Wynyard producer Michael Nichols cultivates quite the diverse crop. Based in Sister’s Creek, nearly 200kms northwest of Launceston, Redbank Farm rotates potatoes, onions, carrots, processing peas, buckwheat, pyrethrum, poppies, mustard, wheat, canola, beef steers and plantation radiate pine saw logs.

And to keep atop of his crops, he employs a mixture of state-of-the-art agricultural practices including grid soil sampling, satellite NDVI imagery and yield mapping to ensure maximum sustainable output and soil regeneration. While relying on yield mapping used to test and check the decisions made from the soil testing, satellite NDVI imager is used for variable rate application of nitrogen fertiliser. This hasn’t resulted in less nitrogen put on but much better results for the crop, and a reduction in over-application, which means less leaching and gasification into the environment.