Solutions Newsletter - Edition 06
In this issue
- Celebrating 2006
- Food industry services celebrated
- Planning to win
- Leaders in local education
- Drought support
- Wine,weeds, fruit and fodder - Royal Show a magnet for visitors
- Helping Calculate sheep and cattle rations
- More hits for our website
- Reducing fleet vehicle costs
Celebrating 2006
Last year saw our team tackling and mastering many projects for customers across South Australia, interstate and overseas.
Much of our success flowed from a focus on delivering practical services, providing timely and targeted information and supporting innovation.
Here are a few examples of 2006 activities.
Working to make a difference in the regions
Often good, timely advice can make the difference between success and another gloomy story on Australia’s rural challenges.
In 2006, the Rural Solutions SA team put its performance and services on the record by producing a series of Service Information Sheets – available in print or downloadable on the web from http://www.ruralsolutions.sa.gov.au/about/business_profile
The initial series comprises six printable colour A4 sheets and areas covered include:
- Primary Industries – technical services; market trends; consultancy projects with sheep, wine and citrus
- Pollution control, community consultation and mediation
Environment
- Environmental protection – vineyards, dairy effluent, air quality
- Natural Resource Management – dryland salinity, funding access, water erosion
Community
- Regional Development – sustainable farming; irrigation projects; pest and animal management
- Community support – farm assistance programs, bushfire support, Outback communication
The sheets contain case studies across the range of activities, highlighting where the team’s expertise made a difference to the environment, the commercial operation and the community.
“The strength of our team’s local knowledge from living in the regional communities – plus our broad government and scientific network – can make a big difference,” said Rural Solutions SA’s Michy Kris, who heads the Business Development and Marketing team.
“We are dedicated to achieving sustainable communities, businesses and the environment – and it’s great to share tangible examples of where this has occurred.”
Contact: Michy Kris
Phone: 1300 364 322
Food Industry Services Celebrated
The people that promote, produce and distribute the riches of South Australia’s food and beverages were honoured by a new award sponsored by Rural Solutions SA.
The 2006 Premier’s Food Awards launched the ‘Services to Industry’ category that spotlighted a broad range of dedicated individuals and groups working to ensure that the State’s food and wine industry continues to thrive through its innovation and premium quality.
SA’s food and wine exports are worth $3.7 billion, equating to more than half the State’s exports.
Locky McLaren, Executive Director, Rural Solutions SA presented The Hilton Adelaide’s Brasserie restaurant with the award for promoting the essence of South Australian produce with its ‘Seriously South Australian!’ menu.
The other award finalists were the Mercorella Group, for its special services in managing and distributing fresh produce; Site Academy, for its progressive food service, event and tourism training; and Virginia Horticulture Centre for its focus on industry development.
Congratulations to all involved
Planning to Win
When Landscape architects, Swanbury Penglase, recently won an award for planning excellence, they recognised Rural Solutions SA’s contribution in their success.
Wayne Brown, Geoffrey Bishop and Catherine Miles comprised the Rural Solutions SA team contributing to the Sturt River Linear Park Master Plan and Detailed Concept Plan (South Road to Sturt Gorge Recreation Park) that won the award for Urban Design – Plans and Ideas at Planning Institute Australia SA Division’s 2006 Awards for Planning Excellence.
Swanbury Penglase’s Senior Landscape Artist Tim Conybeare wrote to the team to thank them for their “invaluable assistance” saying “it was a great joy to be able to work with such a dedicated team”.
Leaders in Local Education
The Keith office was nominated as Finalist in the Bank SA People’s Choice – Rural Business Awards for Education – recognising a level of long-term contribution to regional Australia.
The awards, organised through the Stock Journal, highlight the contribution that businesses make to the rural sector.
Keith is the hub for Electronic Information Services for Rural Solutions SA across Australia – delivering key data and developing key agricultural decision-making software such as Ready Rations Pro, FertiPlan, Budget Solutions and Crop Guard.
Rurally-focussed publications are for sale from Roseworthy Information Centre.
Keith also offers a meeting room to community groups free of charge and rents out equipment such as projector screens.
The office also provides a comprehensive advisory and referral service – drawing on its team of rural consultants – such as our land and water specialists.
For more information call the Keith office on 08 8755 3166
Drought Support
Rural Solutions SA’s regionally based offices and consultants are currently assessing local priorities. They are gearing up to support regions with targeted analysis, planning and training services – backed by on-the-ground practical solutions – dedicated to deliver real results.
For an independent assessment of the team’s effectiveness, visit the 2006 media cuttings file that shows the depth and breadth of regional experience and activity.
Wine, weeds, fruit and fodder – Royal Show stand a magnet for visitors
Business was booming at our Show stand this year, with our team running to keep up with sales and enquiries.
Lisa Irvine, Jill Teagle, Kate Warneke and Tony Zimmerman from the Roseworthy Information Centre were very pleased with how many came to their stand.
Visitors were keen to explore and buy hard copy publications, DVDs and software – which they carried in a brightly coloured bag featuring our Rural Solutions SA branding.
Best sellers included practical subjects such as Haymaking, Fodder Conservation, Lucerne Growing, and Feeding and Managing Sheep and Cattle, while two guides specifically targeting Show visitors also walked off the shelves: Burkes Backyard Fact Sheets and Camping & Caravanning Across Australia.
In the food and plants section, visitors focused on Making Great Cheese at Home and Making Wine in Small Quantities – while the practical guides like Plants of Outback SA, Pruning for Fruit and Eucalypts of SA were once again good performers, with Weeds: the Ute Guide being the star!! Visitors were also drawn to our stand by Tim Marshall - author of Recycle your Garden.
Helping calculate sheep and cattle rations
At a time when supplementary and lotfeeding was essential to get stock through 2006, Rural Solutions SA conducted workshops on drought management in many districts.
The team helped with decisions on which stock to sell and which to keep, feed management, soil conservation and ration formulation.
As part of the support, the team also explained Ready Rations Pro - a computer program that makes calculating and costing balanced rations quick and easy. The software has a proven track record in assisting with on-farm decision-making in dry times.
Drawing from a database of common cereal grains, pulses and hay products, Ready Rations Pro calculates least cost balanced rations for all classes of sheep and beef cattle. This is based on the age, sex, liveweight and reproductive status of the stock to be fed.
Rations for each flock or herd can be calculated and printed out. As pastures and stubbles are consumed, the rations can be simply recalculated as the quantity of paddock feed declines. The software can also be used as a budgeting tool in determining the overall feeding cost of alternative management strategies.
Ready Rations Pro is distributed on a CDROM ready for installation on any Windows computer. A free demonstration version can be downloaded from the Rural Solutions SA website at District offices also have copies of a demo CD.
More hits for our website
The new Rural Solutions SA website was launched last year. It has been redesigned as a more comprehensive, userfriendly resource.
Themes covered within the website include agribusiness, environment and communities, innovative services and products.
The menu highlights key information and services provided by Rural Solutions SA, and visitors can quickly see who to contact for specific services. Video modules take visitors on a tour of project case studies. Also, a series of information sheets can be downloaded. Feedback is welcomed (see feedback forms provided in the header of the website on the right hand side). The more we know about visitor needs, the better we are able to continue providing valuable services.
Visit the website now at: www.ruralsolutions.sa.gov.au
Reducing fleet vehicle costs
A case study based on the operations of Rural Solutions SA’s vehicle fleet produced some cost-saving advice valuable for all government departments.
The key focal points were the driver’s use of vehicles, vehicle care and maintenance, monitoring of log books, home garaging, vehicle fuel options, correct servicing procedures and safety. Much of the fleet was also converted to LPG to reduce expenditure on fuel.
Daily activities were managed to minimize private use and ensure staff accurately completed log-sheets to meet ATO requirements. In 2003–04 a saving of $115 000 in FBT was achieved.
Better monitored vehicle servicing also avoided penalty fees when returning vehicles to Fleet SA (incurred if a vehicle is returned without all scheduledservices done and recorded). The very positive results can be reproduced.
For more information regarding this matter please contact Tony Zimmerman, on 1300 364 322.
Last Updated: January 31, 2008