“As Ag KI we are very honoured to receive this award. While this acknowledges our more recent achievements it is a great recognition for the more than three decades of Landcare work that not only Ag KI, but our wider farming community has done. When Landcare first started in 1989 and into the 90’s KI had the highest adoption rate in the country. Our aim as Ag KI is for a sustainable, productive and profitable agricultural industry (the islands biggest industry) and we are about to ramp up what we do to support farmers continuing to achieve this with funding secured to begin multiple new projects.” Jamie Heinrich, AGgKI Chair.

Formed in 1996, Agriculture Kangaroo Island (AgKI) is the premier body for agriculture on the Island, representing the majority of the farming community and encompassing wool and red meat producers through to croppers. The vision of AgKI is for a sustainable and profitable agriculture sector, and supports member’s success by promoting best practice through education, research and demonstration. One of the four pillars of AgKI is Practice Improvement, with the group focused on creating and delivering programs which improve soil health, target invasive plants and animals, and improve land management practices.

AgKI is similar to a farming systems group but is much more than this. It is a unique model, working with farmers, government agencies and key stakeholders which enables the group to access best-practice information but also have the on-ground connection to promote local uptake. AgKI is best described as ‘an organisation of famers, for farmers’, which means the organisation can hear what farmers need, and the farmers will implement it because it is what they want and need.