Minnipa Agricultural Centre
SARDI operates the Minnipa Agricultural Centre (MAC) as the only low-rainfall mixed-farming broadacre research facility in the southern hemisphere. It occupies nearly 1,200 hectares of land near the township of Minnipa on the upper Eyre Peninsula (EP).
MAC was established in 1915, and its output remains relevant to low-rainfall farming operations across the state. Learn about the history of the Minnipa Agricultural Centre.
Environmental conditions
Long-term average rainfall at MAC is ~325mm annual with ~275mm of that falling within the growing season (Apr-Oct). Soil type is typically red sandy loam with occasional patches of limestone and lighter rises.
Farming operations
MAC’s broadacre farming operations comprise of a cropping rotation that includes cereals (wheat, barley & oats), legumes (lentils, field peas & naturalised medic) and oilseeds (canola).
The farm operations team utilise precision farming techniques to manage the cropping program including:
- GPS-RTK autosteer solutions
- Automatic section control
- Variable-rate application of fertilisers
The cropping enterprise also functions alongside a self-replacing flock of merino sheep. This mixed-farming approach, with both cropping and livestock enterprises is typical of the low-rainfall regions of South Australia.
Naturalised medic pastures largely support the livestock enterprise during the cropping season with stubbles grazed over summer months and supplemental feed supplied as required.
The MAC merino flock is fully managed on an individual basis with every animal having a unique EID tag allowing for collection of individual metrics and the comparative assessment of merit of each animal.
Research capabilities
MAC conducts, monitors and analyses broad scale research development and extension (RDE) programs. These add value to low rainfall RDE programs.
Learn more in our Eyre Peninsula farming systems summaries.
The MAC also supports AgTech development for low rainfall environments at the Minnipa demonstration farm.
Research facilities and equipment
At MAC we have a range of equipment and research facilities to enable the collection, processing and analysis of field samples:
- EM38 mapping
- Penetrometer readings
- Handheld NDVI readings
- Deep soil sampling and moisture analysis
- Soil drying ovens
- Precision scales and balances
- NIR grain analysis
- Pasture cages
- Full suite of grain quality assessment tools
Our suite of research machinery includes a range of specialised field trial plot seeding, soil sampling and testing, in season treatment applications and grain harvesting equipment.
Active research projects
- DAFF Future Drought Fund (FDF) SA Discovery Farms
- SAGIT Eyre Peninsula Farming Systems Summary
- GRDC National Variety Trials (NVT)
- GRDC Sandy soils II: Management to sustain production potential in the low to medium rainfall environments of the southern cropping region
- GRDC Effective control of brome grass in the southern cropping and western cropping zones
- GRDCIntegrated management for net form net blotch in low medium and high rainfall zones
- GRDC NGN Stopping seed set of barley grass on the upper Eyre Peninsula
- GRDC NGN Lentil check discussion groups to maximise the profitability of lentil production on the upper Eyre Peninsula
- GRDC Geospatial analytics to predict the impact of residual herbicides on establishment and yield
- GRDC Predicting nitrogen cycling & losses in Australian cropping systems
- GRDC NGN Impact of stripper front and straw length on harvest efficiency, summer weed control, soil moisture retention and pest populations in the upper Eyre Peninsula
- GRDC Epidemiology and management of Rhizoctonia in low and medium rainfall zones
- FDF SA Drought Hub
Research publications
Learn more about our Eyre Peninsula farming systems summaries.
Collaborators
Collaborators and project partners include:
- Ag Innovation and Research Eyre Peninsula (AIR EP)
- Buckleboo Farm Improvement Group (BFIG)
- Upper North Farming Systems (UNFS)
- Local agronomic and livestock consultants and advisors
- The South Australian Grain Industry Trust (SAGIT)
- The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC)
- The University of Adelaide & SA Drought Hub
- Flinders University & SA Discovery Farms
- University of South Australia
- CSIRO
- The Australian Government Department of Agriculture through the Future Drought Fund
- Government of South Australia through the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA)
- Australian Grain Technologies (AGT)
- Intergrain
- LongReach Plant Breeders
- Pioneer Seeds
- Market Check
Contact
Wade Shepperd – Research Centre Manager
Minnipa Agricultural Centre
226 McKenzie Road, Minnipa, SA 5654
Phone: (08) 7085 1732 Email: wade.shepperd@sa.gov.au