A triple grand-slam for Gippsland Water Agribusiness operations – that’s a win for Dutson Downs farm manager Michael Bannon and his team.

 

The largest broad-scale agricultural business in the state’s south-east was last Friday named The Weekly Times 2008 farm business of the year and the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria crop producer of the year.

 

Additionally Mr Bannon was named the Department of Primary Industries young farmer of the year.

 

Overcoming drought, bushfires and a major flood in the past two years, the mixed farming enterprise scored the three honours for farm management skills and innovation.

 

Mr Bannon, 33, has been the Gippsland Water agribusiness farm manager for the past six years. He and five fulltime staff manage 12 farm properties spread over 12,500ha, from Drouin to Longford including the largest operation at Dutson Downs.

 

The farms support 2500 cattle, 3000 Merinos as well as 1000ha of cereals, and 330ha of lupins/canola. A total of 5000ha is farmed, 1000ha is under timber plantation and the balance is native vegetation.

 

Gippsland Water Managing Director David Mawer said “Our agribusiness operation is stand-alone, it operates without any cross-subsidy from the rest of the corporation. It is economically viable as well as environmentally responsible.

 

“It has been a pioneer of Gippsland’s emerging cropping industry and its successes are recognition of the skills and dedication shown by Michael and his team."

Accepting the awards in Melbourne last Friday with his wife Maryanne, Mr Bannon praised Gippsland Water for expanding its agricultural holdings “in ways that have enhanced Gippsland".

He explained “As a team we are good stewards of the land and work hard to optimise our environmental assets. The newly opened Soil and Organic Recycling Facility offers us the opportunity to reuse nutrient-rich water and compost, minimise waste disposal and ensure cost-efficiencies.”

Dutson Downs is soon due to benefit from an additional 1200 megalitres of reclaimed water, tripling its irrigation capacity. This year Mr Bannon plans to plant 1500ha to crops and, over the next five years, to increase grain production by up to 500 per cent.

 

Additionally, the farm team has been actively revegetating the farmland with indigenous species, fencing to protect remnant vegetation and maintaining weed and pest controls.

 

The Gippsland Water agribusiness is an active participant in agricultural groups including the Gippsland branch of Southern Farming Systems and the Australian Farm Business Management Network.

 

Father of Brydee, 13, Tom 7, Millie 5 and Harry 3, he is also president of the Longford pre-school.