❓ This WA parliamentary question addresses the issue of fertiliser runoff impacting WA's water bodies and explores potential solutions like Codes of Practice and Best Management Practices to promote sustainable agriculture.
AnsweredQoN 1411Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
The seriousness of these impacts on the State's water bodies has driven the various arms of government responsible for environmental and sustainable agriculture to consider stronger measures such as Codes of Practice and regulation to ensure the appropriate practices are used and the environment predicted. The dairy industry in the south-west is one example where Best Management Practices to reduce nutrient export have been defined and the farmers are adopting them. There are practices such as soil testing, timing of fertiliser application and use of less soluble fertilisers that can reduce the off-site impact of excessive fertiliser use while maintaining production. The development of more sustainable management options for growers reflects the recognition that while there are current practices that can make a significant contribution to reducing off-site impacts and increasing the productivity of fertiliser use there is still scope for continuous improvement to ensure economic, environmental and social benefits.
There are practices such as soil testing, timing of fertiliser application and use of less soluble fertilisers that can reduce the off-site impact of excessive fertiliser use while maintaining production. The development of more sustainable management options for growers reflects the recognition that while there are current practices that can make a significant contribution to reducing off-site impacts and increasing the productivity of fertiliser use there is still scope for continuous improvement to ensure economic, environmental and social benefits.
The development of more sustainable management options for growers reflects the recognition that while there are current practices that can make a significant contribution to reducing off-site impacts and increasing the productivity of fertiliser use there is still scope for continuous improvement to ensure economic, environmental and social benefits.
There are practices such as soil testing, timing of fertiliser application and use of less soluble fertilisers that can reduce the off-site impact of excessive fertiliser use while maintaining production. The development of more sustainable management options for growers reflects the recognition that while there are current practices that can make a significant contribution to reducing off-site impacts and increasing the productivity of fertiliser use there is still scope for continuous improvement to ensure economic, environmental and social benefits.
The development of more sustainable management options for growers reflects the recognition that while there are current practices that can make a significant contribution to reducing off-site impacts and increasing the productivity of fertiliser use there is still scope for continuous improvement to ensure economic, environmental and social benefits.
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 September 2006
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Agriculture and Food
Response time
22 days
There is substantial evidence that fertiliser runoff into water bodies such as rivers and estuaries is causing environmental and social problems. The over-application of fertiliser to heavy (clay) soils which have already built up substantial reserves of phosphorus and to sandy soils, such as those on the Swan Coastal Plain that cannot retain nutrients from the highly soluble fertilisers, are contributing to these problems.
The seriousness of these impacts on the State's water bodies has driven the various arms of government responsible for environmental and sustainable agriculture to consider stronger measures such as Codes of Practice and regulation to ensure the appropriate practices are used and the environment predicted. The dairy industry in the south-west is one example where Best Management Practices to reduce nutrient export have been defined and the farmers are adopting them.
There are practices such as soil testing, timing of fertiliser application and use of less soluble fertilisers that can reduce the off-site impact of excessive fertiliser use while maintaining production.
The development of more sustainable management options for growers reflects the recognition that while there are current practices that can make a significant contribution to reducing off-site impacts and increasing the productivity of fertiliser use there is still scope for continuous improvement to ensure economic, environmental and social benefits.
The seriousness of these impacts on the State's water bodies has driven the various arms of government responsible for environmental and sustainable agriculture to consider stronger measures such as Codes of Practice and regulation to ensure the appropriate practices are used and the environment predicted. The dairy industry in the south-west is one example where Best Management Practices to reduce nutrient export have been defined and the farmers are adopting them.
There are practices such as soil testing, timing of fertiliser application and use of less soluble fertilisers that can reduce the off-site impact of excessive fertiliser use while maintaining production.
The development of more sustainable management options for growers reflects the recognition that while there are current practices that can make a significant contribution to reducing off-site impacts and increasing the productivity of fertiliser use there is still scope for continuous improvement to ensure economic, environmental and social benefits.
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