Central West Farming Systems

Central West Farming Systems Central West Farming Systems (CWFS) is an independent, not-for-profit, farmer driven organisation.

🌱🐑 CWFS is inviting members to submit hay, silage or pasture samples for FREE nutritional analysis as part of the Clima...
28/05/2026

🌱🐑 CWFS is inviting members to submit hay, silage or pasture samples for FREE nutritional analysis as part of the Climate Resilient Sheep Farms project.

This project will build a regional feed library and model the value of different feed sources across livestock classes. Members can submit two samples, get FREE results and compare feed quality on-farm.

· Understand your systems feed quality on hand
· Improve your on farm feeding decisions
· Maximise your livestock's performance
· Reduce your production input costs

👉 Register your interest here https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SRRLRPC for sample collection & testing.

For more information contact CWFS Trials Agronomist Chiara Stommel on 0437 612 140.

This project receives funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

🌦️ How do you use long-term climate information when making decisions on-farm?CSIRO is running a short 5-minute survey t...
26/05/2026

🌦️ How do you use long-term climate information when making decisions on-farm?

CSIRO is running a short 5-minute survey to understand what’s really happening on the ground.

We’d really value your input, whatever your enterprise size and commodities produced.

Your responses will help shape how climate information is developed and delivered to Australian farmers.

👉 Take the survey:
https://csiro.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cZPS7RAp5DD3fpk

CSIRO

13/05/2026

Ready to take control of your farm business finances? 🌾📊
Tocal College’s Plan to Profit course is designed to help agricultural business owners build confidence in financial decision‑making — using their own farm data.

Over 12 weeks in this fully online program, you’ll learn how to:
✅ Improve financial literacy
✅ Understand what is (and isn’t) making money
✅ Manage business risk
✅ Answer critical “what‑if” questions for the future

What people have found valuable about this course:
‘Getting to understand what does and doesn't go into the different sections (cashflow/balance sheet/gross margins). Also learning more about the indicator ratios and how they relate to business health.’
‘All of the content because it gave us a better understanding of the farm management/finances and we feel it won't be as overwhelming when we take over the family farm.’

💻 Online | Practical | Industry‑focused
Suitable for new and experienced producers

Funding is available to eligible applicants
👉 Learn more here: https://www.tocal.nsw.edu.au/courses/short-courses/business-management/plan-to-profit
👉 Apply here by 11 May: https://nswtrade.wufoo.com/forms/q1kk2a4d08zlbkl/

This course is mapped to the following national units of competency:
- AHCBUS517 Monitor and review business performance
- AHCBUS516 Develop and review a business plan
- AHCBUS518 Prepare and monitor budgets and financial reports

🐑 CWFS is inviting members to submit hay, silage or pasture samples for FREE nutritional analysis as part of the Climate...
05/05/2026

🐑 CWFS is inviting members to submit hay, silage or pasture samples for FREE nutritional analysis as part of the Climate Resilient Sheep Farms project.

Members can submit two samples, get FREE results and compare feed quality on-farm.

· Understand your systems feed quality on hand
· Improve your on farm feeding decisions
· Maximise your livestock's performance
· Reduce your production input costs

Register your interest here https://surveymonkey.com/r/SRRLRPC
for sample collection & testing.

For more information contact CWFS Trials Agronomist Chiara Stommel on 0437 612 140.

This project will build a regional feed library and model the value of different feed sources across livestock classes.

This project receives funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

05/05/2026

Canola sown just before the weekend rain.
Sown late last week at the CWFS trial site as part of the Evaluating Plant Diversity for Drought Resilience project, with the weekend rainfall giving it a solid start. Rolling into the season, with wheat and faba beans to be sown in the next week. 🌱

🐑 Sheep producers across NSW and Victoria will benefit from new funding to boost Climate-Smart Flock Management. The $2 ...
19/04/2026

🐑 Sheep producers across NSW and Victoria will benefit from new funding to boost Climate-Smart Flock Management.

The $2 million project, supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program under the Natural Heritage Trust and led by Central West Farming Systems will deliver demonstration sites, training and case studies that aim to improve productivity, animal welfare and environmental outcomes.

🐑 Find out more here https://bit.ly/4dRTVSX

Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Riverine Plains Holbrook Landcare Network Monaro Farming Systems Tablelands Farming Systems Local Land Services NSW BCG (Birchip Cropping Group) Agriculture Victoria

Leaf shatter in lucerne – what it means for your production and managementLeaf shatter occurs when lucerne leaves detach...
16/04/2026

Leaf shatter in lucerne – what it means for your production and management

Leaf shatter occurs when lucerne leaves detach from the stem, reducing both fodder quantity and quality. Leaves dry faster than stems, making them more prone to shattering. Bleached stems are an easy in-paddock indicator of plant maturity and drying, even while standing.

Leaf shatter becomes more severe once plant moisture drops below 50%. With around 70% of lucerne protein and 90% of minerals and vitamins held in the leaf, every lost leaf is lost nutrition.

An example of this is shown in photo 1 and graph 1, taken from spring results at the Condobolin site, Mixed Farming Systems long-term lucerne trial, year 2 of a 4-year program.

Under stress conditions such as drought, frost, waterlogging or disease, lucerne can lose between 25 and 40% of leaves before grazing or baling begins. This can reduce dry matter production by up to 15%. In low rainfall systems, understanding when risk is highest and how to manage it is critical.

Why it matters and how to manage it
• Understand lucerne genetics and select varieties with improved drought tolerance
• Monitor paddock indicators such as stem bleaching, plant colour, leaf drop and growth stage
• Match stocking rates to available forage to maximise utilisation and nutrition
• Use grazing strategies to maintain persistence and allow recovery
• Manage stands through stress periods to reduce early leaf loss

Interested to know more? Follow the Mixed Farming Systems Long-Term Lucerne Project, investigating how lucerne genetics perform under drought and low rainfall conditions in Condobolin.

Graph 1: Spring 2025 snapshot of lucerne cultivars at Condobolin and their leaf shatter response to drought
Photo 1: Drying leaves attached to lucerne stem prior to shedding (Condobolin, Jan 2026)

After 8 weeks of growth, our summer cover crop at the Condobolin Ag Station is ready for termination tomorrow.With 79 mm...
30/03/2026

After 8 weeks of growth, our summer cover crop at the Condobolin Ag Station is ready for termination tomorrow.

With 79 mm of in-crop rainfall, the mixes have performed better than expected for a low rainfall environment. Both a 3-species mix (sunflower, millet, cowpea) and a 9-species mix (sunflower, millet, cowpea, buckwheat, forage sorghum, radish, turnip, sun h**p and safflower) were included to compare diversity and system responses.

Buckwheat is currently flowering, while turnip has developed a strong taproot, highlighting the role of different species in driving above and below ground biomass and soil interaction.

The aim of the cover crop is to increase plant diversity, improve soil function and contribute to longer-term soil carbon and system resilience, while understanding the trade-offs in a low rainfall system.

This work is part of the FDF and Soil CRC project “Building resilient soils and enhancing carbon stocks in cropping systems through plant diversity”.

An important consideration moving forward will be how much soil water has been used, and how this influences soil moisture availability and establishment conditions for the following winter crop.

Lucerne is sprinting ahead, beware so is the building risk of pest pressure!With recent rainfall, the Mixed Farming Syst...
24/03/2026

Lucerne is sprinting ahead, beware so is the building risk of pest pressure!

With recent rainfall, the Mixed Farming Systems Project long term lucerne trial has responded well to rainfall. Ideal conditions and relief from the summer heat will increase the risk to lucerne pastures with continued storms and variability in weather that the Condobolin Region is experiencing. As we head towards a change in the season. CWFS agronomy and technical field office staff are on the lookout and monitoring lucerne pastures as they recover for; Lucerne Flea, Red Legged earth mites, Blue green Aphids, Spotted Alfalfa aphid, Cutworm and budworm.

What are you seeing in your lucerne paddocks?

All these pests are primed to be looking for new growth of lucerne, with damage such as severe defoliation of growing points, or suppresses growth in seedlings and mature plants. So as the plants recover from the stress of hot dry summer and continued dry autumn drought conditions, there is some susceptibility to these pastures if the season turns to drought recovery conditions.

What resources can you use to help you in the paddock?

Whilst there is no specific lucerne ute guides for Central West NSW, some useful industry resources for producers to help monitor your lucerne pastures this autumn with helpful visual photos, symptom descriptions and management options for lucerne pests include:

https://cesaraustralia.com/pestnotes/
https://www.barenbrug.com.au/sites/australia/files/2024-06/Barenbrug%20Lucerne%20Production%20Guide_2023_Digital.pdf
https://alfagenseeds.com.au/resources/
https://www.dlfseeds.com.au/advice/lucerne/pests-and-disease-visuals
https://pictureinsect.com/app

Central West Farming Systems is pleased to welcome Sapphire to the team as our newly appointed Junior Trials Agronomist ...
03/03/2026

Central West Farming Systems is pleased to welcome Sapphire to the team as our newly appointed Junior Trials Agronomist 🌾

Sapphire is a recent soil science graduate with a strong interest in soil health within cropping systems. Her studies focused on soil structure, soil types across Australia and the management practices required to maintain soil function while supporting productive crops. She is particularly interested in the economic considerations around fertiliser use and soil improvement.

She previously worked at the Queensland Herbarium, where she developed an interest in plant pathology and w**d identification. Originally from Stanthorpe, Queensland, Sapphire completed her Bachelor’s degree at Griffith University before moving to Condobolin to work at Sunset Station as a governess, where she also assisted with farm operations. After settling into the region, she decided to pursue her agronomy career in the Central West.

Sapphire is actively involved in the local community and professional networks, including Soil Science Australia and Women in Soil Science. She looks forward to contributing to CWFS projects and building her knowledge of low rainfall cropping systems to support growers across the region.

We are excited to have Sapphire on board and look forward to the contribution she will make to CWFS and our grower network.

Address

152 Fifield Road
Condobolin, NSW
2877

Telephone

+61268951025

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Central West Farming Systems posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Central West Farming Systems:

Shortcuts

Share

Category