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Jesse Moody
2022 Nuffield Scholar
Healthy soils correlate with healthy business
For western Queensland grazier Jesse Moody, there is increasingly a clear correlation between soil health and the success of livestock production, which is particularly evident in a drought. Jesse will deepen his understanding of this topic, thanks to a 2022 Nuffield Scholarship supported by Rabobank.
“In the mulga lands and black soil flood plains of western Queensland our conventional grazing practices don’t seem to working as effectively as they once did, especially with the seasons becoming more variable. In a drought, our soils go backward and so does our business, so that it can take years to recover,” says Jesse.
“It comes down to maintaining ground cover through controlled grazing, and that’s the focus of my study – managing soil health to promote pasture management and drought resilience through grazing principles that promote soil regeneration.”
Jesse runs 700 scanned in lamb Merino ewes and 1,600 joined rangeland goats on 40,000ha near Cunnamulla in southwest Queensland, and has recently purchased 150ha at Tenterfield in northern NSW.
For his Nuffield Scholarship, he plans to visit grazing experts and soil scientists in New Zealand, Argentina, the US and Namibia and Zimbabwe in Africa, as well as local researchers and regenerative grazing proponents.
Jesse is a member of Queensland’s Producer Advisory Panel with the research body, Leading Sheep, and his topic aligns with the ‘Wool 2030’ strategy developed by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), which highlights regenerative agriculture as an area of focus in their 10-year plan for the industry.
“I’ve spoken with local producers who share my concerns about developing more resilient, drought-tolerant soils and pastures to handle the increasing variable climatic conditions, which would in turn, increase our carrying capacities, allow us to boost our flock sizes and at the same time, ensure a stronger, healthier business,” Jesse says.
“The flow on benefits from the Nuffield Scholarship are immense, both for me and the agricultural community. Seeing is believing, and for the wider industry to appreciate the benefits of this research, they will need to see evidence that these tools work.”
Jesse’s 2022 Nuffield Scholarship is generously supported by Rabobank.
Ph: 0429 405 708