The ACT is home to 160 mainly family-run farming businesses which collectively manage 39,000ha or 15% of the ACT.
Sustainable Agriculture is a distinct theme in the Investment Plan and recognises that in order to achieve improved Natural Resource Management (NRM) outcomes on farms, targeted programs for rural landholders need to be developed, reflecting their unique environmental, economic and social context.
The majority of ACT farming land is managed for sheep, wool and cattle production, horse agistment and other equestrian activities. Other ACT agricultural enterprises include:
- eggs and free range eggs
- chickens
- alpacas and lamas
- fruit and vegetables
- wine
- olives
- truffles
The overarching goal of the Sustainable Agriculture theme is to support rural landholders to apply best practice land management for soil, water, pastures, native vegetation and biodiversity. This will be achieved through capacity building, incentives, knowledge sharing and collaboration, and will draw on the application of the most up to date science, expertise, knowledge tools and technology.
Improving soil health, promoting healthy, diverse and resilient pastures and improving groundcover.
Maintaining and increasing biodiversity, native vegetation and wildlife in rural landscapes.
Managing existing and emerging biosecurity risks.
Connecting landholders to opportunities to improve the climate resilience of their farming operations.
Increasing collaboration and shared learning.