First veg equity certificate issued on the South Coast, $100k win for producers

Government landholder body Local Land Services has reported that Troy and Shelley Hollis of Elizabeth Farm, Bodalla, are the first producers in the state to be issued an equity certificate under the new land management codes that were switched on in August.

In short, LLS said the Hollis family has agreed to set aside 84 hectares of vegetation on their 344ha farm to manage in perpetuity, including pests and weeds.

In return, and after consultation with the Sustainable Land Management team, they have permission to clear 42ha over the next 15 years to extend their pastures beyond flood-prone flats.

This will allow them to stock an extra 100 cattle at their Lizzy Valley Fleckvieh stud.  

LLS has shared the Hollis’ story as it readies to roll out a series of public farmer workshops across the state over the next two months, where officers will be on hand to provide an on-ground demonstration of how the new laws work. 

“I don’t want to speak for every farmer in the state, but the process has certainly worked for us,” Mr Hollis said. 

The Hollis’ said minor flooding on their farm last year washed away recently-sown pasture and led to waterlogging, killing existing pastures and destroying most of their feed.

Mr Hollis said a month after first approaching LLS, he had obtained an equity certificate, which he said would help him balance the country for wet and dry seasons, allowing for more consistent stock movement.

“I estimate that we can produce an extra 35,000 kilograms live weight of beef per year,” Mr Hollis said.

“The economic margin largely depends on market trend but currently that would equate to a gross annual turnover of approximately $100,000.

“It may be a net profit to us of $30,000 and the other $70,000 shared throughout our rural community with rural merchants, stock and station agents and contractors.”

The Coalition’s new land clearing laws passed NSW parliament almost a year ago - with the regulations that power the code-based system going online in August.

The Office of Environment and Heritage’s regulatory satellite property mapping, which will determine areas where permission is needed for clearing, is now expected to arrive mid-2018, but only after draft mapping is approved.

In the meantime the reforms are designed to operate under the same framework, with landholders working with LLS to determine how their vegetation meets the criteria.   

But continued farmer concerns relayed to The Land over the complexity of the laws, on top of historical mistrust, has stoked fears some landholders will not interact with the regime, and instead risk the reputation of the community by breaking the law.   

Meanwhile conservation groups, as well as state Labor and the Greens, continue to oppose the law, repeating fears of species extinction, and impacts on climate change, and providence branding.

Opposition, which crafted the ‘unworkable’ SEPP 46 reforms in 1995, has vowed to repeal the new native vegetation laws if it wins government in 2019. 

The Coalition maintains strict environmental safeguards will be upheld and the most precious habitats looked after. 

It also maintains private land reserved for conservation will be better managed, pointing to the pest and weed work the Hollis family have agreed to for their 84ha set-aside area.

The Hollis' restoration work will include removing patches of Japanese Honeysuckle - which LLS says is smothering trees and out-competing native vegetation.

The family will also be launching into a pig eradication program where feral pigs have overturned large sections of native grass and soil.

Cool mosaic burning will also be used to encourage native seed germination and grass cover.

Once improved, the set aside will be kept in good condition with routine weed control, baiting and sustainable grazing.