The Perennials for Profit program helps farmers adopt palatable forage shrub systems for livestock grazing and assists them to set up sandalwood plantations. The program also aims to help farmers diversify their income while improving the condition of soil, water and biodiversity on their farm.

 Significant research and development into these systems (forage shrub and sandalwood plantations) has established their economic benefits and resulted in new approaches, a selection of suitable species and varieties.

 The Perennials for Profit program helps farmers who want to start new plantings and who are keen to be mentored by experienced farmers who currently use these systems.

Marty McLean’s recently purchased farm in Wickepin is part of the Perennials for Profit program. He has several saline, waterlogged paddocks that have some areas that are not good for cropping. He has decided to improve the paddocks by developing a forage shrub grazing system for additional grazing.

Mentors in the program, Jo Wheeler and Glenice Batchelor, visited Marty to assess his farm and to discuss the possibilities and how to plan for success. As a result, this year Marty will start by planting 8000 mixed forage shrubs into the problem areas.

Round 2 is now open for Perennials for Profit funding – successfully funded participants will receive partial funding support towards establishment costs, and be guided through identifying the best areas to plant, what to plant, and how to graze the systems for maximum return on investment.