Coordinating the MLA response and engagement for flood recovery and growing resilience of the northern beef herd

Summary

The extensive livestock sector has been subject to extreme weather and climate events over the last few years. Floods in north-west Queensland, recent and ongoing drought in much of semi-arid and arid regions of Australia and severe bushfires in late 2019 and early 2020 have had a major impact on the grazing industry.

In response to these events, triggered by the flood event in northern Queensland in February 2019, MLA commissioned this work to assist the extensive beef industry build resilience to mitigate extreme events that compromise productivity, profitability and sustainability.

Objectives

The objectives of this project were to:

• review industry surveys for the flood event and recommend key areas for investment and engagement by MLA
• engage with key industry bodies to identify specific needs, information resources, current and planned activities and barriers for MLA collaboration in recovery/ resilience activities
• report gap analysis and recommend R&D and/or E&A deliverables for potential MLA support/engagement that align with NQLIRA recovery strategies, RedMeat 2030 and MLA AIP
• identify existing and potential MLA initiatives that will complement partner activities and contribute to recovery, redevelopment and growth in industry resilience
• scope MLA contribution and/or capacity to support a “centralized beef disaster support hub”.

Key findings

The major flood in north-west Queensland leading to very large stock losses, degradation, and property damage together with prolonged and widespread drought across eastern Australia, and recent extensive bushfires in southern Australia has triggered renewed interest in how to better prepare for and manage these events.

There are many past and current research and adoption initiatives aimed at providing better information for decision-making on-farm and in policy. With the flood event in north-west Queensland as the trigger, this project explored producer needs in the context of recent extreme events and reviewed ongoing projects and initiatives to identify gaps and develop recommendations/options for Meat and Livestock Australia to consider in its future activities.

Improvement in record keeping of herds and pasture monitoring tools is essential to support long term sustainability of beef operations impacted by extreme events and need to be incorporated as part of larger programs of work.

Benefits to industry

• Engagement  with key industry and government bodies and identified specific needs, information resources, current and planned activities and barriers for MLA collaboration in recovery/ resilience activities.
• Recommendations on deliverables for potential MLA support/engagement were identified during the project, such as the development climate risk management EDGE module and a possible Bankers EDGE course.
• Identification of existing and potential MLA initiatives that complement partner activities and will contribute to recovery, redevelopment and growth in industry resilience.

MLA action

MLA will now explore development of a Climate Risk management EDGE package and a Banker EDGE course. Extension activities and messaging to industry needs to ensure a range of tools on decision making on destocking and restocking are updated or made available.

MLA will continue to support the development and refinement of tools that are integrating weather, climate, pasture and livestock management at the property scale to support decision-making on stock numbers for long-term carrying capacity, de-stocking and re-stocking before and after extreme events, managing the pasture base and ground cover.

Future research

• Investigate the needs to overcome barriers to adoption of climate risk management strategies through better communication and forecasting knowledge.
• Develop strategies to undertake rapid assessment (on ground and remote sensing) of land condition.
• Explore diversification options for extensive beef producers via dryland farming and fodder production.

Related resources

MLA's EDGE network

MLA Hub: Dealing with natural disasters

Resources for producers affected by North West Queensland flooding