Why employ an agronomist?
An agronomist plays an important role in many farming enterprises in modern agriculture. Technology is rapidly changing in agriculture today, & by employing an agronomist, you have access to the latest information. This is important to make every decision on the farm the most informed decision possible. By employing an independent agronomist, you are accessing unbiased information to give you the best possible chance of obtaining the best result.
How long would it take to do an assessment of my property?
This can take anywhere from an hour to a full day, depending on the size of your property & the complexity of your farming operation.
I think I would like an agronomy plan for the property, so I know where I am going for the next few years. What does this involve & what will it look like?
An agronomy plan for your property involves a thorough assessment of the property as a whole, rather than looking at individual aspects or issues. It involves inspection of all paddocks, soil testing, consideration of your enterprise goals , suggested crops/pasture mix, grazing management & discussion of particular issues (e.g. weeds, poor pasture performance, cropping rotations). In addition, an estimate of costs & projected returns is also provided. An example of an Agronomy Plan is provided.
Do you look at the animal enterprise on my property?
An agronomist considers how the animal enterprise fits into the crops & pastures growing on the property & how to make the best use of them. We tend to look at it from the perspective of the plants growing on the property, whilst the animals are used as a tool to manage these plants.
What areas of the State do you travel to in your advisory role?
While based in the ACT, we provide expert agronomy advice to clients throughout the southern Tablelands of NSW, the South West Slopes, the ACT/Monaro region & the south coast. The type of work can be varied, covering dryland & irrigated crops & pastures, for beef, dairy, lamb & other horticultural crops.
What is the cost of your agronomy services?
This independent agronomic service is provided to clients as either an hourly fee of $150/hour + GST or an annual retainer fee to clients (to be determined based on expected client usage).