4627.0 - Land Management and Farming in Australia, 2009-10 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 21/06/2011   
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Image: Skyline GROUND COVER



Of agricultural businesses grazing livestock on crops or pasture, 71% monitor the amount of ground cover in paddocks and 34% of these have established a minimum ground cover level target. Queensland reported the highest proportion (45%) of agricultural businesses with a target for minimum ground cover levels, while in Tasmania only 21% reported minimum ground cover targets.

By far the most common method undertaken by agricultural businesses for monitoring ground cover was visual estimates, with 86% reporting using this method. The Northern Territory had the highest proportion (5%) of use of photo monitoring standards (comparison with photos of known ground cover levels) to monitor ground cover.