Wimmera farmers to help shape rural land management investment

For the sixth time since 2004, farmers and rural landholders across the Wimmera region of Victoria are invited to share their views in a major national survey investigating local land and farm management practices. The survey will help inform the priorities of the Wimmera Catchment Management Authority (CMA), including the allocation of funds to support rural land managers, and guide the activities of Soil CRC researchers.

Two-thousand surveys have been mailed to rural landholders in the Wimmera region as part of the Soil CRC’s national Rural Landholder Social Benchmarking Study, led by Associate Professor Hanabeth Luke of Murdoch University, in partnership with the Wimmera CMA.

“The Wimmera survey is the only one of its kind, because we are able to follow up on five very similar surveys in this region, undertaken every 4-5 years since 2004. We can also build an understanding of how land management in the Wimmera may link with national trends on social and economic factors shaping rural landholder decision-making,” A/Prof Luke said.

“No other Australian farming region has such detailed information about trends and priorities shaping landholder decision-making over the past three decades.”

Findings from the survey will help Wimmera CMA understand what matters most to landholders and will guide future engagement, research and investment in the region.

“Our previous survey results showed that in 2023, the top five issues for Wimmera farmers were: rising input costs, an absence of regional services and infrastructure, social license to operate, herbicide resistance and water security. Concerns about rising input costs linked strongly with practices such as planting legumes, minimum tillage, cover-cropping and precision farming.

“While they reported a high knowledge of whole-farm planning and how to manage erosion, just over half of Wimmera farmers were confident in their knowledge about soil stewardship. We also found that farmers who were making decisions as part of a team felt better supported in their farming activities. They often had family working with them on the land and succession was more likely secured,” A/Prof Luke said.

By running the survey again, Soil CRC researchers can identify what has changed, what support is most needed, and how the Wimmera CMA can better tailor their services.

Wimmera CMA Acting CEO, Luke Austin, said the survey delivers valuable insights that help guide investment and ensure support is targeted to align with landholder priorities, whether that be soil health, input efficiencies or building long-term business resilience.

“Wimmera farmers are regularly refining and adapting their farming practices to navigate challenges and position their businesses for ongoing productivity and profitability. Gaining a clear understanding of their priorities helps ensure programs are responsive and genuinely meet their needs,” Mr Austin said.

The survey asks landholders about their land management practices, key challenges, sources of information, and the values that underpin their decision making. All rural landholders who receive the survey in the mail are encouraged to complete it.

“This is a simple yet powerful way to ensure you have a say in the decisions shaping agriculture and natural resource management in the Wimmera,” A/Prof Luke said.