CSIRO expands Australian agriculture research with Boorowa station open day and Ag2050 roadmap

The CSIRO Boorowa Agricultural Research Station held a free open day on 2 September, inviting local farmers, residents, schools and community groups to view field trials on crop productivity, livestock management, soil health and environmental impact. New station manager Gerard Ryan highlighted the opportunity to connect scientific research with the regional community, while CSIRO Agriculture and Food Deputy Director Dr Alison Bentley said the expanded trials provide valuable feedback for growers.

In parallel, CSIRO and the Australian Farm Institute released the discussion paper “Ag2050 next steps – scenarios to decisions”. The paper outlines four evidence‑based scenarios for Australian farming—Regional Ag capitals, Landscape stewardship, Climate survival and System decline—and identifies near‑term decisions that will shape productivity, profitability and sustainability through 2050. The scenarios were examined at a March roundtable involving government, industry, research, regional and Indigenous organisations, with CSIRO program lead Dr Rose Roche and Australian Farm Institute executive director Katie McRobert emphasizing the importance of these decisions for the sector’s future.