MANY environmentalists don’t believe we should be growing rice in Australia. I disagree. Rice suits a land of drought or flooding rains. Unlike almonds, grapes and other perennial crops, rice doesn’t need water every year. It’s an annual crop that can be planted only when there is an excess of water.
I visited Wakool rice farmer John Lolicato today and he showed me his rice crop.
John is a third generation rice grower in the Wakool District. His grandfather began growing tomatoes, later they tried millet, tobacco and even cotton.
The family has found that the climate and heavy clay soils suit rice.
John didn’t grow rice during the recent drought because while he had a water licence, he didn’t have a water allocation.
The extreme variability of rainfall at Wakool is managed by government issuing irrigation licenses which are subject to seasonal allocations. When water is short, allocations are minimal or zero.
While it is fashionable to claim there is “over-allocation” in the Murray Darling Basin the reality is that when water is scarce during drought, government limits the amount of water for agriculture.
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More photographs here of John and my good friend Catherine amongst the rice.
Jennifer Marohasy BSc PhD is a critical thinker with expertise in the scientific method.
We can safely say, with 20 years of damp weather ahead, it’s a good time to grow rice in the MDB.
The future for rice on the open market looks decidedly healthy.
http://moneymorning.com/2011/02/10/global-food-prices-five-reasons-to-buy-rice-futures/
When the conservatives regain the treasury benches in NSW…. all will be well.
Some interesting Australian rice facts:
Up to 40 million people across the globe eat Australian rice every day.
Our Australian rice is exported to over 70 countries.
Our Australian rice industry is the first Australian agricultural industry to initiate biodiversity enhancement,greenhouse gas reduction strategies and a project to recover water under the Living Murray Project.
Our Australian rice growers only grow temperate rice varieties that suit our climate.
Australia produces over 1 million tonnes annually.
The Australian rice industry generates more than $500 million from value-added exports annually.
Australian rice growers are the most efficient and productive in the world.
In the Murrumbidgee Valley, rice grows on no more than one third of each farm. In the Murray Valley, there is a total hydraulic load limit of 4 megalitres per hectare. These policies seek to provide an even distribution of water over the landscape and balanced hydraulic pressure on the water table.
Rice grows only on approved ‘heavy clay’ soils that minimise seepage into water tables. These are established using electro-magnetic technology (EM31) and soil textural analysis of samples bored at intervals across the paddock. More than three metres of heavy, continuous clay is required for unrestricted rice growing.
Water use on rice cannot exceed the industry target requirement. Allowable water consumption levels for rice growing are set by Irrigation Companies utilising climatic data records by the CSIRO. Should these limits be exceeded, farmers must attend an interview with the Irrigation Company. This may result in restrictions on the use of individual paddocks for rice in subsequent year, or the banning of rice production on those paddocks – Rice is the only agricultural crop to have such rigorous restrictions applied.
No rice crop grows within 150 metres of a watercourse.
Water recycling systems are encouraged, as careful monitoring by Irrigation Companies of drainage water entering drainage schemes must meet Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.
Our Australian rice industry contributes to supporting 63 regional towns across the NSW Riverina and Northern Victoria.
And here’s a history of rice growing in Australia.
http://keres.meccahosting.com/~a0006d1f/about2.html
eg,
That’s an interesting site. It also incorporates this proposal that I had not heard of before to supply water to the MDB from the Shoalhaven R:
http://keres.meccahosting.com/~a0006d1f/gpage.html
Please do not touch the Shoalhaven Sydney is already murdering it – And it is/was beautiful
The Rice Growers Association had this little tip for farmers thinking of coming onboard.
More Crop per Drop
‘Once our Australian rice growers harvest their rice, they use the subsoil moisture remaining in the soil to plant another crop, either a wheat crop or pasture for animals. This form of rotation is the most efficient in natural resource and agricultural terms.’
Very enlightening article and comments. Well done!
Thanks Jen,
I wish I was on that trip with you. It must be awesome to view what is happening out there now that mother nature has decided to deliver.
Thanks also to all of you for your support for a highly stressed sector of our community.
There is plenty of well respected and peer reviewed research that indicates that rice growing creates some of the most successful ephemeral wetlands in the world.
When we understand that nearly all of the wetlands in the MDB are in fact ephemeral, then ricegrowing actually adds to the bounty.
Thanks also for noting that there is a massive difference between allocation and a licence or water entitlement.
Jen is also correct when she explains that perrenial crops like rice definitely suit Australian conditions better that permanent plantings.
Interestingly, the Wentworth Group and the MDBA argue the opposite case and even go so far as arguing that crops like almonds, grapes and other perennial crops are better for our environment because they use less water???? WHAT???? That is really not the case at all because they have to be watered every season whether our land of “drought and flooding rains” has delivered or not. They actually add to the stress of drought because we MUST find water to keep them alive. I would never suggest that people should not grow these crops, they must make their decisions just as all of us must. I do however get really annoyed to see our environmental lobby groups shamelessly attempting to play one type of farmer and one type of commodity against another. It is disingenious and definitely counter productive.
It is rather distressing that people fail to understand that when we are in drought, the farmers get no water and therefore could not have contributed to the loss of water for the environment. The environment suffered along with the rest of us because IT DIDN”T RAIN!!!!!
I would suggest that people go to the NOW (NSW Office of Water) site and attempt to understand how the WSP (Water Sharing Plan) actually works. I apologise that it is very complex, but it may enlighten you about some of the absolute rubbish that is circulating about “over allocated” rivers.
Enjoy the rest of your trip Jen. It must be absolutely awesome out there now. A complete explosion of life.
We have seen the abundant return of many species that some would have us believe were extinct because of irrigated agriculture.
It is a joy to watch the return of much missed wildlife and water plants.
I hope everyone is starting to understand that it was mother nature who delivered this bounty and it was always going to be.
Our self important bureaucrats and our alarmist AGW brotherhood have not had any influence on this bounty at all. NONE!
Well done Jennifer,
You have explained the benefits of rice, annual crops and the allocation system beautifully, so lets spread the word.
This is not that difficult to understand, I am at a loss why so many people are so reluctant to accept the facts. Maybe the negative campaign in our major cities has been that successful. Wake up Australia, we are alot smarter than that.
Can’t help but comment on these self appointed experts re us city folk following Jens rather clever low toned item about our rice growers and their water. Come in suckers!
Guys, Debbie included; this is one fellow who enjoys Aussie farm produce, has been interested in agriculture since childhood, appreciates farming families who can go the distance but understands most arguments for and against growing rice in the MDB.
I made a habit of stopping at the Wakool and taking a photo or two every time we drove to Adelaide. I say it’s “funny” country in rural terms and anyone who can farm it deserves a medal for every crop harvested. Take a look here and use the satellite images to find all the bends, lakes and remaining forest areas-
http://riverdata.mdba.gov.au/sitereports/414200a/mdba_414200a_site_report.html
Those great pics in Jens link I think show another story and I reckon it’s in the cracked mud below J & C’s feet.
I’m sorry Gavin,
I’m not clear on what you are objecting to?
Happy to further discuss.
I’m not sure what part of my comments, or Jen’s, you found so amusing?
I do have to say that taking me to any link in the MDBP to try and prove a point leaves me rather cold. (I’m not even sure if that’s what you were attempting to do?)
It is full of airy fairy science and highly questionable assumptions with no practical application.
Many of their conclusions and vague suggestions are even less sustainable than whatever they assumed was/wasn’t sustainable in the first place.
That MOST DEFINITELY includes their brazenly divisive and ill informed attempt to pass judgements on one type of commodity over another.
Shows a rather large amount of ignorance on their part wouldn’t you suspect?
Debbie; I can’t do a targeted reply to your last post cause it’s been difficult enough to maintain any solid view or theme at the best of times. I have many ideas on most subjects including particular political campaigns that compete for space every day but I can say it’s photos that hold my attention longest. I’m quite used to aero imaging and maps etc having been exposed to such surveys in stereo (3D) photography by forestry as a kid. I should add I spent a lot of time in small teams turning various old batch processes into smooth flowing production lines. Analysing hic cups was a big part of my job.
This week it’s the fate of Japan that I’m focused on. After standing well back from nuclear energy strategies for Aus over the decades I feel we are headed into another round on the alternatives. Handling super heated steam (dry H2O gas), nasty chemicals, liquid natural gas and various reactors in production has taught me we have too few in those technologies to foster another large scale energy source let alone nuclear. It’s in this context that I view our water and power debates
Btw I purchased two more used but low km Corollas last week for the family at large. What happens to the likes of Toyota in Japan from here on has great bearing on how we get around our rural estates. From a casual new car yard conversation last week it seems other manufacturers contemplating building hybrids here would be dependent on existing (Toyota) technology for a lot of their bits and pieces.
Now I can say we can’t have a rice water debate without considering energy sources or fuel. That river country between Hay and Ouyen was mostly scrub or desert. Between major floods and sparse rains, it’s a hungry place.