A national “first-if-its-kind” in dairy research has commenced at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) Dairy Research Facility.
The Farmlet trials are supported by the Tasmanian government’s $5 million investment in upgrades at TIA’s research farms in Elliott and Forthside.
“Farmlets function as ‘mini-farms’, which provide a practical platform for testing research theories under authentic farm conditions,” reads a statement.
“The trials will involve the management of four separate dairy herds, each subjected to different pasture mixes and inputs.
“The primary objective is to achieve sustainability gains in pasture production through efficient nitrogen use.”
Tasmanian Primary Industries and Water Minister Jo Palmer says the government is investing in agriculture research to deliver practical, on-farm benefits to Tasmanian farmers.
“Our government is backing our farmers by supporting innovation and productivity improvements in Tasmania’s agriculture sector,” she says.
“We’re investing an additional $2 million for new Agricultural Innovation Fund research projects, bringing the total commitment to industry-relevant research, development and extension to $8 million.”
Ms Palmer adds that this investment is central to the government’s target to sustainably grow the value of Tasmanian agriculture to $10 billion by 2050.
