28 September 2026
September has been another busy month for the Drought Adoption Officers, with the team continuing a strong program of farmer-facing delivery across southern, central and western NSW.
The DAOs have been involved in Stronger Farms workshops at locations including Holbrook, Temora, Dubbo and Blayney, as well as farm business planning activities, mixed farming and spring field days, and the Winter Field Trials at the Cowra Agricultural Research Station. Geoff Minchin and Martin Preuss also spent time at Henty Machinery Field Days, where the drought information desk was combined with the Riverina Ag Table to create a more integrated point of contact for growers.
That approach generated plenty of practical conversations. Feedback from Henty was positive, with producers in parts of the Murray and Riverina generally feeling more comfortable heading into spring after several uncertain seasons. Discussions centred on the tools available to support planning, including feed forecasting, pasture dry matter, water availability and confinement feeding.
Those conversations have also translated into follow-up activity, with several on-farm visits now planned across the Murray and Riverina after producers sought further advice on confinement feeding and related decision-making.
A consistent message coming back from the team has been a noticeable shift in producer sentiment. While conditions remain variable across the state and parts of northern NSW are heading into a drier outlook, conversations have generally been more measured and forward-looking. Rather than focusing solely on what to do in a difficult season, producers are increasingly talking about what they can put in place now to manage risk and prepare for what comes next.
That same theme has been evident across recent field days and workshops in the Central West and Central Tablelands, where Bridie Mulligan and Martin Preuss have been supporting local events and connecting producers with practical information relevant to seasonal conditions.
Looking ahead, the team is continuing to plan on-farm water management workshops in the southern part of the Central West Local Land Services region, alongside further field days and seasonal activities through October.
