L.PGS.1814 - PGS State Coordinator - South Australia
Profitable Grazing Systems is MLA's flagship adoption program.
| Project start date: | 14 October 2017 |
| Project end date: | 05 June 2022 |
| Publication date: | 20 May 2024 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Grass-fed Cattle, Sheep, Goat, Lamb |
| Relevant regions: | South Australia |
Summary
Profitable Grazing Systems (PGS) is MLA’s new flagship adoption program which will drive measurable, improved business performance outcomes for participating red meat producers.
Business profit = management capability + evidence + value chain approach.
The program will use a supported learning methodology to develop the skills of red meat producers and support implementation of these new skills into businesses, improving profitability and productivity. Profitable Grazing Systems builds on previous red meat industry extension and adoption programs including Making More from Sheep and More Beef from Pastures and will have a focus on achieving adoption through high quality delivery underpinned by robust monitoring evaluation and a commercial approach.
PGS state coordinators will work closely with the PGS national coordinator to ensure the successful delivery of PGS within their state.
The South Australian component of the PGS program accomplished variable success in achieving the objectives of the program. However, momentum of the program throughout the five years resulted in an increased level of objective achievement, with the final year exceeding deliverer and activity indicators.
Objectives
The overarching objective of the PGS program is to encourage and support red meat producers to improve their management skills and to increase profit. The program objectives to be completed by 2022 are:
1. To increase the average profitability of participating red meat producers by 2.5% ROAM by improving their skills and capability.
2. A commercial model which involves user pays for the private good component of the activity (generally the delivery), with MLA contributing a maximum of 30% of the delivery cost of supported leaning projects.
3. 5,000 producers attend feeder activities with 10–15% of them going on to participate in a supported learning program.
4. 2,900 producers participate in supported learning programs to increase their skills and knowledge:
a. 2150 producers increase their skills and knowledge above a skills audit score of 75% (competent).
b. 50 deliverers have increased capability to a point where they can deliver effective high quality supported learning programs.
c. Increase the average confidence rating of participating producers to use key skill sets or do key tasks to greater than 8/10.
d. At least 70% of participating producers have made practice changes underpinned by a change in skills.
Key findings
Commenced as State Coordinator in September 2021, meeting with outgoing State Coordinator, Merri Tothill on 1 September 2021 for project handover. However, any level of focused commencement was delayed due to secondment by the South Australian Government to the Health SA State COVID Control Centre (6 Sept to 17 Sept). During this time, Justine Drew, Regional Manager acted as the State contact point for this project. This was followed by a week of annual leave and then another period of secondment to the SA Health State COVID Control Centre (11 Oct to 12 Nov) – with a total period of secondment of seven weeks.
Benefits to industry
Profitable Grazing Systems that impact participating producers, on average receive a return of $17.47/ha due to the adoption of management practices.
MLA action
MLA continues to deliver the Profitable Grazing Systems (PGS) program, supporting participants to have the opportunity to develop and practice skills with small groups of like-minded producers to improve business performance.
More information
| Project manager: | Elizabeth Thelander |
| Contact email: | reports@mla.com.au |
| Primary researcher: | PIRSA |
