Pastures for Underperforming Soils
2026 - 2028

Updated 29/04/2026

Future‑Ready South Coast is a multi‑year initiative on Western Australia’s South Coast, aimed at supporting farmers to navigate changes in seasonal climate conditions. Primarily, this support is provided by facilitating grower and catchment groups to address challenges specific to their local region through solutions that respond to changing climatic conditions.

At the regional scale, the project also aims to increase the readiness of agricultural land managers to be proactive in the face of emerging carbon and biodiversity markets. 

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The overarching project is led by South Coast Natural Resource Management (South Coast NRM) and supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate‑Smart Agriculture Program. Find out more about the overarching project at southcoastnrm.com.au/future-ready-south-coast.

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Project activities in the Esperance region are supported by significant in‑kind contributions. ASHEEP & BEEF sincerely thanks the site hosts for providing seed, fertiliser, chemical inputs and day‑to‑day management of the demonstration sites, the ASHEEP & BEEF Committee and Pasture Sub‑Committee for project oversight, and Chad Hall (South Coastal Agencies) for his role in developing the project.

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What's ASHEEP & BEEF delivering in the Esperance region?

ASHEEP & BEEF's aim through this project is to increase adoption of practices that improve the productivity and soil health of areas of underperforming agricultural land in the Esperance region of WA, by demonstrating and analysing the performance of select annual and perennial pastures.

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Between 2025 and 2028, ASHEEP & BEEF will:

• Establish pasture demonstration sites targeting underperforming soil types commonly found in the Esperance region, including: 

  • Grey clays

  • Clay‑ameliorated soils

  • Sandplain soils subject to transient waterlogging

• Demonstrate and assess select annual and perennial pasture options to improve productivity, soil function and resilience, including determining the relative economic performance of the varieties across the demonstration sites via basic modelling and cost benefit analysis.

• Undertake baseline soil testing and productivity measurements to support comparison of pasture treatments.

• Deliver field days, extension activities, newsletters, website updates and social media to share results and practical learnings with local producers.

• Conduct skills and knowledge surveys to support outcomes reporting and measure practice change within the region.

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ASHEEP & BEEF has engaged South Coastal Agencies to provide agronomic support, including data capture and analysis of demonstration site results.

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Updates on the project will be provided via the project reports loaded below, or consider ASHEEP & BEEF membership to be added to our mailing list.