ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Al welcomes listeners back to Digging Deeper Ag Chats for 2026, thanking supporters and outlining plans for more practical guests, more local producers, and monthly segments from Chelsea (Herd Solutions) on animal health and Morgs (Elders) on livestock markets. Brett then reviews Gippsland seasonal conditions and provides current fertiliser pricing and availability, noting high costs and supply constraints driven by Middle East production and freight issues, and discusses impacts of diesel prices and global affordability. He explains soil fertility (physical, biological, chemical), compares conventional fertilisers with manures/composts, and presents chook manure plus targeted foliar nutrients as a cost-competitive alternative based on soil tests. The episode then shifts to Simon Faulkner and Trevor Caithness discussing an MLA-funded Red Gum Plains subsoil amelioration project focused on placing amendments at depth to draw roots down, unlock subsoil moisture, and improve productivity, with results often emerging after 2–3 years and potential biomass gains up to 50% in grazing systems.
00:00 Welcome to 2026
01:46 Season outlook Gippsland
03:54 Fertiliser prices update
05:07 Supply shocks and forecasts
10:40 Soil fertility basics
12:36 Manures and composts
16:09 Foliar and liquid options
17:23 Bang for buck plan
21:21 Soil project introduction
22:37 Subsoil amelioration explained
26:33 Results and grazing management
32:47 Future research and wrap
35:38 Final thanks and credits
