Sustainable Farming Information
Explore our library of sustainable farming resources—including videos and publications—to help you integrate sustainable farming principles into your farming practices. Connect with industry groups and organisations committed to helping farmers and landholders succeed.
- Weeds
Videos and articles that explain the role of weeds and how they can be used to understand our soil health:
- Weeds as Indicators – Webinar Recording (youtube.com) This webinar discusses how weeds can be used as indicators of soil health, and management practices to phase these undesirable plants out.
- Weeds are NOT “The Problem” (youtube.com) Within this video, Glen from Soil Works explains why weeds are not the real problem but rather indicators/symptoms of underlying soil health issues and explains the key elements needed to create an environment that promotes healthy crop growth over weed proliferation.
- Weeds in pastures This video focuses on “weeds” and their importance to pasture health. Using Weeds to Read the Soil: Some Basic Concepts to Get Started This article provides some basic ideas of how to use weeds to read the soil.
- 14 page downloadable guide to weeds as indicators created by Reinventing Agriculture
- When Weeds Talk” book provides a comprehensive list of weeds and the soil conditions that enable those weeds to grow.
- Farming Collaborations
Existing groups, organisations and resources that support farming collaborations:
- The Land Access Toolkit – provides information on different land tenure models and practical guidance on navigating non-ownership farming models.
- Farming Together Website – provides an array of resources and case studies, models and co-operative business planning tools.
- Young Farmers Connect – Farm Links – is a portal for land holders to offer their land to farmers and farmers looking for land to farm. Create a profile, find a farm or find a farmer.
- Cultivate Farms website connects aspiring farmers, retiring farmers, land holders and investors. Find a farmer, find a farm.
- Farming on Other People’s Land (FOOPL) – Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance (afsa.org.au) provides guiding principles for a landshare farming agreement.
- Grazing with neighbours webinar – Speakers in this webinar share their stories and experiences of working with their neighbours as a win-win solution for achieving their shared vision of creating a healthier landscape.
- Grazing and Pasture Management
- In this YouTube video, Glenn Morris talks about how his holistic grazing management practices are restoring the natural ecosystem of his farm.
- RCS provides great grazing resources, courses and coaching opportunities
- Agricultural Information & Monitoring Services(AIMS) provides advice, training courses and grazing tools to graziers and natural resource management organisations with the goal of improving land health and the profitability of grazing businesses.
- The Northern Rivers Soil Best Management Practice (BMP) Guide – Coastal Grazing offers practical guidelines to improve and maintain soil health for better production and environmental outcomes.
- Climate forecasting for farmers
My Climate View – Tailored Climate Information for Farmers – providing climate information for 20 commodity types and location-specific climate predictions for Australian farmers for the next 50 years. Continually updated.
- Videos and Farm Podcasts
Videos that explain the concepts, sustainable farming methods and the importance of sustainable farming:
- Conference Videos – SoilCare Incorporated
- Byron Shire Council Ex-Agricultural Extension Officer Andrew Cameron Discusses Regenerative Farming
- Charles Massey discusses how regenerative farming can help heal the planet and human health in this TEDx YouTube Video
- Damon Gameau talks about the power of regenerative agriculture (youtube.com)
Other great podcasts:
- Helpful organisations and groups:
- Tweed Shire Council Sustainable Agriculture Program – Council’s Sustainable Agriculture Program collaborates with local farmers to encourage farmland sustainability and productivity while enhancing environmental values.The program provides grant funding, educational field days and resources, policy work and advocacy.
- Soil Care Inc – a volunteer-run, issue-based Landcare group in Australia’s Northern Rivers region, connecting farmers, land managers, and soil professionals to promote sustainable, regenerative soil management for better productivity and climate resilience.
- Young Farmers Connect (Northern Rivers) Facebook group – is a great network of young and new farmers. Join the Facebook group to make enquiries, connect with fellow farmers. You don’t need to be a young farmer to be involved.
Local Land Services North Coast Region
NSW Department of Primary Industry and Regions