Rhiannan McPhee from the Melbourne University based Victorian drought hub, examines tomatoes growing on the GO.FARM Sandmount property.
Agricultural Scientists from more than 20 nations have toured two major farm properties developed in northern Victoria by the investment company, GO.FARM.
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GO.FARM has about 8200 hectares on a number of sites in northern Victoria, growing almonds and tomatoes.
The investment company has aggregated mostly former dairy farms and spent millions of dollars upgrading the water supplies, drainage and soils on properties in Katunga and known as the Sandmount Farms.
Tomatoes growing in the field on a Gofarms property.
The XI International Symposium on Irrigation of Horticultural Crops was held at the Tatura SmartFarm last week, and more than 50 participants joined a bus tour which visited the GO.FARM properties.
Co-hosted by Agriculture Victoria and the International Society of Horticultural Sciences, the event from January 18 to 23 brought together leading scientists, growers, and industry experts from around the world.
The theme of the symposium was ‘Acting on Water for Climate Change, Environment and Energy’ exploring how smarter irrigation approaches can help horticulture adapt to climate change.
The delegates were told GO.FARM specialised in aggregating under-performing farms and developing them with higher value horticulture.
Sandmount Farms general manager, NIck Raleigh, said the company had a significant element of research before investments were made.
“We will work as hard as we can to take full advantage of the opportunity that exists.”
Samdmount farms started in 2018 where the company saw an opportunity for landscape change in an area that was predominantly pasture based, flood irrigation. It now employs 57 full time staff.
Conference delegates saw a part of the 330 ha tomato field supplying Kagome at Echuca. The tomato crops are planted on fresh ground which generates a cash crop while waiting for development of an almond orchard.
Gofarms Sandmount Farms general manager, NIck Raleigh speaks to the conference group at a Katunga farm.
The group visited an 830 ha almond orchard, which has a mixture of one, two and three year old plantings and which is irrigated by channel water and groundwater from the Katunga deep lead. Sandmount has about 1500 ha of almonds planted so far.
Symposium delegates have come together to discuss irrigation, energy efficiency, drought management, and sustainable practices that protect natural resources and support global food production.
Agriculture Victoria Chief Executive Beth Jones said the symposium provided a forum for meaningful knowledge sharing to underpin innovation in science.
‘We are committed to fostering global collaboration and driving innovation in agricultural science, and events like this at the Agriculture Victoria Tatura SmartFarm in the Goulburn Valley provide the ideal environment for mutual learning and on farm demonstration.“
Almond trees growing on a drip irrigation system.
‘Agriculture sectors around the world are faced with similar challenges and it is essential we share information and learn from each other to remain strong and resilient,’ Ms Jones said.
Research scientist, Alessio Scalisi, said the conference had been years in development, following a successful presentation to the last one held in South Africa.
Alessio Scalisi, research scientist, listens to the GO.FARM presentation.
Research leader, Ian Goodwin with the visiting scientist group on the field trip.
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