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About

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Sustainable Farms: Healthy farmers, Healthy farms, Healthy profits

With a growing population, the demand and pressure to increase food and fibre production has never been stronger. Yet the challenges to meet such demand weigh heavily. Soil erosion, salinity, climate variations, and pest and weed control are just some of a farmer’s constant concerns.

These challenges impact the mental health and wellbeing of an already ageing workforce of farmers, with significant implications for the rural communities in which they live. These problems are major concerns for rural Australia that must be addressed. But how?

For two decades, the Australian National University (ANU), has researched and collected data from over 300 farmers engaged in sustainable farming from north-east Victoria to south-east Queensland. It is one of the largest, long-term studies of its kind in the world.

We are now in a position to translate these findings to help all farmers better manage the balance between agricultural production and long-term sustainability, and be more profitable along the way. Farmers who are better environmental stewards have reaped the benefits of their work financially. Many of our farmers not only credit their changed farming practices to helping them survive the Millennium Drought, but, in addition, say they are more profitable year-on-year.

In addition, our research has, time and time again, delivered testimonials from farmers and their partners that the increased presence of vegetation, tree cover, greener pastures and bird calls, has improved their mental health, sense of wellbeing and pride in what they do.

Healthier farms make for healthier farmers.

Our Vision

To create a sustainable future for  Australian farmers by building on 20 years of agricultural research in agricultural landscapes to better understand relationships between environmental management, mental health and financial success.

The Project

ANU has embarked on a five-year project to translate 20 years of ecologically focused farming research into information and tools that farmers can use to better manage their farm’s natural capital assets. We will show that a farm that is better managed environmentally, is better off financially and, in addition, substantially contributes to improving a farmer’s mental health and wellbeing.

Sustainable Farms will share research with local farmers to highlight the benefit of managing natural assets for biodiversity and production. This will include providing a suite of communication products and resources farmers can turn to, and easily understand. Sustainable Farms will also provide educational outreach to farmers through field days where farmers can hear and observe what other farmers have achieved. We aim to inspire actions that will enhance and maintain the natural assets on farms by showing the benefits for farm production and farmer wellbeing.

There has never been a more urgent time to address biodiversity on Australian Farms and to educate farmers about simple resource conservation techniques that are open to everyone. More than ever, farmers need robust, science-backed, data-driven practices they know can help their farm ecologically, while maintaining production. By bringing the management of natural assets to the fore of farm planning and decision making, the project aims to have a triple bottom line impact on the environment, farming, production and profits, and the wellbeing of farming families, and rural communities.

The Team

The Sustainable Farm team encompasses researchers in environmental accounting, economics and finance, and mental health, in addition to program evaluation and coordination, communications, and field-based staff. Importantly our field-staff live and work in agricultural landscapes and have paddock credibility. To find out more about our team, click on their images below.

 


Meet the team

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  • Michelle Banfield

    Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Mental Health Research

    Dr Michelle Banfield is a Senior Research Fellow at the ANU Centre...Read more

  • Kimberly Brown

    Research Officer, Centre for Mental Health Research and Sustainable Farms

    Kimberly is a Research Officer for ANU Sustainable Farms where she examines...Read more

  • Eleanor Lang

    Biodiversity Field Officer (Cowra)

    Eleanor comes from a broadacre wool and cropping farm in Victoria’s Western...Read more

  • Kass Hingee

    Research Assistant

    Kassel joined the Sustainable Farms team in 2019 and is developing biodiversity...Read more

  • David Lindenmayer

    Research Director for Ecology and Lead Scientist, ANU Research

    Professor David Lindenmayer is an Australian scientist and academic. He is an...Read more

  • Photograph of Michelle Young, Manager of Sustainable Farms

    Michelle Young

    Director, Sustainable Farms

    Michelle was appointed the Director of Sustainable Farms in June 2018. Michelle is a...Read more

  • Suzannah Macbeth

    Suzannah Macbeth

    Communications and Marketing Manager

    Suzannah Macbeth has recently moved to Canberra from Western Australia to take...Read more

  • Colleen O'Malley

    Colleen O'Malley

    Biodiversity Field Officer (Gundagai)

    Having worked for the last two decades in the arid rangelands on...Read more

  • Clare Crane with turtle

    Clare Crane

    Biodiversity Field Officer (Wagga Wagga)

    Clare has been working with The Australian National University’s Sustainable Farms team...Read more

  • Angelina Siegrist

    Angelina Siegrist

    Biodiversity Field Officer (Wodonga)

    Angelina has a background in environmental consulting, where she has gained sound...Read more

  • David Smith

    Research and Extension Officer (Wodonga)

    Dave is a Research and Extension Officer for the Sustainable Farms project...Read more

  • Daniel Florance

    Research and Extension Officer (Cowra)

    Daniel is a Research and Extension Officer with The Australian National University’s...Read more

  • Alice Marzano

    Alice Marzano

    Project Coordinator

    Joining Sustainable Farms as a Project Coordinator in February 2019, Alice is...Read more

  • Amber Croft

    Amber Croft

    Engagement Officer (Wodonga)

    Amber has over 20 years experience in a diversity of roles in...Read more

  • Kathie Le Busque

    Kathie Le Busque

    Engagement Officer (Burrumbuttock)

    Kathie lives with her family in the rural town of Walla Walla...Read more

  • Tamara Harris

    Tamara Harris

    Engagement Officer (Cowra)

    Tamara lives with her husband and three boys on a property between Young...Read more

  • Photograph of Bruce Chapman AM

    Bruce Chapman

    Economist

    Sustainable Farms is excited to announce a new partnership with Bruce Chapman. ...Read more

  • Phil Batterham

    Research Director for Mental Health, ANU Research

    Phil Batterham is an Associate Professor and Deputy Head of the Centre...Read more

 

Would you like to know more?

To hear more from our participating farmers and team subscribe to our newsletter, or email us at sustainablefarms@anu.edu.au

 

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Sustainable Farms

sustainablefarms@anu.edu.au

(02) 6125 4669

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