L.PGS.2008 - PGS Leadership Team Member - CN

Summary

The overarching objective of the Profitable Grazing Systems (PGS) program is to encourage and support red meat producers to improve their management skills, to increase profit. This contract was for Cam Nicholson (Nicon Rural Services) to provide leadership support to the PGS program.

Covid-19 restrictions were in place in Victoria for most of the contract period, making it very difficult to promote and deliver PGS courses as originally intended. Despite this, four PGS courses were delivered, with further courses in planning and two new PGS packages created.

Further insights and suggestions are provided into the future delivery of the PGS program. These include likely demand for future (feed based) PGS courses, producer willingness to pay and the possible use of the PGS content in other ways.

Objectives

The objectives of the PGS leadership team were to:
• Deliver feeder and recruitment activities on behalf of delivery network deliverers (these will be arranged by the state & national coordinators)
• Support state or national coordinators in reviewing supported learning projects developed by MLA or deliverers, as required
• Deliver supported learning projects under the proposed adoption program banner (minimum of one per year)
• Provide support to the PGS national coordinator by providing feedback and recommendations for overarching program improvement and individual supported learning project progress
• Act as a champion for PGS
• Support good governance of PGS

Key findings

The PGS workplan aligned with this project was completed, despite Covid restrictions. Four PGS Paydirt courses were completed, with a further 2 Paydirt courses are being discussed. Three additional deliverers have been trained in South-West Vic and South Australia to deliver Paydirt in the future and two new PGS courses (pasture manipulation and pasture resowing) are being finalised. A survey of producers in Southern Australia (through another MLA project L.FAP.2104) also provided useful information on producers willingness to pay.

Benefits to industry

PGS is a bold program unlike anything that has been delivered by MLA before. Understandably there have been challenges in the implementation however the impact to industry is being demonstrated by the evaluation data, showing PGS is providing MLA with the greatest ROI.

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.