The Minns Labor Government is invest­ing $3 million to help farmers improve their farming operations, profitability and envi­ronmental sustainability through develop­ing natural capital projects.

In farming, natural capital refers to the stock of natural resources—like soil, wa­ter, plants, animals, and ecosystems—that farmers rely on to produce food, fibre, and other goods.

Ian Chapman is a cattle farmer with a 1000-acre property in Stuart Town, Central West NSW.

While the concept of natural capital is new, Ian has been practicing sustainable agriculture since the 1990s, taking an inter­est in P.A. Yeomans’ keyline farm design principles, and then managing his property holistically since 2006.

Ian started planting trees on his property in the late 90s, and in 2021. Since then, he has planted more than 32,000 trees and shrubs across 40 hectares – more than 20 species of eucalypts, acacia, and more.

Ian said “Local Land Services helped us identify our native plant community type and I went to a few workshops and field days.

“At one stage we were having issues with waterlogged areas of the farm, and Local Land Services helped us come up with some solutions.

Ian can now apply for carbon credits under the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme to generate an income from this project.

Local Land Services’ natural capital advi­sors can help landholders understand what environmental market opportunities may be available to them.

Landholders are encouraged to contact their Local Land Services office on 1300 795 299 or visit the website for more infor­mation.

The Regional Tech Hub has announced a new grants program, of­fering up to $3000 to community groups across rural, regional and remote Australia.

The Connect Grants are open to grassroots projects that help people navigate the complex world of phone and internet connec­tivity.

Regional Tech Hub General Manager, Jennifer Medway, said the program is about delivering practical, on-the-ground support.

“People now have more options for connectivity than ever be­fore, but having options isn’t enough if you don’t know how to ac­cess them or where to start,” Ms Medway said.

“The Connect Grants are designed to bridge that gap by support­ing local groups to create opportunities to explain services, support people through choices, and share tools to improve connectivity.

“The funding can be used for things like hosting community workshops, facilitating local training sessions, producing simple, localised resources, upskilling staff or volunteers in connectivity literacy, promoting the Regional Tech Hub, or sponsoring events where connectivity information can be shared.

“We know from working with thousands of communities across Australia that people are crying out for practical, local help. This program goes a long way to providing it,” Ms Medway said.

Eligible applicants include not-for-profits, community groups, councils, and regional service providers. Applications close at noon on Friday, 8 August 2025. Projects must be delivered within six months of approval. For more information visit the RTH web­site, or contact: hello@regionaltechhub.org.au.

NSW landholders are being asked to report their livestock numbers and land use infor­mation as part of Local Land Services’ an­nual farm census.

The Annual Land and Stock Return col­lects information that helps shape the delivery of essential animal health and biosecurity services and prepare for emer­gencies such as bushfires and biosecurity outbreaks.

Landholders must lodge their return by 31 August 2025 via the online portal or by com­pleting the paper form received via mail.

LLS’ Executive Director Delivery, Rob Kel­ly, said the Annual Land and Stock Return helped paint a picture of agricultural land use and livestock across NSW. “If you need advice or support, please reach out to Local Land Services on 1300 795 299 or visit your nearest office.”

There are more than 170,000 landholders across NSW. Those without stock still need to complete their returns to avoid unnec­essary fees. The Animal Health and Meat Industry Levy is automatically applied to a landholder’s next Local Land Services rates notice if they fail to complete their return.

Landholders can visit nsw.gov.au/alsr or scan the QR code on their Annual Land and Stock Return notice.

Funding to fight feral pests, deliver disaster relief and boost road safety has been wel­comed by NSW Farmers, but more is still needed to secure a brighter future for the farming sector.

NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said while farmers acknowledged the fund­ing and the state’s 140-million-dollar boost to biosecurity and agricultural innovation, more was still needed to secure a brighter future for farmers.

“Funding to fight pests and bolster our bi­osecurity is all welcome news – but we’re still waiting on the detail as to where this money is really going, and one-off pay­ments won’t do the job,” Mr Martin said.

“Support for our communities to recover from successive disasters is positive as well, but without Category D disaster as­sistance, we’re not confident farmers can get back on their feet.

“Further funds also need to flow to fix our ruined local roads, boost our mobile con­nectivity and get our regional rail lines back on track, so we can stay safe and build back stronger into the future.”

Initiatives to boost the sustainability of NSW’s agricultural workforce additionally remained long overdue, Mr Martin said, with the state’s peak farm body calling on the Minns Government to step up on up­skilling future farm communities.

“We must reinstate the Office of Regional Youth, deliver funding for the AgSkilled pro­gram and waive stamp duty for first farm buyers under the age of 36 to ensure a stronger farming future,” Mr Martin said.

Central West Local Land Services has in­stalled five new soil probe and weather stations as part of the Farming Forecaster Project. The sites at Mendooran, Geurie, Parkes, Jemalong (Forbes) and Grenfell, aim to equip graziers with predictive fore­casts on weather, soil moisture, and pasture production.

These sites will be incorporated into a wider network of soil probe and weather sta­tions across Australia. Rohan Leach, Mixed Farming Advisor at Central West Local Land Services, said the Farming Forecaster pro­gram operates by collecting data from the soil moisture probes and weather stations.

“The data is transformed into user-friendly weather and soil moisture data, which is readily available online” said Rohan.

“Farming Forecaster will also provide esti­mates of future pasture growth over the next 3-4 months, compared with historic seasons and climate forecasts.”

The website’s output will be a valuable re­source for landholders in the Central West, helping them make informed decisions about grazing management and understand the role of stored soil moisture in future pas­ture growth.

Paul Tognetti, the host of the Grenfell site, has found the probe and weather sta­tion extremely useful. “I’ve just started hav­ing a look at the data online and am really pleased with the info it is showing me” Paul said.

“The weather information is great with things like wind speed and direction great for spraying and the easy-to-read daily rain­fall chart great for my record keeping.

“This type of information will be invaluable for pasture management and livestock plan­ning in the Central West region, as well as managing risks associated with predicted declines in feed availability, such as con­serving fodder, purchasing fodder and/ or destocking.”

Learn more about the Farming Forecaster Project or to enquire about hosting a future site, please contact Rohan Leach on 0417 021 795 or via rohan.leach@lls.nsw.gov.au

Central Tablelands Local Land Services is announcing Sheep Muster 2025 – an unmissable opportunity for sheep producers.

Taking place in Cowra, Sheep Muster is a free event that will focus on opportunities for improved performance and positioning pro­duction to meet demands driven by the consumer, with presenta­tions highlighting the future industry and market direction.

Senior Land Services Officer Peter Evans says local producers will be sharing how they’re adapting their businesses to tackle cur­rent industry challenges. In addition to presentations and panels, Sheep Muster will feature a range of trade stands and plenty of op­portunity to chat with industry specialists and innovative producers over morning tea and lunch.

Sheep Muster will take place at the Cowra Services Club on 5 June from 9am to 3pm. Bookings are essential – www.lls.nsw.gov.au/regions/central-tablelands/events For more information contact Peter Evans on 0438 496 851 or via peter.evans@lls.nsw.gov.au