Empower the next generation Upper Murray producers to develop and lead future facing agriculture production systems that leverage the region’s distinct seasonal growing conditions, drought resilience, and future market opportunities, giving the region a competitive advantage in a climate impacted world.

Forecast to be less impacted by drought and climate change than many temperate regions, the Upper Murray’s remoteness is advantageous to growing high risk biosecurity crops while the microclimates will continue to be favourable for pasture-based dairy and livestock systems as well as grain/seed and forage crops. This rare combination means supplementary animal feed can be produced locally, reducing farm input costs, risks and carbon miles (footprint) associated with production.

Combined with the energy, appetite and technology drive of the next generation producers, the region is well placed to develop its inherent and natural competitive advantage to meet current and future market demands and opportunities.

This may involve a portfolio of activities that considers the following as a starting point:

• How to leverage data and data-driven decisions, technologies and modern practices to improve productivity, sustainability and overall producer/regional market competitiveness.
• Innovative ways to support value add within the existing agriculture sectors and leverage the region’s provenance story.
• How to leverage the region’s isolation and suitability to growing seed crops, seed potatoes, industrial hemp and/or medicinal cannabis.
• Developing opportunities for agricultural activities and production systems that generate higher returns per hectare to enable viable incomes from a smaller land footprint.
• Unlocking greater secure access to water in the region, both regulated and non-regulated

• Reliable rainfall, fertile soils and distinct seasonal conditions with long growing period.
• Large water catchment in the Murray River (challenge is how to access)
• High-quality beef and dairy production with a strong producer base and capability.
• Significant broadacre cropping with good potential for increased seed production.
• Notable number of next generation producers have returned to the region in recent years. The region is also attracting non-generational talent and those not necessarily connected to the land.
• Local interest in value add across beef and dairy production, as well as opportunities to increase cropping or other diversification streams.

• Projected climate resilience compared to many regions, less prone to drought and a long seasonal growing period.
• Strong agricultural capability in the region provides strong base to increase diversification, adapt to future market demands and manage environmental shocks.
• The region’s isolation is ideal for growing high biosecurity risk crops.

• The regulatory and planning environment around land and water.
• Entrepreneurial appetite and constraints on access to capital or land.
• Market access and logistics.
• Culture and capacity (mindset, time, capital) for innovation and risk
• Access to workers/ worker environment
• Realising the potential and productivity of land that is under-utilised (is poor given the rainfall)
• Increasing number of large farms may support fewer livelihoods and create community leakage
• Realising the benefit of higher skilled labour and diverse backgrounds/perspectives that the increasing number of large farming operations can bring to the region, without creating community leakage from reduced employment and livelihood opportunities.