AGRICULTURE
Warialda's economic base is dominated by agriculture and the service facilities attached to that sector. Agriculture is the most significant contributor to the gross regional product, with stock of beef, sheep, pigs and summer and winter crops such as wheat, sorghum, oats and barley.
There is currently a small trend to diversify into other areas such as aquaculture, olives, dry cotton, lupins and oil seeds such as sunflower and linseed. With agood quality and availability of groundwater, the land in the Warialda district is of high quality overall, with parts of the area well known for its rich, black soils. The reliance on agriculture means that the area is very dependent on good seasons and the recent devastating drought has had a flow on effect that has affected all the communities.
Warialda's economic base is dominated by agriculture and the service facilities attached to that sector. Agriculture is the most significant contributor to the gross regional product, with stock of beef, sheep, pigs and summer and winter crops such as wheat, sorghum, oats and barley.
There is currently a small trend to diversify into other areas such as aquaculture, olives, dry cotton, lupins and oil seeds such as sunflower and linseed. With agood quality and availability of groundwater, the land in the Warialda district is of high quality overall, with parts of the area well known for its rich, black soils. The reliance on agriculture means that the area is very dependent on good seasons and the recent devastating drought has had a flow on effect that has affected all the communities.
McMaster Research Station - Warialda
Douglas McMaster Rural Research Station is approximately 1012 hectares in area. It is owned by the University of New England, Armidale, and was bequeathed to the University by the late Douglas McMaster in 1964. The McMaster Farm Group was established in December 2005 to set priorities and review progress of applied research and adoption of mixed farming enterprises. The vision of this group is to develop more profitable and sustainable whole-farm systems for the region and for the McMaster Research Station to be a credible source of information in the eyes of the farming and wider community.
The McMaster Farm group has meet on a number of occasions at McMaster Research Station to discuss whole-farm planning and research issues. In July 20, 2006 a meeting was held with the McMaster group to discuss research directions for the Grain & Graze project and the group was instrumental in defining ‘what is a typical farm in the region’ and the key themes to be investigated; tillage, integration, pastures and inclusion of grasses into lucerne.
Three farmlets have been set up to compare three distinct management systems at a scale which allows
credible, whole-farmlet comparisons - 46 ha each in size (138 ha trial in total).
For more information click here to download a pdf of McMaster Research Station Report
Douglas McMaster Rural Research Station is approximately 1012 hectares in area. It is owned by the University of New England, Armidale, and was bequeathed to the University by the late Douglas McMaster in 1964. The McMaster Farm Group was established in December 2005 to set priorities and review progress of applied research and adoption of mixed farming enterprises. The vision of this group is to develop more profitable and sustainable whole-farm systems for the region and for the McMaster Research Station to be a credible source of information in the eyes of the farming and wider community.
The McMaster Farm group has meet on a number of occasions at McMaster Research Station to discuss whole-farm planning and research issues. In July 20, 2006 a meeting was held with the McMaster group to discuss research directions for the Grain & Graze project and the group was instrumental in defining ‘what is a typical farm in the region’ and the key themes to be investigated; tillage, integration, pastures and inclusion of grasses into lucerne.
Three farmlets have been set up to compare three distinct management systems at a scale which allows
credible, whole-farmlet comparisons - 46 ha each in size (138 ha trial in total).
For more information click here to download a pdf of McMaster Research Station Report