SUMMER 2009/10

“Way in Front”Seven Years

with BioLogic>>pg 3

Real Pasture & Weight GainsHillcrest Pastoral

>>pg 4 & 5

Complete Mineral

SupplementImprove

Stock Health>>pg 6

Reaping the Benefits

Harvest Results in Victoria>>pg 7

SU

MM

ER

200

9/10

LawrieCo Timboon Online!

LawrieCo Timboon Vic Production Site

Located in the heartland of the Western Victoria Dairying Districts, only 20 kilometres from the Great Ocean Road and the Iconic 12 Apostles, LawrieCo have commissioned a new manufacturing facility making world class Fulvic and Humic products for Biological Agriculture.

LawrieCo Timboon is believed to be Australia’s largest Fulvic and Humic Liquids Manufacturing plant with mixing facilities to also incorporate multiple raw materials and customized dry granule processing.

Dairies in the Timboon, Simpson, Port Campbell, Colac and Terang districts are already accessing the facility with many farms yielding impressive results. (see our Feature Dairy Newsletter on the LawrieCo website).

LawrieCo Timboon will be making many new and innovative products to service a growing Australia-Wide demand for BioLogic Farming inputs. Formulation and performance trials are already underway on a Soluble Fulvic Humate Granule for use in all types of solid fertiliser applications.

Fulvic Acid content will be combined in a highly soluble Potassium Humate Granule base. Worlds’ best quality lignite peat and coal sources are being specially processed to release all their available Fulvic and Humic Acids without the usual loss of solubility, efficacy or carboxylic acid quality.

LawrieCo are currently working towards a March 2010 release of the next generation Humate Granule,

the Fulvic Humate, and have already perfected (with the assistance of Queensland and Monash University based experts) a unique mechanical/chemical extraction process that will deliver the Bioactive Fulvic and Humic potency needed for best agricultural results. A bright future for Biological Agriculture is made far more secure with the development of Australian based production sites such as this new LawrieCo venture at Timboon.

LawrieCo’s decision to locate its new manufacturing facility in South West Victoria was driven by essential raw materials.

Manufacture of BioLogic Blends, Foliars and Humate Granules

Manufacture of BioLogic Blends, Foliars and Humate Granules

BioLogic Blend Production at Timboon Continued Over Page...

Look Out for Early

Bird Specials on 2010 Seeding Program (order form inside)

Dr. Don Huber, Professor Emeritus of Plant Pathology, Purdue University in Indiana - Take Home Messages

1. With the increased use of Glyphosate, the increase in areas susceptible to take-all disease the next year is very obvious.

2. Glyphosate is a chemical chelator, it binds with soil mineral elements and can immobilize them.

3. Glyphosates concentrate in the meristematic tissues (growing points), so you’ll get more of it in root tips, shoot tips and reproductive areas.

4. Calcium can chelate with Glyphosate to restrict its movement in the Rhizosphere. If you don’t have a lot of free calcium, then it’s going to move through the rhizosphere.

5. Glyphosates bind with and immobilize Manganese. The role of manganese becomes critical in a disease aspect because it’s not only involved in photosynthesis, it’s involved in carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism and other systems.

6. US Corn studies have shown that if you’ve had four or five years of glyphosate application you struggle to get any potassium up into the plant, even when you’re applying it.

7. Much of the yield lag associated with the Roundup Ready system in soybeans is related to an increase in disease or the reduced efficiency of manganese.

8. We know that glyphosate changes the rhizosphere microbiology. Nutrient availability and natural biological control of root borne diseases are directly affected by the cumulative degree of Glyphosate application.

To view the full information sheet go to the Library page on the LawrieCo website www.lawrieco.com.au

Excellent quality Victorian Lignite Coal and Peat is ensuring the most consistent high quality end product possible. LawrieCo also rely heavily on these raw materials for the Prescription BioLogic Blends used in many of the BioLogic Farming Programs.

Several times LawrieCo needed to seek International and University based experts to finally get where we always wanted to go! The result – Higher quality Fulvic and Humic products with lower prices for supply passed onto the Biological Farmer! 100% Australian Owned and Operated. BioLogic Products can be picked up from LawrieCo Timboon

LawrieCo Timboon Online! (continued)

Why BioLogic Fulvic Humates?Fulvic Acid is the most potent acting form of the Humic based substances. It has

an extremely high CEC and a very strong effect on soil, plants and their rhizospheric interactions. The upcoming LawrieCo Fulvic Humate will contain all the necessary Humate properties with a substantial Fulvic component that is not normally found in any other Soluble Humate Granule on the market today. Fulvic Acid is a powerful organic electrolyte which stimulates the productivity of living systems. It restores plant health, mops up toxic residues, stimulates microbes and dissolves insoluble materials (like iron, potassium, phosphorus and silica which in turn aids other minerals like calcium to perform far more effectively). The Fulvic Humate will significantly increase the productivity and performance expectations we have for Soluble Humate Granules in Biological Farming. LawrieCo Market Release is expected in March 2010.

The Library page on the LawrieCo website www.lawrieco.com.au

BioLogic BufferTarget summer weeds and protect soil biology. BioLogic Buffer contains effective wetting agents and adjuvants for increased application efficiency.

Use BioLogic Buffer to

• Improve wetting ability and uptake

• Optimise pH levels

• Help the bio-degradation of toxins

• Preserve beneficial soil biology from harmful effects

• Prevent mineral lock-ups from herbicide exuded in the rhizosphere

• Restrict growth of pathogens in a herbicide dominated environment

Concern over Mineral & Biological Interactions with Glyphosate

Application Rates: 1% Addition Rate E.g. 10L BioLogic Buffer in 1000L Spray tankHint: pH Range for efficient use of non-selective herbicides is usually 4 to 5. You can also use citric acid to adjust pH of alkaline water.LawrieCo and it’s representatives do not make recommendations regarding chemical use.

Broadacre, Horticulture, Viticulture, Turf, Dairy & Livestock

“Way in Front” - Seven Years with BioLogicRob Gerschwitz has lived on the family

farm (10 kilometres southwest of Maitland on the Yorke Peninsula SA) since he was twelve years old. The operation consists of 5000 acres of cropping and grazing including leased and share farmed area. Annual rainfall average is 280-300mm and the soil is made up of slight rises with limestone and grey loams.

Crops: Barley, Peas, Lentils and Wheat are included in the rotation. The rotation is based on three years of cereal crop followed by pasture and then a legume crop before returning to cereal. Rotations are influenced by commodity prices and are not fixed.

Livestock and Feed: 1000 ewes graze on 15% of the operation area with a focus on prime lamb production, where Merino ewes being crossed with Border Leister rams. With the BioLogic system pastures have germinated early and stocking rates have improved. Hay is also cut from pastures to provide supplementary feed in dry times. The sheep are run on crop stubbles and Rob relies on the stubble digestion program to improve palatability and nutrient uptake. The last few dry years there has been minimal stubble and Rob is looking forward to a good digestion program this year on 2009 stubble.

Rob started working with LawrieCo as an early adopter in 2002 and field consultant Burt Naude currently assists Rob with planning the implementation of the BioLogic Farming System (BFS). Robs interest in BFS was triggered when he realised that the sustainability of his farm will improve, it was introduced to leave the soil in better health. In addition Rob had been a minimum till farmer for many years but tillage and erosion issues prompted him to introduce No- till farming 4 years ago. Water erosion and the blowing of paddocks was a huge issue in the past. Rob has noticed that the combination of BFS and No-Till has

improved the infiltration of water and soil structures to a point where these issues have disappeared. Water use efficiency, holding capacity and infiltration have all improved dramatically since 2002.

Soil tests have been used as the starting point in planning a farm program to improve soil mineral and microbial balance as well as the physical state of the soil. The LawrieCo program involves Biologic Blend spread over a third of the farm on a rotational basis to improve soil fertility and mineral balance. SureCrop Vam seed dressing and Humate Granules are included with reduced fertiliser rates at seeding time. This is followed up with foliar sprays of nutrition and biology, depending on the season. Stubble Digestion application has been limited due to the last three dry years. Rob comments; “technologies like foliar sprays are now more common and other companies are catching up. Foliar sprays were a foreign concept in 2002 but that

illustrates the forward thinking in BFS.” Record keeping and benchmarking on the farm are important as a tool to manage crop nutrition. Refractometer and Sap pH readings are part of the monitoring, measuring and management processes on this farm.

Crops looked good in 2009. Peas dressed with SureCrop Vam were sown with 50 kg/ha of MAP and 6 kg/ha of Soluble Humate Granules they had excellent early plant and root development and yielded 3 t/ha. An early season foliar spray consisted of 30 L/ha of MicroLife Biology, 3 L/ha of BioLogic Growth and 1 L/ha of Liquid Fulvic.

Barley was also dressed with SureCrop VAM and sown with 50 kg/ha MAP and 6 kg/ha of Soluble Humate Granules and yielded 4 t/ha average on the Fleet barley while Sloop averaged 2.5 t/ha.

Since 2002 Rob has seen grain quality improve with comparable yields. Input costs are lower and crops have finished better in the tougher years. Rob stated that they are way in front even with the protein issues in cereals this last season.

Rob sees the last seven years working with biological programs as a positive step toward building his farm for the present and future: “to be sustainable economically by farming with affordable inputs. Be sustainable environmentally by farming in a way that enriches rather than depleting or polluting the environment. Be sustainable personally and socially by farming in a way that allows adequate family time and does not require prolonged endurance of conditions working in toxic environments with chemicals.”

Burt Naude

Rob sees BFS as a way to be sustainable economically by farming with affordable inputs

Rob harvesting a pea crop in 2009

Real Pasture and Weight Gains at Hillcrest

Bruce and Libby Creek at Hillcrest Pastoral (Avenue Range, SA) have seen the use of artificial fertilisers peak their production in the past 40 years. With a recent plateau in production Bruce is looking for answers to become more sustainable into the future. This has lead Bruce to enter into a biological, balanced nutrition program, as stated by Bruce ‘you are what you eat’. How true! We are no different to our pastures and stock out in the paddock.

Bruce wants to make use of the available water but has issues with water infiltration and compaction of the soil (a grey clay/loam over limestone).

After thorough soil testing and soil physical analysis Bruce’s concerns were evident. Soil Physical Observations demonstrated: Poor water infiltration rates and soil compaction issues. Soil tests showed a major cation imbalance with very high magnesium and potassium and subsequently low calcium which is also an indicator that soil will compact easily. The initial stages of the balanced nutrition program included spreading lime and gypsum, followed by humate based BioLogic Blend with trace elements.

Bruce decided to directly compare the performance of biological paddocks to conventionally fertilised paddocks. To investigate productivity benefits, steers were run at 17 DSE/Ha on both the conventional and biological paddocks, blood tested and weighed before entering in October 2009. Initial weight for steers was kept within a 5kg range, with starting weights between 430-435kg. Conventional paddocks received the usual 100 kg/ha of single super.

Biological farming, balanced nutrition program to early December 2009 was:

• Lime 1 t/ha, Gypsum 0.5 t/ha

• BioLogic Blend with prescription trace elements, including colloidal based soft rock phosphate, copper, zinc, manganese, iron, cobalt and molybdenum. BioLogic Blend is a soil conditioner inoculated with beneficial biology, including nitrogen fixers and phosphate solubilisers.

• Foliar spray applied in early October included trace elements and biology after pasture monitoring indicated manganese and boron deficiencies.

• A new pasture of ryegrass, clover, chicory and phalaris was established in June 2009 with the above program and Sure Crop VAM - a mycorrhizal based seed dressing. Mycorrhizae form a symbiotic relationship with the plant root, accessing more water and nutrients. The benefits of establishing mycorrhizae in a perennial system have been

recently demonstrated in Lucerne by Lucerne Australia and SARDI (see Winter 2009 Sustainable Update for details).

Measure, Monitor, Manage: all crucial steps to obtaining a healthy balanced system.

‘You are what you eat’‘We aim to become more sustainable’

NEW! BioLogic BioGraze Blend

BioGraze Blend is specifically formulated for Pasture Productivity. BioGraze Blend combines the proven soil benefits of LawrieCo’s BioLogic Blend with the addition of NPK, Gypsum, Calcium, Soluble Humates and Trace Elements including optimal levels of Copper, Zinc and Manganese.

BioGraze Blend is a high performance BioLogic fertiliser blend for sustained pasture growth and nutrition but it offers much more to improve your soil and pasture into the future as well.

Specifically Formulated for Pasture Productivity

Chart 1. Comparison of Periodic Pasture Brix % Readings

Bruce Creek of Hillcrest Pastoral with Ryan WalkerBruce Creek Brix Readings

Biological Conventional08-Sep-09 6 423-Sep-09 6 513-Nov-09 10 6

8th Sept 09 23rd Sept 09 13th Nov 09Conventional 4 5 6Biological 6 6 10

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

8th Sept 09 23rd Sept 09 13th Nov 09

Conventional

Biological

Bruce Creek Brix Readings

Biological Conventional08-Sep-09 6 423-Sep-09 6 513-Nov-09 10 6

8th Sept 09 23rd Sept 09 13th Nov 09Conventional 4 5 6Biological 6 6 10

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

8th Sept 09 23rd Sept 09 13th Nov 09

Conventional

Biological

Broadacre, Horticulture, Viticulture, Turf, Dairy & Livestock

Real Pasture and Weight Gains at Hillcrest

Brix levels in pastures were constantly measured (Chart 1) as well as tissue testing for nutrition and feed testing. Feed tests were taken before and after foliar applications (approx 2 weeks after).

‘You are what you eat’. Our pasture quality directly influences our stocks performance, health and reproduction.

• Feed tests have shown increased Digestibility. (Chart 3)Digestibility is the most useful measure of pasture quality (NSW, DPI). It is also directly and positively related to the energy and protein content of the pasture, consequently observingo Increased energy content (Chart 4)o Increased crude protein (Chart 4)

A pasture with a high digestibility will be digested more rapidly and hence pass through the animal requiring less energy and allowing for a higher intake (NSW, DPI).

o Increased nutrition, including trace element levels (Chart 5)• The final results in the first year of the biological program were

weight gains of 2.1 kg/day on the biological paddock and 1.845 kg/day on the conventional single super application. An increase in weight gain of close to 300 grams per day over 53 days (Chart 2).

• In early December Bruce also commented on the new pasture establishment; “pastures are hanging on compared to the rest of the farm, with an estimated extension to the growing season of one month to date.” This is demonstrated by the above picture which was taken on the 15th of December 2009. Ryegrass is also still persisting in the old pastures that were treated with the biological program.

From the soil to the pasture, a balanced nutrition program has shown early benefits in pasture quality and stock productivity at Hillcrest Pastoral.

Ryan Walker

• Designed specifically for pasture productivity• Soil conditioning with NPK, calcium and trace elements• Improve long term soil structure and fertility• Soil moisture infiltration to carry feed longer in summer• Increases plant available phosphorus• Build soil organic matter levels• Build ideal conditions for beneficial soil biology• Improves feed quality• Proven soil and pasture benefits over twelve years

NEW! BioLogic BioGraze Blend

Photo taken 15/12/09, Bruce explains; “new pasture and biological fertiliser on left of fence, old pasture and single super on right.”

Bruce Creek Weight Gains

Kg per DayConventional (kg/day) 1.845Biological (kg/day) 2.1

Total Average Weight Gain (53 days)Conventional (kg) 97.785Biological (kg) 111.3

Av. Daily Weight Gain (53 days)

1.845

2.1

1.7

1.75

1.8

1.85

1.9

1.95

2

2.05

2.1

2.15

Conventional (kg/day) Biological (kg/day)

Chart 2. Comparison of Average Daily Weight Gain over 53 days

23.2

17.6

11.7

20.919.4

11.3

Crude Protein (%) Dry Matter (%) Est. Metabolisable Energy(MJ/kg)

Biological (15) Conventional (17)

77.3

75.1

72.3

70.46

Digestibility (DMD) (% of dry matter) Digestibility (DOMD) (% of dry matter)

Biological (15) Conventional (17)

Chart 3. Comparison of Feed Digestibility: DMD and DOMD (% of dry matter)

23.2

17.6

11.7

20.919.4

11.3

Crude Protein (%) Dry Matter (%) Est. Metabolisable Energy(MJ/kg)

Biological (15) Conventional (17)

77.3

75.1

72.3

70.46

Digestibility (DMD) (% of dry matter) Digestibility (DOMD) (% of dry matter)

Biological (15) Conventional (17)

Chart 4. Feed Crude Protein (%), Dry Matter (%) and Est Metabolisable Energy (MJ/kg)

0 5 10 15 20 25

Boron (mg/kg)

Copper (mg/kg)

Zinc (mg/kg)

Conventional (17)

Biological (15)

0 5 10 15 20 25

Boron (mg/kg)

Copper (mg/kg)

Zinc (mg/kg)

Conventional (17)

Biological (15)

Chart 5. Comparison of Feed Trace Element levels (mg/kg of dry matter)0 5 10 15 20 25

Boron (mg/kg)

Copper (mg/kg)

Zinc (mg/kg)

Conventional (17)

Biological (15)

Complete Dairy Mineral Supplement - BioLogic Stock BlocksAllan & Christine Withall, Simpson Vic, 900mm rainfall, Dairy milking 165 cows

During the past 12 months Allan and Christine Withall have observed progressive benefits in their dairy herd from the use of LawrieCo’s BioLogic Stock Lick Blocks, a balanced mineral supplement.

Christine comments “we have been using the blocks for a year now; they have worked really well for our cows. Initially the cows consumed them quickly – our white faced cows were leaving the dairy with black faces. I think 200 cows went through 2 tonnes of blocks in the first 5 months. Now that they have built up their mineral reserves they have slowed down to half that rate, through self regulation. In that time we have noticed the temperament of our cows is notably quieter, general herd health is much better, cases

of clinical mastitis have reduced by over 50% and the vets have not visited our farm this season. We don’t use any other mineral supplements in our feed, we see the lick blocks as a more cost effective alternative. We have only just picked up our 4th tonne of blocks from the LawrieCo Timboon depot. It’s great they are available locally now.”

Allan and Christine of Simpson are charting an independent course in their dairy soil fertility management, focusing on sustainability issues. Allan comments “its early days for us with the LawrieCo approach to fertilisers – Mat Newland is working with us to formulate the best way to improve the soil structures on our farm. His input has been invaluable in getting the program started; we can see the benefits from adopting a biological approach to farming. Overall our pasture is better so far from applying minerals and humic and less chemical fertilisers. They are not making any more topsoil so we have to learn how to look after what we have got.

For now we will progressively work around the farm with Mat’s recommendations to get our soil healthier, with deeper roots and evaluate it as we go.”BioLogic Stock Licks are available in skins as pallet stacks of 0.5t or 1t

Roger Prosser and Adrian Lawrie

Boost Stock Productivity

Special Skins Pricing (ext GST)

500kg price - $16.00 per 10kg block

1T price - $14.90 per 10kg block

A solid, non-toxic (no urea) supplement based on established benefits for preserving animal health including fulvic acid, minerals, herb concentrate, bull kelp, calcium, phosphorus, trace elements, sea minerals, salt and molasses.

A safe and effective rumen stimulator for better utilisation of low value feed and pasture.

Use year-round in pasture and yard conditions. Available in Skins!

• Convenient, minimal packaging• Economical pricing

• Pallet stacks for easy transfers• Available in 0.5T and 1T stacks

BioLogic Stock Lick

33% Increase in Weight GainRoger Prosser, Princetown Vic, 1000mm rainfall

Roger Prosser has operated his 186 hectare property near Princetown for 5 years, taking dairy heifers on agistment on a pay for weight gain basis. Roger has seen clover regeneration on the property following application of LawrieCo BioLogic soil management. Roger comments “over the past year there has been an increasing daily weight gain of agisted cows from an average of 0.9 kg per day (2005-2008) to the current average of 1.2kg per day. Weight gain is more consistent and stock present in very good condition. The increase in health and vitality of our clover and grass, gives hope this increase will be sustained.” Roger has been working on improving his mineral balance of the soil for some time now and pasture revegetation has also been a key part of this result. Mat Newland

Broadacre, Horticulture, Viticulture, Turf, Dairy & Livestock

It was back in February 2009 that I first received a message from Neil, but I wasn’t quite sure whether it was Neil Hand or Ham ... surely not another Ham. When I first sat down at the kitchen table to have a chat with Neil and his wife Jo, Neil introduced me to his wife ‘Jo this is Peter Ham, no relation though’, I responded; ‘gee that’s a bit rough you’ve only just met me and already you’ve disowned me!’

Anyway Neil was fairly keen to give this biological thing a go so we agreed

on a couple of paddocks and went for it. The Digestion program was done on about 60ha of cereal stubble, with Neil commenting “the stock have done very well, I can see us applying the digestion program over the whole farm next year.”

We soil tested the paddocks and applied 2 t/ha of lime with 10kg/ha Soluble Humate Granules. Approximately half was then sown to canola and half to wheat with 65 kg/ha MAP, 5kg/Ha Soluble Humate

Granules, 2kg/Ha Zinc Sulphate granules and SureCrop VAM on the wheat seed.

I’ve been in close contact with Neil all year and every time I ask him how the crops are going he gets a little excited and tells me “well that canola crop looks fantastic, it’s the best one I’ve grown this year and as for the wheat, there’s only one better paddock, but that crop is growing on some pretty handy dirt.”

We tissue tested both paddocks at the end of August and applied the following foliar 2 L/ha BioLogic Trace, 2 L/ha Liquid Fulvic and 25 L/ha UAN. Neil would often spread up to 100kg/Ha of Urea at this stage, but even with this low rate of UAN, the crops really took off. In mid December the wheat was still filling and harvest isn’t expected until January, however the canola has been impressive and yielded 2.55 t/ha on the biological paddock, compared to the 1.7-2 t/ha on the conventional paddocks, a very pleasing result.

Neil also applied a mix of 10 L/ha BioLogic Foliar Kelp, 2-3 kg/ha Magnesium Sulphate and 1 L/ha Liquid Fulvic to pasture. These pastures have really kicked on and Neil has had a lot of extra pasture growth, so much that he bought extra sheep in and was still able to cut additional hay.

Peter Ham

The Hams Have It!

Neil and Tom Ham from Trawalla, about 30km west of Ballarat Vic

Trevor Cook of Lismore Vic applied 450 kg/ha of BioLogic Blend to all of his mixed farming property in 2008 with pleasing results showing through in the recent harvest. A crop of peas was sown in 2009 with the LawrieCo Liquid Fertiliser Program. It was sown into a barley crop residue that had been broken down with the Digestion program and an early season nutrient and biology foliar spray was also applied. There were no disease issues in the crop and it was cut for silage in November yielding 15 t/ha. The digestion program was applied to the remainder of the pea stubble and it has since been sown to sorghum to drop carbon into the soil, which will add to the nitrogen that the pea crop will have fixed into the soil ready for the 2010 wheat crop.

The adjoining paddock had a crop of oats and Balansia clover which was treated similarly to the peas. It was cut early for silage yielding 18 t/ha, only six weeks later there is already good regrowth in the paddock approximately a foot high.

Trevor Cook holding up the pea crop cut for silage, yielding 15 t/ha

Marg Cook (Trevor’s wife) in oats and Balansia clover crop cut early for silage, yielding 18 t/ha

These photo’s were taken early in the 2009 season and demonstrate extensive root growth even in heavy soil on Trevor’s property. Also check out the fungi growing on the root, it looks like a beautiful spiders web which isn’t visible on any of the untreated roots so it is definitely something Trevor has encouraged in the soil with biological programs.

Still Reaping the Benefits of Blend

LawrieCo: Contacts

Office, Production and Warehouse Locations Head Office and Warehouse - Open Monday to Friday 8.30 - 5.30pm 413 Grand Junction Road Wingfield Tel: 08 8244 8558 Fax: 08 8244 8557

Timboon Production Site & Warehouse - Open Mon to Fri 10.00 - 3.00pm 363 Timboon - Port Campbell Rd Timboon Tel: 03 5598 3725 Fax: 03 5598 3894

Mt Gambier Regional Warehouse - Open Monday to Friday 8.00am - 12.00 noon 4 Allan Drive Mt Gambier Tel: 08 8725 0166 Fax: 08 8725 0177

Senior Field ConsultantsBurt Naude BSc (Soil Science)

0427 557 789 SA

Tom Pickhaver BAgSc(Viti) Hons

0429 811 002 Central SA

Field ConsultantsMat Newland A.Dip Ag (Hort)

0409 822 011 Central & S.E. Vic

Peter Gwynne B.Ag.Bus

0407 992 532 South & Central WA

Ryan Walker B.Biotech Hons

0428 568 684 S.E. SA

Trevor Cook 0427 041 848

Western Districts - Lismore Vic

John Partridge

0408 946 107 Central & North WA

Authorised AgentPeter Ham - Hamilton Produce

0448 905 888

Other StaffAdrian Lawrie

0418 811 237

Managing Director

Andrew VanderSluys BA Dip S.Mkt

0409 333 543 General Manager

Olivia Grivell B.Mgt

Operations Manager

David Clayfield 0407 091 250

Technical Advisor

Peter Gwynne – South & Central WA

Peter’s family farm is in Northcliffe in South West WA where they grow Avocados, have a small Murray Grey breeding herd and this year have planted Oak trees inoculated with Truffles. A strong interest in sustainable farming systems led Peter to read widely on the topic and he worked with Kailis Organic Olive Groves as a trainee manager during his time at Uni. Peter finished an Agribusiness Degree majoring in Horticulture in 2008 and has completed studies in Food Science, Aquaculture and Chemistry. Peter has also completed an Honours project in 2009 looking at the introduction of Pasture Cropping into WA.

Peter’s interest in biological farming systems stems from a strong connection and care for the environment. On top of that the requirement for continual and increasing herbicide sprays on the Avocados on the family farm was seen as problematic and appeared to be making the weed burden worse. However the real turning point toward more natural farming systems came after an adverse physical reaction following three days of spraying a vineyard with Spray Seed back in 2000.

Peter said that “he sees the opportunity to provide farmers with a system to decrease chemical applications and increase soil carbon and biology, while maintaining and over time increasing profitability, as a privilege and a challenge”.

John Partridge – Central & North WA

John comes to LawrieCo from a varied farming background including working within mixed farming (sheep, cattle & cropping) on the family farm, starting up and running the Shorthorn Stud ‘Priory Park’ who sell bulls to the Eastern states as well as all over

New WA Field ConsultantsWA and looking after successful A.I. and embryo transverse programmes with sheep (Merino Damara and Dorpers) and cattle (Shorthorn & Gelbvieh).

John has had a keen interest in sustainable agriculture since 1995 when he worked with US Agronomist Neal Kinsey, helping to organise three day workshops in Kojonup and liaising with farmers who are following sustainable and biological principles. The on-farm results of lower inputs, good yields and more productive stock cement John’s interest and belief in the biological farming system which he is keen to share with other farmers in WA.

John live’s in Serpentine with his wife Libby and their children: Nick, Jemma and Megan.