Climate challenges not to be ignored

• Cam Nicholson - Director of Nicon Rural Services.

Victorian farmer Cam Nicholson was in Tasmania a few months ago doing some analysis on climate predictions and how they would affect local pasture production.

He was back today to talk to attendees at the inaugural FarmX agriculture conference at Woolmers Estate in Longford as part of a guest panel on the business of climate resilience and his messaging was clear.

“Tasmania is in a far better position that most of Australia when it comes to the impact of climate change but it’s not immune,” he said.

“There are several key industries, such as viticulture, that are coming to Tasmania to take advantage of its cool climate, but the fact is everyone needs to be across the changes as they happen.”

Cam is the director of Nicon Rural Services and a mixed farmer from the Bellarine Peninsular, where he and his wife Fiona run a grazing and cropping enterprise.

He is in the business of using 30 years of farming experience to help producers make practical, informed decisions around climate, soils, risk and business management.

“The good thing about FarmX is that it’s an opportunity for information exchange, sowing some seeds of innovation and teaching farmers about how to adapt to a new future,” he said.

“I hope that they leave not wondering how to do that, but willing to prepare for that.”

“There’s going to be ongoing pressures and things we need to adapt to and so learning what are the ways of being able to do that is of great value”

With a focus on long-term resilience, profitability and innovation Mr Nicholson talked about taking the emotion out of farming – something that has resulted him being about to purchase three farms in the past six years – a pattern he plans to continue.

Mr Nicholson was joined on stage by Kerin Agriculture principal Nigel Kerin from Yeoval, NSW.

Kerin Ag is evenly split between the renowned Kerin Poll Merino stud and a responsive livestock trading arm.

It has become known for its agile, data-driven approach to livestock production and its ability to manage large seasonal variability in carrying capacity and markets.

Rounding out the panel was Olivia Lawson, co-principal of Paringa Livestock in Victoria.

The multi-site seedstock business produces Red Angus, Black Angus, Charolais and Stabilizer cattle and is based across properties in Yea and Ballarat.

Ms Lawson encouraged farmers to embrace new technology and arm themselves with information that could help iron out the troughs of production.