Climate Futures Report

Murray Dairy has collaborated with local farmers to collate valuable, local information and experience to help identify ways for the dairy industry to remain productive, sustainable and profitable under increasing challenges of predicted climate change impacts across northern Victoria and southern NSW over the next 30 years. Following a series of workshops, phone calls and written communication with farmers across the Murray region, a report identifying areas where dairy farming is inclined to be affected by climate impacts has been released. Climate Futures is a project to ensure that the dairy industry remains productive across northern Victoria and southern NSW, while being sustainable and profitable given the increasing challenges of climate change impacts from now and towards 2050. Through a process of engagement with dairy stakeholders, there will be future scenarios and data around climate presented, the identification of strategies that will mitigate risks and the definition of roles and responsibilities for future actions.

Across the world, there have been measurable changes in climate impacting on agriculture, the natural environment, infrastructure, and health. The impacts of global warming have been recognised by governments and industries everywhere. It is predicted that by 2030 there will be higher temperatures, more frequent hot days and fewer frosts, less rainfall, and an increase in catastrophic events including floods, fire, and drought.

These changes are expected to have several impacts on livestock in the Murray Basin region, including:

• Changes in pasture production
• Reduced productivity and reproduction
• Changed distribution of pests and diseases
• Reduced water security. As a result, farm businesses have started to:
• Plan for secure water supplies
• Focus on water use efficiency and getting more from less
• Change to their farming systems and feedbase
• Implement more sophisticated risk management strategies
• Consider long-term and medium-term forecasts and how that fits in with their farm.