The Commercial Impacts of The Commercial Impacts of Contaminants in Kerbside Contaminants in Kerbside Green Organic CompostGreen Organic Compost

--the end users the end users perspectiveperspective

By By Ashley Keegan Ashley Keegan

FABALFABALQuality Food And Beverage

For The World

FABAL MulchingFABAL Mulching Project 2003 Project 2003 Over 600 hectares of Over 600 hectares of

Vineyard mulchedVineyard mulched 33 000 cubic meters of 33 000 cubic meters of

Composted Green Composted Green OrganicsOrganics

Over 900 semi truck Over 900 semi truck loads of mulchloads of mulch

3 months 3 months Costs in the order of $1 Costs in the order of $1

Million dollarsMillion dollars

What is within an acceptable What is within an acceptable business risk profile?business risk profile?

What is in there that we can’t see?

Example of vineyard variabilityExample of vineyard variability

High vigour Low vigour

Infrared Remote Sensing Imagery Infrared Remote Sensing Imagery

The remote sensing imagery is The remote sensing imagery is produced taking satellite produced taking satellite captured infra red reflections and captured infra red reflections and grading all vines/plants into 5 grading all vines/plants into 5 vigour or biomass classes. vigour or biomass classes.

The The RedRed areas are the most areas are the most vigorous and the vigorous and the blueblue representing the poorest growth.representing the poorest growth.

Examples of what varying Examples of what varying ‘greenness’ indexes look like‘greenness’ indexes look like

Red High vigour Blue Low vigour

2003 Pre-Mulch 2003 Pre-Mulch Pellatised Straw Mulch Composted Green Organic Mulch

2004 Post-Mulch2004 Post-Mulch

Semillon single year turn around in Semillon single year turn around in block block relativerelative vigour vigour

2004 pre-mulch2004 pre-mulch 2005 post-mulch2005 post-mulch

14 months post application of 100 m3/ha of composted mulch

Relatively weak Semillon

Red High vigour Blue Low vigour

Control Composted Mulch 14 months post application

What is the difference between these What is the difference between these vines - 2 rows apart?vines - 2 rows apart?

Commercial outcomesCommercial outcomes

20.9% increase in mean yield of mulched verses control vines

Financial considerations in determining simple payback.Cost of CGOM including application $2,490/haSignificant increase in yield 1.97 t/haAverage price per tonne of grapes $1200/tBoth parcels of fruit achieved the same quality specificationsPotentially a single year return on investment!

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Composted Organic Mulch Control

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Stop!Stop! Take 10 secondsTake 10 seconds

Consider the consequences of your decisionsConsider the consequences of your decisions And choose to make a good decisionAnd choose to make a good decision

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR DECISIONSGOOD LUCK WITH YOUR DECISIONS