Environmental Impacts on Farm Management

Major changes in farm management practice are likely to occur in Australia over the next decade. These are likely to be paralleled by significant changes in land use. This will be a consequence of increased community awareness and global concern at the adverse environmental impacts of many agricultural practices. Major agricultural changes are likely to be; • a reduction or cessation of burning of native vegetation to maintain biodiversity and conservation values and reduce greenhouse gas emissions • reduced stocking rates on pastoral properties in the arid rangelands to limit land degradation affecting sustainability and to maintain biodiversity 9 retirement of significant areas of high conservation value and low profit lands from agriculture, and a shift to managing for biodiversity • higher rates of stubble retention in cropping systems to improve sustainability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions • reduced crop intensity and minimal cultivation to reduce soil loss in summer rainfall cropping systems to improve agricultural sustainability 9 increased prices and reduced availability of irrigation water, leading to a shift to higher value crops and much improved water use efficiencies 9 more complex property rights as indigenous peoples control more resources, resulting in a broader and richer range of environmental values to be considered. These changes will require new attitudes and skills from farm managers.