Byron Shire Council is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2025–26 Regenerative Agriculture Small Grants program, with three local graziers each receiving $3,500 to deliver projects that improve land health, productivity, and biodiversity.
The grant winners include:
- Felix Vergara (Myocum) – Adaptive total grazing project
- Sean Houlahan (Booyong) – Holistic grazing and livestock integration project
- Barry Morrison (Georges Farm, Skinners Shoot) – Adaptive grazing project
Over the next 12 months, these landholders will implement regenerative grazing practices designed to enhance soil quality, protect riparian zones, and build climate resilience.
"Grazing accounts for around 85 percent of agricultural land use in Byron Shire—a legacy of our dairy and livestock farming history," Council's Agricultural Extension Officer, Mark Duncan said.
"We have a higher proportion of grazing compared to neighbouring shires, which is why supporting farmers to adopt regenerative methods is so important. It's a win-win for farmers, the environment, and the community," he said.
"We want to support farming that works with nature, not against it—improving soils and biodiversity while producing healthy, nutrient-dense food and fibre. Regenerative practices such as rotational multi-paddock grazing can reverse land degradation, protect waterways, increase soil carbon and contribute to local food security."
Council's grants program encourages innovation and practical solutions.
"Congratulations to Booyong grazier Sean Houlahan who's using Council's small grant to trial the integration of poultry in his livestock rotations as a way of boosting soil health," Mr Duncan said.
"Chickens help to break down manure, reduce fly populations, and add nutrient-rich waste to pastures. Creating healthier soil in this way then reduces the need for expensive chemical inputs," he said.
"This is the kind of thinking we encourage, and we welcome ideas and applications from all our Byron Shire farmers when the next Regenerative Agriculture Small Grant Program opens in August 2026," he said.
These grants, and others, are promoted via the Byron Farmers Network, and interested landholders in the shire can sign up by completing a registration form.
