CONTENTS

Effluent Guidelines

Outcomes:  South East Dairyfarmer’s comply with the minimum EPA requirements.  Dairy farms have minimal impact on the quality of water in the South East.  Information on new technology developments for effluent management is available for all dairy farmers.  Coordinated programs are in place and there are ongoing activities to support this program in the future with funds from PIRSA, EPA and industry.

Project Activities and Achievements:

• Management and Coordination of Effluent Project
  Simon Gierke, PIRSA Livestock SA  Appendix 13
  
  Simon incorporated the $20,000 ADP funds with additional funds from the EPA, Dairy SA and industry to develop the South East Dairy Effluent Project.  This project has been a major achievement of industry working together with Government and the community to produce a positive outcome.  A steering committee was formed that had all of the key stake holders represented including, processors, dairy farmers, water catchment management board, EPA and PIRSA.  This committee provided input and ideas into the development of the new guidelines and then reviewed and road tested them so that they could be implemented.
  
• South East Dairy Effluent Guidelines
  Trevor Clark, Rural Solutions   
  
  The 2005 Updated Dairy Effluent Guidelines have been completed and sent to every dairy farmer in the South East region of South Australia.  They are available as a hard copy, on CD or can be downloaded from www.dairyindustrysa.com.au or from the EPA website.
  
• South East Dairy Effluent Field Day and Guideline Launch
  Dairy Effluent Committee
       
  A field day was held to launch the new dairy effluent guidelines and to update dairy farmers on new technology and developments in effluent management.  The field day was held on 15th June 2005 at Brad Dibbles dairy farm in Kongorong just West of Mt Gambier.  The field day included presentations from Trevor Clark and Michael O’Keefe on guidelines and management, Carl Smith, EPA on legislation and a South East pig farmer on new innovations in effluent management.
  
• Technical Advice fro South East Dairy Farmers
  Michael O’Keef, Rural Solutions SA
    
  Michael O’Keefe was employed earlier this year to provide sound technical advice to dairy farmers in the implementation of the dairy effluent guidelines.  There are 120 farms in the South East region and Michael has visited over 70 of them to assess their current effluent management system and to advise them of what is required for them to adopt the new guidelines.
  
• Best Practise Management Adopted
  Michael O’Keefe, Rural Solutions SA
  
  It is estimated, through on farm visit by Michael O’Keefe, that approximately 90% of the South East dairy farmers have either adopted best practise management or have developed a plan (which includes timelines and costings) of how to adopt best practise management.
  
• On Farm Demonstration Site
  Brad Dibble, Kongorong South East SA
        
  Brad Dibble is milking 500 dairy cows about 25Km West of Mt Gambier.  He has built a new dairy and has an excellent effluent management system in place that effectively minimises the impact of effluent on ground water.  Brad’s farm has been used as a regular demonstration site for the effluent field days, discussion groups and for a Ministerial and media visit in August.  The farm and effluent system have also been used as a feature article in the Stock Journal.  The site is being continually monitored and assessed to help to develop a database of best practise management.

Financial Analysis