sand Country 11:54 Downer Cows Breakthrough 14:25 Kinsey Albrecht Shift 17:58 Learning From Farmers 21:21 Nitrogen and Animal Health 24:37 Farm Consult Process 25:24 Soil Testing Methods 28:06 Phosphate Options 29:04 Avoiding Chloride Potash 29:41 Rhizophagy Explained 31:35 Calcium Builds Structure 33:18 Sulfur Product Deep Dive 37:13 Foliar Feeding Strategy 41:16 Growing More Topsoils 46:27 Scaling Trials at Skeene Creek 50:26 Advice to Younger Self 52:21 Wrap Up and Contacts

Send us Fan Mail Host Al welcomes back stock agent Morgan Davies to discuss current livestock markets and seasonal conditions in Gippsland and beyond. Morgan reports strong cattle prices at local sales, including light cows around $3–$3.50/kg, bullocks up to $3,700–$3,800, and light black weaner steers reaching $7/kg, with feeders and feedlot/paddock prices also elevated. He notes cattle are moving back north after earlier flows into Victoria, and suggests producers consider selling in the next few months while supply remains tight, though weather risk and El Niño messaging are on people’s minds. They discuss forward contracts (around 20% of their throughput), the need to honor contract commitments, and strong sheep and lamb markets, including $9 sheep and lamb contracts around $11.80, with skin values driven by leather and wool recovery. They briefly cover regional rainfall patterns, upcoming spring sales, and local football before closing with the quote, “The rain fixes everything.” 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:58 Morgan Returns Banter 01:26 Memes and Clickbait 02:19 Cattle Prices Snapshot 03:07 Weaner Market Highs 04:02 Cattle Heading North 05:06 Weather Watch and El Nino 07:11 Selling Strategy Outlook 09:03 Forward Contracts Explained 11:33 Sheep and Lamb Market 12:20 Skin Value Breakdown 13:05 Finished Lambs Trend 13:23 Store Lamb Trading Risks 13:54 District Rain Check 14:25 Spring Warm Up Timing 15:31 East Gippsland Outlook 16:11 Spring Sales Calendar 16:28 Sports and Footy Banter 17:47 Local Footy Wrap 18:51 Coaching the Juniors 19:40 Quotes and Closing Thanks

Send us Fan Mail In this Digging Deeper episode, host Al interviews Leecia Angus, paid chair of the Gippsland Ag Board, about her varied career and views on agriculture. Angus describes growing up on Gippsland farms at Glenaladale and later Goon Nure amid droughts, floods, and fires, studying science (genetics, chemistry, biochemistry), and early roles at La Trobe University and the Regional Veterinary Laboratory before moving to the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute to work on a malaria vaccine and cancer hematology, focusing on translating science into practical outcomes. She later joined GRDC in Canberra, managing investments in wheat and barley breeding and earlier supporting the GrainGene joint venture, then shifted into internal corporate functions and left in 2014 to consult for universities, RDCs, industry bodies, and government. She discusses local tree-planting projects near Orbost, plans for intensive trellised olive production at Briagolong, work on fall armyworm pheromone mating-disruption trials seeking Australian approval, and as Gippsland Ag chair highlights input-cost fragility and opportunities in tailored soil and nitrogen management. Her advice to her younger self is to focus on manageable actions within one’s influence. 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 02:24 Farm Roots and Family 04:34 Drought Fire Flood Lessons 06:12 School Gap Year and Uni 08:53 First Jobs and Research Path 11:05 Medical Research Breakthroughs 12:10 Back to Agriculture at GRDC 16:53 Consulting and Career Shift 19:41 Marlo Return and Local Grants 21:11 Tree Planting at Orbost 23:44 New Olive Venture Briagolong 26:39 Fall Armyworm and Pheromones 31:13 Chairing Gippsland Ag Group 33:19 Challenges and Opportunities Ahead 35:50 Advice to Younger Self 37:11 Wrap Up and Thanks

Send us Fan Mail Al opens the 2026 season of Digging Deeper Egg Chats with plans for more practical guests and more local producers, plus monthly veterinary updates from Chelsea (Herd Solutions) and a monthly livestock market update from Morgs (Elders). He then speaks with Brad Obst for a market update and a walkthrough of listing cattle on AuctionsPlus while assessing 17 Gippsland Ag Group heifers. Brad reports recent positive cattle market movement, with well-finished beef cows around 390–430c/kg and milk vealers selling in pen lots at $5.30. He explains why AuctionsPlus suits valuable breeding stock by reaching a broader audience, outlines assessor accreditation levels and tolerances, and details the assessment steps, publishing rules, reserves, bidding timers, re-listing policy, buyer responsibilities for freight and NLIS transfer, collection windows, and the 24-hour claim process if stock arrive not as advertised. 00:00 Welcome Back to 2026 01:06 Meet Brad Obst 01:14 Rain Talk and Yard Mood 02:06 Cattle Market Update 03:18 Vealer Prices and Demand 04:09 What Counts as Real Veal 05:10 Sheep Yards and Billy 06:28 Why Sell on AuctionsPlus 09:51 Bigger Lines and Freight Math 11:00 Assessing Stock in the Yards 11:53 Assessor Training and Ratings 14:38 Weighing Recording and Listing 15:33 Client Review Before Going Live 16:01 Listing Lead Time 16:49 Publishing Assessments 17:23 Reserve Price Rules 19:07 Auction Timers Explained 20:09 Auto Bidding Strategy 21:06 Fees And Second Chance 21:55 Claims And Disputes 23:31 Trucking And Collection 24:53 Watching Sales Live 25:28 Integrity And Privacy 26:37 Platform Fit Advice 27:23 Life Advice And Wrap

Send us Fan Mail Host Al opens 2026 by thanking listeners and outlining more practical guests plus monthly segments from Chelsea (Herd Solutions) on animal health and Morgs (Elders) on livestock markets. He interviews John Keiller, stud principal of Keiller, Cashmore Park in western Victoria, about his background in agriculture, mentors, and a data-driven approach to sheep breeding. John describes their operation (about 7,000 adult ewes, producing around 13,000 lambs, plus a smaller cattle herd), his early performance recording adoption through LambPlan, and major genetic gains across traits including growth, reproduction, fecal egg count, carcass, and new measures like tail length, dag scores, shedding, and genomics. He discusses developing “Nudie”/southern shedding sheep since 2003–2007, their current performance relative to maternal composites, and plans to close the gap. The episode covers why Cashmore genetics perform well in Gippsland, joining ewe lambs, scanning/marking benchmarks, and concludes with John’s advice to balance work with life and details of October ram sales and November/December AuctionsPlus ewe sales. 00:00 Welcome Back 2026 01:02 Meet John Keiller 01:30 Why Agriculture 02:40 Farm Scale Today 03:03 Ag College Lessons 04:07 Mentors And Data 04:58 Stud Origins 06:23 LambPlan Trait Evolution 08:02 What We Record 09:22 Nudie Sheep Program 12:45 Gippsland Trial Results 14:47 Joining Ewe Lambs 17:17 Scanning And Marking 20:07 Advice And Wrap Up 21:08 Sales Dates And Outro

Send us Fan Mail Al opens 2026 by thanking listeners and outlining plans for more practical guests, more local producers, and regular monthly segments from Chelsea (Herd Solutions) on animal health and Morgs (Elders) on livestock markets. Chelsea recounts a recent cattle-yard concussion after a cow kicked a crush door into her leg, causing her to fall and hit her head; the discussion stresses gate and crush safety, fatigue risk (especially with the last animals), and hazards like engaged head-bail lever arms, overcrowding races, and using gates as protection. Chelsea then covers spring-calver preparation: fetal energy demand rises about three months pre-calving; target body condition score at calving is 3–3.5; supplement decisions depend on feed and condition, with silage testing recommended. They discuss dairy lead-feeding, DCAD, and potassium effects on milk fever risk. Grass tetany risk rises after cold periods followed by warm days due to potassium inhibiting magnesium absorption; prevention via magnesium licks and management is emphasized. Chelsea notes preg testing can be done up to calving, outlines profitability and management benefits (including aging and drafting), and mentions typical timing and scanning windows. Chelsea’s quote: “The standard you walk past is the standard you accept.” 00:00 Welcome Back 2026 01:02 Chelsea Returns Monthly 01:48 Crush Door Concussion 06:42 Concussion Stories Explained 09:28 Yard Safety Wakeup 11:24 Better Yards Better Flow 15:06 Gate Handling Hazards 16:53 Pre Calving Nutrition Timing 18:15 Body Condition Targets 20:01 Lead Feeding And DCAD 23:37 Dry Cow Supplements 24:47 Silage Testing Basics 25:21 Silage Changes Over Time 25:54 Grass Tetany Risk 28:04 Symptoms Versus Staggers 29:19 Treatment And Prevention 31:18 Forecast And Grazing Tactics 32:35 Potash And High Risk Paddocks 34:24 Safety Around Affected Cows 35:05 Preg Testing Timing 36:25 Why Preg Test 39:13 Early Scanning And Rechecks 41:18 Logistics And Throughput 43:12 Quote And Wrap Up 44:30 Final Thanks And Sponsors

Send us Fan Mail Al welcomes listeners back to Digging Deeper Ag Chats for 2026, thanking supporters and outlining plans for more practical guests, more local producers, and monthly segments from Chelsea (Herd Solutions) on animal health and Morgs (Elders) on livestock markets. Brett then reviews Gippsland seasonal conditions and provides current fertiliser pricing and availability, noting high costs and supply constraints driven by Middle East production and freight issues, and discusses impacts of diesel prices and global affordability. He explains soil fertility (physical, biological, chemical), compares conventional fertilisers with manures/composts, and presents chook manure plus targeted foliar nutrients as a cost-competitive alternative based on soil tests. The episode then shifts to Simon Faulkner and Trevor Caithness discussing an MLA-funded Red Gum Plains subsoil amelioration project focused on placing amendments at depth to draw roots down, unlock subsoil moisture, and improve productivity, with results often emerging after 2–3 years and potential biomass gains up to 50% in grazing systems. 00:00 Welcome to 2026 01:46 Season outlook Gippsland 03:54 Fertiliser prices update 05:07 Supply shocks and forecasts 10:40 Soil fertility basics 12:36 Manures and composts 16:09 Foliar and liquid options 17:23 Bang for buck plan 21:21 Soil project introduction 22:37 Subsoil amelioration explained 26:33 Results and grazing management 32:47 Future research and wrap 35:38 Final thanks and credits

Send us Fan Mail Host Al opens 2026 by thanking listeners and outlining plans for more practical guests, more local producers, and monthly segments from Chelsea (Herd Solutions) on animal health and Morgs (Elders) on livestock markets. In this episode, Al and Mor discuss recent warm, windy weather in Gippsland, the possibility it’s a seasonal blip, and drought preparedness, including hay on hand, improved water systems, feeding infrastructure, earlier culling, and selling stock before conditions worsen. Morgs notes increased investment in feeders and grain bins and says dry times can also create buying opportunities. They review market trends: lighter steers have softened (some under $5/kg), cows have dropped sharply due to heavy northern NSW turnoff, and processors are near capacity with booking delays; they also discuss the China safeguard tariff threshold. Sheep and lamb markets are strong, including a Bairnsdale heavy lamb record around $350, with forward contracts filling quickly. The episode closes with Morg’s Mike Tyson quote about plans changing when adversity hits, mentions an upcoming “finance and feeding for farmers” event, and includes gift banter. 00:00 Welcome to 2026 01:03 Meet Morgs 01:15 Season Outlook Talk 02:33 Dry Winter Signals 03:59 Drought Prep Tips 05:51 Feed Infrastructure Trends 06:23 Opportunities in Dry 07:05 Cattle Market Update 08:48 Processing Capacity Pressures 09:56 China Tariff Explained 11:22 Sheep Market Records 12:26 Forward Contracts and Bookings 14:09 Dry Season Outlook 15:30 Market Prices Update 16:20 Sheep Talk and Banter 16:58 Monthly Quote Segment 18:24 Birthday Gifts Unboxing 20:23 Listener Wrap and Event Plug 21:59 Final Sign Off