GABE BROWN (Virtual)
Brown’s Ranch (USA)
Gabe Brown
Gabe Brown is one of the pioneers of the soil health movement which focuses on the regeneration of our resources.
Gabe, along with his wife Shelly, and son Paul, own and operate Brown’s Ranch, a diversified 6,000 acre farm and ranch near Bismarck, North Dakota. The ranch consists of several thousand acres of native perennial rangeland along with perennial pastureland and cropland. Their ranch focuses on farming and ranching in nature’s image.
The Browns holistically integrate their grazing and no-till cropping systems, which include a wide variety of cash crops, multi-species cover crops along with all natural grass finished beef and lamb. They also raise pastured pork, laying hens, and broilers. This diversity and integration has regenerated the natural resources on the ranch without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and fungicides.
The Browns are part owners of a state inspected abattoir which allows them to direct market their products. They believe that healthy soil leads to clean air, clean water, healthy plants, animals, and people.
Over 2,000 people visit the Brown’s Ranch annually to see this unique operation. They have had visitors from all fifty states and thirty-one foreign countries.
Gabe and Brown’s Ranch have received many forms of recognition for their work, including the prestigious Heinz Foundation Award for the Environment. He has also received a Growing Green award from the Natural Resource Defense Council, an Environmental Stewardship Award from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and a Zero-Till Producer of the Year Award, to name a few. Gabe has also been named one of the twenty-five most influential agricultural leaders in the United States.
Gabe authored the book, “Dirt to Soil, One Family’s Journey Into Regenerative Agriculture.”
He is a partner, along with Kathy Richburg, Shane New and Dr. Allen Williams, in Understanding Ag LLC.
He is also an instructor for Soil Health Academy, which focuses on teaching others the power and importance of healthy functioning ecosystems.
He is a graduate of North Dakota State University and holds Bachelors Degrees in Animal Science and Agricultural Economics.
DR JUDI EARL
Pasture Ecologist & Holistic Grazing Trainer
Judi Earl
Judi gained a PhD in pasture ecology when she conducted the first studies describing the benefits to pasture composition from planned grazing. She has extensive experience in how grasslands and pastures respond to grazing and fertility management and is a widely respected speaker on these matters.
Establishing the AIMS consultancy in 1998 and a Holistic Management™ educator since 2002, Judi’s main area of interest is working with land managers to enhance the condition and productivity of their land through improved understanding of ecosystem function and more effective utilisation of available resources.
Judi showcases the capacity of grazing animals to regenerate land on her 454 hectare property, Glen Orton, in NSW.
Di & Ian Haggerty
Natural Intelligence Farming
Di and Ian Haggerty
Di and Ian Haggerty own and manage 24,000 hectares of cropping and grazing farm land in the wheatbelt of Western Australia. Since 1994, the Haggertys have been focusing on supporting soil, plant,animal and ultimately human microbiome diversity. By combining natural processes and intuitive response with modern techmology it has been exciting to see the outcome of producing optimal quality grains, meat and wool whilst regenerating the landscape’s natural biological functions and water cycles.
Anthony James
The RegenNarration podcast
Anthony James
Anthony is a fifth generation West Australian man living on ancient lands amongst the oldest continuous cultures on earth. He is creator and host of The RegenNarration podcast, Prime Ministerial Award winner for service to the international community, an award-winning facilitator and educator, widely published writer, Honorary Research Fellow at UWA, and a Warm Data Lab Host certified by the International Bateson Institute. Anthony features in a range of media nationally and internationally, is a regular speaker, and hosts conversations with high profile and grass-roots leaders on regenerating the systems and stories we live by, at both live events and on The RegenNarration podcast.
Rowan Reid
Bambra Agroforestry Farm
Rowan Reid
Rowan (B.For.Sci. & M.For.Sci.) is a forester amongst farmers. He won the Australian Eureka Prize for his farmer course (The Australian Master TreeGrower), which he continues to deliver around Australia and internationally to support farmer and community forestry.
Rowan has lectured a subject in agroforestry at Melbourne University since 1991 and supervised many graduate students. He left full-time academia in 2010 to work more closely with farmers. Most importantly, Rowan is also a farmer and tree grower in his own right, with a family farm in the Otway Ranges of southern Victoria and a founder of one of Australia’s most successful Landcare groups, the Otway Agroforestry Network. More than 12,000 visitors have toured his Bambra Agroforestry Farm, which is set up as a 42-hectare outdoor classroom for farmers, scientists, students and tree lovers, and a living laboratory for his own learning.
Currently Rowan is working full time on his farm growing, harvesting, milling and drying timber and building a new family home. Rowan’s latest book is “Heartwood – the art and science of growing trees for conservation and profit”.
Grant Sims
No-till Producer Pine Grove, Victoria
Grant Sims
Grant Sims is a sixth generation farmer running the family farm in North central Victoria Australia. The farm is 8500 acres of dryland and some irrigation.
The Sims farm has been utilizing no-till since the early 80’s thanks to Grant’s father and uncle. When Grant came back full time on the farm he started looking at ways to improve the life and function of the soil through biology. In 2008 he stopped using granular synthetic fertilizers and started using a biologically made liquid fertilizer. Also at that time stop using seed dressing, insecticides and fungicides, unless absolutely necessary.
The Sims have a strong focus on diversity and grow many different crops. They use companion crops, cover crops and have expanded their cow calf numbers to integrate through the system. They have seen many positive changes in the health or their soils and plants. They perform on-farm trials to learn and share methods about how solve problems, be more profitable and improve the soil for the next generation.
Grant and Ken recently started up a multi-species seed business Down Under Covers where they use their own experience and consult with world leading experts to design and put together multi species blends to help improve the soils and provide live weight gains to livestock to help farmers become more profitable.
In 2015 Grant was awarded the Coles Weekly Times Farmer of the Year. Grant is the former president of the Victorian No Till Famers Association.
Zac Webb
Wadandi-Pibulmun Cultural Custodian
Zac Webb
Zac is a Wadandi-Pibulmun cultural custodian from the Noongar nation, an Aboriginal region spanning southwestern Australia along the Great Southern Reef near Margaret River, and one of the last speakers of their native language. He is also the Undalup Association Board Chairperson, an organisation which aims to share knowledge with the general community. The Wadandi people have a long association with the environment of the South West and its natural resources, utilising the Country’s natural resources according to their Lore.
Dr. Terry McCosker OAM
RCS Australia
Terry McCosker
Terry McCosker is one of the great innovators of Australian agriculture who has had an inordinate impact on agricultural practises over many years. On this basis the Central Queensland University conferred on Terry, the degree of Honorary Doctor of Agribusiness, in March 2015 and he was awarded an OAM in the 2021 Queens Birthday honours list for his contribution to agriculture.
Terry is a Churchill Fellow, a Fellow of the Tropical Grasslands Society, has chaired the Australian Beef Expo, and sat on numerous advisory committees.
One of his greatest lifetime achievements has been to effectively bridge the gap between the contesting paradigms of traditional agriculture and regenerative agriculture, helping to ensure the long-term survival of Australian agriculture and its farming families.
Terry is an internationally acclaimed teacher and has worked in research, extension and property management in both government and private sectors for over 55 years. In his research phase in the 1980’s, Terry published over 40 papers and made several world first discoveries.
Terry co-founded RCS in 1985 which has set the benchmark for capacity building in rural and regional Australia and has been independently rated (by a Commonwealth Govt survey) as the most trusted source of farming knowledge in Australia.
Terry is also a pioneer in the field of soil carbon and carbon farming, having been committed to research and commercial activity in this area since the early 2000’s. He founded Carbon Link in 2007 and remains the Chairman of this agricultural carbon aggregator. Carbon Link was awarded a Commonwealth Commercialization grant of almost $1m in 2016 and was the most innovative business in the region in 2016. It has baselined over 100,000ha and completed the first large scale study of soil carbon sequestration where over 240,000t of ACCUs will be issued in 2023.
I-Lyn Loo
Acting CEO, Western Australian Meat Industry Authority
I-Lyn Loo
During her more than 20 years in government, I-Lyn has led the development and implementation of diverse policies ranging from climate change science and technology, to biosecurity funding mechanisms and policy design. In 2016, she was received the Australian Biosecurity Award for prioritising invasive species to maximise the impact of government investments for the WA agriculture sector.
I-Lyn also held the position of Principal Policy Adviser to the WA Minister for Agriculture and Food from 2017 to 2019 where she advised the Minister on policies impacting the WA agriculture and food sector, guided the passage of legislation through Parliament and facilitated industry development programs.
More recently I-Lyn transitioned into economic development roles and led programs to address supply chain challenges and travel restrictions due to the pandemic, maintaining the connection between WA’s export-oriented agrifood sector and global markets, subsequently increasing agrifood exports from WA.
In 2020, I-Lyn was awarded the Churchill Fellowship to investigate the drivers and incentives for regenerative agriculture, which took her to New Zealand, United States of America, Netherlands and United Kingdom for 7 weeks.
Prior to this role with WAMIA, I-Lyn was the Acting CEO of the Wheatbelt Development Commission, a role facilitating regional economic development in WA’s Wheatbelt region.
Matthew Evans
Fat Pig Farm
Matthew Evans
Matthew Evans is a food writer, farmer, television broadcaster and chef. Based in Southern Tasmania, Matthew lives and works on Fat Pig Farm, a mixed holding where he tends a garden, makes cider, fattens the namesake pigs and tries to entice milk from two full cream dairy cows for his onsite restaurant. Matthew’s personal farming journey has been the focus of six series of Gourmet Farmer on SBS, and he’s presented two documentaries, For The Love of Meat, and What’s The Catch. Matthew is the author of over a dozen books on food, including the authoritative ethical meat manifesto On Eating Meat and his latest completely revised cookbook The Real Food Companion.
Matthew is an advocate for open, fair, accountable food and farming systems, and has pushed for honest labelling so we can all enjoy sustainable seafood. His most recent book SOIL is a hymn to the remarkable, and underappreciated bit of Earth that gifts us life. It’s a swashbuckling tale of soil that arms us all with the knowledge and respect to care about its health.
Heidi Mippy
Noongar Land Enterprise Group
Heidi Mippy
Heidi Mippy is a Noongar and Thiin-Mah Warriyangka women with cultural ties to the South West and Upper Gascoyne regions of WA. Heidi has worked in community development for over 26 years. She has extensive experience with Indigenous communities and has held roles within local government, the WA Police, Child Protection, Education and Training, and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services.
Heidi is a small business owner and volunteers her time to several Boards and Advisory Groups in the community and was recognised as the 2020 Citizen of the Year for the City of Fremantle and 2022 Murdoch University Distinguished Alumni. Heidi holds a Bachelor of Arts in Community Management and Adult Education, a Graduate Certificate in Business (Leadership, Strategy & Innovation) and an Executive Masters, Leadership, Strategy, and Innovation. Heidi currently works with Noongar Land Enterprise Group, supporting Noongar landowners with land management and enterprise development.
Heidi co-leads the Socioeconomics Research Theme of the ARC Training Centre for Healing Country with Professor Fiona Haslam McKenzie and is on the Healing Country Board. She is passionate about Noongar led restoration and economic opportunities for Noongar people through land based activities.
Professor Lyn Abbott
UWA School of Agriculture and Environment
Professor Lyn Abbott
Lyn Abbott commenced her research career in soil biology at UWA in 1974. Her research has focused on the role of soil biological processes linked to nutrient acquisition by plants and includes bio-chemical and bio-physical interactions with soil amendments and plant-microbe interactions, especially arbuscular mycorrhizas. Her teaching focused on soil and land management with an emphasis on soil biological fertility, and she has a long history of presentation of workshops and seminars on soil health within the agricultural community. Lyn ‘retired’ in 2013 and as an Emerita Professor continues her research collaborations and extension in soil biology. She was awarded the inaugural General Jeffery Soil Health Award in 2021 and is a Fellow of Soil Science Australia and AgInstitute Australia.
Mitchell East
Willarra Gold
Mitchell East
Mitchell East is a third-generation farmer from Manjimup’s Southern Forests region, cultivating passionfruit, avocados, sheep, and cattle. With a deep passion for regenerative agriculture, Mitchell and his partner Jennifer have adopted many new farming practices.
They’ve created an on-farm processing facility, leveraging 100% of their passionfruit crop and collaborating with neighboring farmers to utilise surplus fruits. This innovative waste-reducing approach has fostered partnerships and unlocked valuable opportunities within the agricultural community.
Mitchell’s involvement in regional community development, spanning 8 years, includes serving on various local, state, and federal boards. Through these experiences, he has championed the voices of young farmers and engaged with industry decision-makers and politicians. Mitchell is dedicated to promoting regenerative farming and encouraging the participation of young farmers in the industry.
Kristy Stewart
Yan Yan Gurt
Kristy Stewart
Kristy (B. Agricultural Sciences) is a 5th generation farmer born at Yan Yan Gurt West, an award winning, carbon neutral sheep and agroforestry farm on Wadawurrung and Gadubanud Country in Victoria.
She works in the education space as a Landcare project officer, Agricultural systems consultant and is apart of the team co-managing her family farm where she runs educational tours on agriculture, agroforestry and landscape connection. Most recently she has facilitated for Nicole Masters in her agro-ecology farmer workshop in NSW. Kristy is a Farmers for Climate Action fellow, a recipient of the Rural Finance Scholarship award and participated in the Australian Women in Agriculture Leadership course during her studies at university.
Kristy has spent the past 11 years studying, travelling, finding mentors and deepening her understanding of agriculture, land management and people’s inherent connection to landscape. She feels that one of the greatest things we can do at this time is support and facilitate people to reconnect to our food source and remember our connection to the natural world.
Increasingly she is becoming fascinated with systems thinking, the human psyche and how mindset can bring about cultural change in communities that influence the way we farm, manage our landscapes and build ecological literacy. She is constantly inspired and humbled by the people she meets, and the stunning natural landscapes and innovative farms she has been privileged to explore throughout her travels.
Jake Ryan
Three Ryans Farm
Jake Ryan
Jake is a regenerative vegetable and livestock farmer from Three Ryans Farm, Manjimup. His family farm produces cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, sheep and cows, and pasture raised eggs, all the while building soil microbial diversity and cycling nutrients.
His innovative approach saw him win the 2022 award for Excellence in Diversfication at the Australian Farmer of the Year Awards. Jake was also recognised amongst international peers when he won Corteva Agriscience’s 2021 Climate Positive Leaders Program.
DAVID MONTGOMERY & ANNE BIKLÉ (Virtual)
Authors of “What Your Food Ate”
David Montgomery & Anne Biklé
David R. Montgomery is a MacArthur Fellow and professor of geomorphology at the University of Washington. He is an internationally recognized geologist who studies the effects of geological processes on ecological systems and human societies. His work has been featured in documentary films, network and cable news, TV, and radio including NOVA, PBS NewsHour, Fox and Friends, and All Things Considered.
Anne Biklé is a biologist and science writer focusing on the connections between people, plants, food, health, and the environment. She has been known to coax garden plants into rambunctious growth and nurse them back from the edge of death with her regenerative gardening practices. Her work has appeared in digital and print magazines, newspapers, and radio and her gardening practices have been featured in independent and documentary films.
Anne and David are married and live in Seattle, WA. Published in 2023, What Your Food Ate: How to Heal Our Land and Reclaim Our Health is their most recent book. It builds on their trilogy of books about soil health, microbiomes, and farming—Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations, The Hidden Half of Nature, and Growing a Revolution.
Tom Mitchell
Worrolong Produce
Tom Mitchell
Having studied Geology at University of WA, Tom worked as a Hydrologist in the area of salt land reclamation in the wheatbelt of Western Australia. He spent a total of 13 years working with the Department of Agriculture in Moora and Gingin in the areas of Landcare, Farm and catchment planning and farm forestry. It was the time spent in Gingin that he developed an interest in horticulture.
Tom currently farms 20 Hectares North West of Gingin with his wife, Emma and two daughters, Darcie and Grace. Tom and Emma began developing the property in November 1999. Their enterprise is comprised of a market garden where they grow summer crops and mixed species cover crops in the winter and an orchard producing limes and four varieties of mandarin.
Since 2012 they have taken a more biological / regenerative approach to their farming. Their objective is to grow tasty, nutritious food and run a profitable business. Their farming practices aim to optimise soil carbon and biological function. They have introduced cover cropping and green manuring to their market garden operation and have drastically reduced the amount of cultivation. They are currently working on increasing the diversity of inter-row species in their orchard as well as increasing the organic matter levels under their trees. They have eliminated the use of all fungicides from their operation and significantly reduced the amount of pesticide use. Monitoring plant and soil conditions are the keys to the success of their operation. Plant nutrition, soil nutrition, soil moisture are all measured with the aim of growing the healthiest plant possible.
More recently Tom was invited to be a committee member of the RegenWA network. In 2020 Tom and Emma were presented with the Perth NRM Soil Health Champions award.
Nick Kelly
Hollands Track Farm
Nick Kelly
Nick and Lucy Kelly farm with parents Malcolm & Cathie Kelly in Newdegate, on their 1,450 hectare ‘Hollands Track Farm’. They run around 3,000 laying hens as well as farming beef cattle.
In an attempt to address soil constraints and chemical and fertiliser use, they started experimenting with summer cover crops, and are in the process of establishing a diverse, sub-tropical perennial pasture base across the farm. This has led to the natural progression of a no-kill perennial pasture cropping system, and holistic grazing of livestock. The laying hens bring diversity, a natural source of fertiliser and an opportunity to cycle nutrients by feeding grain grown on the farm.
The soil care principles they apply on Hollands Track Farm are:
- zero tillage
- living root all year round
- constant ground cover (soil armour)
- diversity of plants
- holistic management of livestock
During their quest for information they formed the Wheatbelt Integrity Group to share ideas and promote regeneration of farming landscapes. Farmers looking for resources can visit www.wig.farm
The Wheatbelt Integrity Group holds a field day at Hollands Track Farm annually.
Jeff Pow
Southampton Homestead and Farm
Jeff Pow
Jeff is a first-generation farmer near Balingup and the co-founder of Western Australia’s only vertically integrated, beyond organic, pasture-raised chicken and duck operation.
Since 2006, he has restored the historic Southampton Homestead landscape back to perennial pasture twice – once in the recovery from mono-culture pine plantation and again in 2013 following a devastating bushfire. Jeff and his wife Michelle raise meat chickens and ducks out on pasture and manage all aspects of the supply chain on-farm – from growing and harvesting birds through to marketing, wholesaling and selling directly to the community, retailers and restaurants.
Their Mission; to grow food, and grow farmers, has led to the recent emergence of a collective of new pastured poultry farms across the Southwest, who now bring over 30,000 pasture-raised chickens to the public, regenerating local farming families, landscapes and economies. Southampton Homestead has received a Delicious Produce Award and two National Landcare Awards for Innovation in Sustainable Farming Practices.
Rod O’Bree
Yanget Farm
Rod O'Bree
Mark Tupman
Productive Ecology
Mark Tupman
Over the last three decades Mark has been active in the fields of organic/biodynamic production, permaculture, sustainability, agro-ecology and holistic management.
He has been involved in a number of educational, research, community and commercial projects throughout Western Australia and managed orchards, livestock and market garden enterprises on various properties.
His consultation and education business, Productive Ecology, specialises in the establishment and management of integrated living production systems.
He also works part time as the Witchcliffe Ecovillage horticulture manager and is a project advisor and content creator for the Lower Blackwood Catchment LCDC.
Mel Holland
Rocky Ridge Brewing Co
Mel Holland
Mel co-founded Rocky Ridge Brewing Co in 2017 with her partner Hamish, as a diversification of their 5th generation family dairy farm in Jindong (Busselton).
Mel is aptly named Rocky Ridge’s ‘Captain Planet’. Her passion for the natural world and background in Landscape Architecture sees her manage all avenues of the company’s environmental, sustainability, community support & planning initiatives.
Rocky Ridge’s aim is simple; to make incredible beer using the best local produce, farmed in the best way, with the least environmental impact. Rocky Ridge are Australia’s first Certified Sustainable and fully Carbon Neutral Brewery, and are committed to achieving Net Zero emissions from their brewing process by 2025.
Rocky Ridge pushes the boundaries of innovation and recipe development to ensure quality exciting brews are at the heart of their offering. They proudly hold the title of WA’s Champion Beer for both 2022 & 2023 and are WA’s reigning Champion Large Brewery.
Blythe Calnan
Runnymede Farm
Blythe Calnan
Blythe grew up in the Pilbara, Western Australia where she developed her love for the landscape and agricultural systems. She has worked in the pastoral, mining and aquaculture industries in the north, trained people in skills to improve animal welfare around the world and in beef, dairy and poultry systems ‘down south’.
Blythe & Gregg bought their first property in the Harvey area in 2014 and began ‘Runnymede Farm’ with a regenerative focus. They relocated in 2019 to transition a high input ex Dairy property to regenerative management and now steward 400 acres of productive country with beef cattle and pastured egg poultry enterprises. They operate with a focus on soil health, animal welfare and connection with community through sharing their story.
Blythe supports other farmers in creating resilient business’s that serve their goals with Resource Consulting Services and through innovative regenerative produce retailers Dirty Clean Food in communication to create mutual understanding of production and retail systems. Blythe & Greggs aim is to have a profitable business within a thriving ecosystem supported by photosynthesis that supports and inspires other land holders in regenerative land management.
Jim Trandos
Trandos Farms
Jim Trandos
Jim Trandos, Managing Director of Trandos Farms is a third generation vegetable grower. Jim’s family has been farming since 1939 and now has 4 locations- Neerabup, 2 in Gingin and 1 in the Kimberley, approx. 200km South of Broome where they have been farming for 10 years to enable the business to produce a year round supply.
Trandos Farms is the largest fresh market grower of sweet corn and beans in Western Australia and supplies all major supermarket chains throughout Australia and currently exports to several countries. Jim has tried to keep Trandos Farms at the forefront of as many sustainable initiatives or practices as possible throughout the years and is now set to embark on their first Carbon reforestation project on 2 of the farming sites.
Brad Plunkett
WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
Brad Plunkett
Brad Plunkett is a Senior Economist at the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, where he has worked for 27 years. His PhD research (2005, University of Missouri) and mainstay of his professional career has centred on the value that farmers create from integrating themselves along value chains via self-owned businesses such as co-operatives.
In recent years, these same questions have manifested themselves in the ways farmers organise themselves – formally and informally – to develop knowledge, practices, and value – particularly around resource management and associated cost reductions – in areas of agtech, semi-arid rangeland production and dryland farming. Current research into Tolga farm’s unusual dryland production system, and its business and net carbon outcomes is a result of cross DPIRD collaboration with the farm’s owners. This research incorporates similar interests of knowledge and value creation, business development and collaboration between likeminded farmers, especially regarding resource sustainability, cost effectiveness and generating stable margins.
Brett Hazelden
Blackwood River Farm
Brett Hazelden
Having spent 25 years in the mining industry Brett is relatively new to farming, but a long-term interest in farming, a pre-disposition to talk to lots of people, and a drive to research what the innovators are doing ultimately led him to a fascination with regenerative agriculture.
Since purchasing Blackwood River Farm Brett has been exploring many avenues to improve the health and productivity of the soil and pasture on his 200 acre sheep farm, and ultimately the profitability the enterprise.
A deep dive into switching his pastures from low diversity annual systems to multispecies and perennials led him to undertake the second only soil carbon project (the first to be submitted as a DIY project) in the south west of WA.
Dave Maslen
The New Zealand Merino Company
Dave Maslen
Dave Maslen is a respected advocate for sustainability in the wool industry, as General Manager for Markets and Sustainability at The New Zealand Merino Company (NZM) he has been instrumental in delivering the largest supply of ethical wool in the world to the global market.
Sitting on NZM’s senior leadership team, Dave has primary responsibility for the company’s sustainability, innovation, and research programmes while also managing key international relationships with retail brands, supply chain partners, and industry organisations.
A core part of Dave’s role involves connecting businesses and growers who share sustainable values to create long-lasting relationships with the drive to do better for our world, this includes coordinating sales into all markets and managing both B2B and B2C marketing activities.
Since 2020 Dave has led NZM’s ZQRX wool sourcing programme, this initiative was designed to go beyond the company’s world-leading ZQ on-farm standard by encouraging and quantifying regenerative farming.
Brendon Savage
Tolga Farm
Brendon Savage
A Muresk graduate Brendon Savage is a fourth-generation farmer who has been farming with his wife Gab at Tolga Farm, Kulin for 30 years. Brendon and Gab began changing the way they farm 20 years ago, having realised that they needed to find ways to become sustainable. Sustainability for the Savages is farming practices, business diversification, community volunteering and contributing to a network of different farmers all with similar goals.
On farm this means producing as much as possible with the least synthetic inputs while leaving the soil in the best possible condition. One of the farm mottos is ‘Roots fix dirt’. The process of navigating the transition to the current hybrid system has been a 20-year journey of research, trialling, monitoring and implementation that continues today.
A mixed crop and livestock business with soft rotations, Brendon is using what he describes a HYBID farming model. This model is a careful balance between conventional farming and the Australian Soil Planners farming system.
Along the way they have reduced emissions in their grain production by as much as 43% relative to conventional systems and are the first and only Western Australian farmers who is Certified Sustainable TM.
The Tolga Farm family is also excited to be working with Rocky Ridge Brewery. Brendon describes this partnership as winning the trifecta- for beer that will be:
- Single origin
- Certified sustainable TM
- Low emissions
Lachy Ritchie
Carbon Farming Foundation
Michelle McManus
Michelle is a first-generation farmer and a trainee grass and soil steward. Michelle is fortunate to wear may interconnected hats, including her current role as Head of Sustainability for The Landsmith Collection, who’sbusiness portfolio includes Voyager Estate and Landsmith Home Farm, an early-stage regenerative farming beef and market garden project.
She co-founded pastured poultry farm Southampton Homestead with her husband Jeff Pow nearly 10 years ago, with a simple mission is to grow food, and grow farmers. Southampton has one of the few small scale, family-owned on-farm poultry abattoirs in WA, and is now supporting the emergence of a collective of new pastured poultry farmers across the Southwest, who together bring over 30,000 pasture-raised chickens to the public.
Michelle is also a Board member of Nature Conservation Margaret River Region, a leading environmental body and voice in the region.
Michelle McManus
The Landsmith Collection
Michelle McManus
Michelle is a first-generation farmer and a trainee grass and soil steward. Michelle is fortunate to wear may interconnected hats, including her current role as Head of Sustainability for The Landsmith Collection, who’sbusiness portfolio includes Voyager Estate and Landsmith Home Farm, an early-stage regenerative farming beef and market garden project.
She co-founded pastured poultry farm Southampton Homestead with her husband Jeff Pow nearly 10 years ago, with a simple mission is to grow food, and grow farmers. Southampton has one of the few small scale, family-owned on-farm poultry abattoirs in WA, and is now supporting the emergence of a collective of new pastured poultry farmers across the Southwest, who together bring over 30,000 pasture-raised chickens to the public.
Michelle is also a Board member of Nature Conservation Margaret River Region, a leading environmental body and voice in the region.
