• Young Farming Champions (YFC):
  • The Young Farming Champions (YFC) are identified youth ambassadors and future influencers working within the agriculture sector. The YFC promote positive images and perceptions of farming and engage in activities and innovative programs under the Action4Agriculture (AFA) banner.
  • YFC’s website: https://www.youngfarmingchampions.com/ 
  • AFA’s website: https://www.action4agriculture.com.au/ 

The goal of this course is for students to come up with creative solutions as a group. There are no right or wrong solutions. The elements below are provided for the teachers to guide the students where needed.

• Join and support farmers organisations that push and influence strong economy-wide climate change policies in Australia
  • Goals of Farmers For Climate Action

• Genetic selection: ASBVs
  • Sheepgenetics.org.au
  • ASBVs are a prediction of a sheep’s genetic merit for a particular trait. They are an indication of how an animal’s progeny will perform based on the genes they will pass on. This could be for example be used to select animals that are more resistant to warmer temperatures.
    
• Case study interview of Australian sheep and wool farmers with some of the solutions they have implemented on their own properties:
  • Sheep: Ian and Virginia Green, Kangaroo Island, SA
    • Contacted an expert on climate change strategy
    • Installed a big dam with a greater catchment area than normally used in order to make the property draught-proofed even in dry years
    • Put in 10km of 2 inch poly pipe with a solar pump to pump water around the property
    • Cleaned out the existing dams so they can withstand the dry spells better, and made 12 dams smaller but deeper for less evaporation
  • Merino wool: Brendan and Susan Finnigan, Kia Ora, SW Victoria
    • Relocated their business in a high rainfall area
    • Kept areas of high ecological significance fenced off, to exclude stock
    • Fenced waterways and revegetated the banks to provide a habitat to wildlife and increase biodiversity
    • Maintained the pasture mass to a level that ensures the surface movement of water, nutrients and soil is greatly reduced
    • Frequent soil tests aiming to only fertilise for a specific target
    • Reinstated windmills with electric back up
  • Sheep and cattle: Sam McCardel, North East Victoria
    • Attended the Farmers for Climate Action (FCA) Climate Smart Masterclass in 2018 seeking for solutions + attended other lectures and read books on the topic
    • Tested different energy solutions in order to find the most appropriate one for his property
    • Implemented solutions: solar power, relocated houses, and a soil improvement program