Results of uPtake project phosphorous fertiliser trials a win for farmers and estuaries alike

Participants in a four-year trial designed to improve on-farm nutrient use celebrated its completion on Wednesday when results were presented at events in Albany and Ferguson Valley. The uPtake project, which was funded jointly through State and Federal Government programs, involved 52 trials on 36 farms in the Great Southern, South West and Peel regions. The trials were designed to address concerns from within the grazing and fertiliser industries about the relevance of national data which underpinned phosphorus fertiliser recommendations. Results of the project have lead to increased confidence in the science behind phosphorus fertiliser recommendations. As well as reducing costs for farmers, improved efficiency of nutrient use on farms also has a positive on waterways because nearly 70 per cent of nutrients entering regional estuaries are from grazing farms. WA Water Minister Simon McGurk said the input of the many farmers and catchment groups working together over the course of the project was vital. “Industry’s contribution has been critical to the project’s success in building confidence around soil testing recommendations,” she said. “This project is a great example of how teamwork can deliver solutions to complex problems, like improving water quality in our estuaries.” More than 1000 farmers and industry representatives attended field days between the time trials started in 2019 and this year. WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis said the project had given livestock farmers a better understanding of nutrient requirements on their lands. “Reducing the amount of nutrients entering regional estuaries from grazing properties is not only good for the environment, but also supports improved profitability for farms,” she said. The Albany celebration took place at the Hilton Garden Inn. There a summary video of the results was shown followed by a Q and A session with a panel of scientists as well as industry and farming represenatives. Warren-Blackwood MLA Jane Kelsbie said agriculture had an important role to play in protecting waterways and that the project would give farmers confidence to reduce the amount of phosphorous applied to many paddocks. “Our estuaries and waterways in South West WA are critically important to our communities, and it is wonderful to see how the agriculture sector is contributing to protecting these precious environmental assets,” she said. The uPtake Project video and results are available online - https://bit.ly/45sDx3D