Sustainability is a big topic, but what does it really mean day-to-day?
We talk with Kate McCabe from McCabe Ag Co in the Mid North to get a closer look at how they’ve grown as a family business through sustainability measures.
Kate and Adrian McCabe’s farming story began generations ago. They grew up on neighbouring farms in Hamley Bridge in the Lower North, with Adrian being a fifth- generation farmer and Kate
a fourth. Kate didn’t expect to marry a farmer, but after studying finance in Adelaide, she returned and married Adrian, who sparked an unexpected career for her in agriculture.
“We feel lucky to have grown up in agriculture — it’s a big part of our families. We see ourselves as caretakers of the land, working to improve it for the next generation, just as those before us did,” Kate says.
Now, they live on their own farm, 20km from Adrian’s original farm, still working closely with Adrian’s brother, Luke, and his wife, Judy. “The original homestead was destroyed in the Pinery fires, which was traumatic. While it hasn’t been rebuilt, my parents lost their house too and have since rebuilt, enabling relationships across generations to continue.”
The road to expansion
At the Hamley Bridge farm, the McCabes mainly focus on cropping, growing grains like bread wheat and durum wheat, canola, legumes such as lentils and chickpeas, and running some sheep. Over the past 15 to 20 years, they’ve expanded through share farming and leasing. Since 2007, they’ve also farmed near Grenfell in New South Wales, where they grow wheat and canola and keep some livestock, managing higher but fluctuating rainfall. They’ve also invested in irrigation property at Parilla, marking another milestone in their journey.
As the McCabes expanded their large scale farms across two states, building the right team has been crucial. Adrian and Luke manage operations on the farm, Kate oversees finances and consults in partnership with the Australian Farm Institute for DAFF and industry groups focusing on traceability, emissions policy and risk management. In New South Wales, they have a few employees managing operations there as well.
The McCabes have a small, dedicated team, including Annie (Finance Officer), Justin (Farm Operations & Logistics Co- ordinator), and Tom (Technical and Compliance Officer), who handles compliance, sustainability reporting, and data management. Family members who are also very devoted to the farm include Kate’s dad, Geoff, and son, Zac, plus Adrian’s dad, Gerald, who’s played a large role in the growth of their farm. While finding the right staff can be tough in agriculture, they’ve succeeded through a mix of advertising, recruitment agencies, and networking to find people who fit their culture and have a genuine interest in agriculture.
Sustainability actions
Sustainable farming starts with a strong focus on production, and the McCabes have made building natural capital, soil health and moisture retention top priorities for years.
“It was a big shift in our production system, and it happened around the same time we took over my parents’ and some other families’ share farming, increasing our land by about 50 percent.
“Adrian was really driving the push to conserve as much moisture as possible and improve soil structure and porosity. In the 1990s, no-till farming was showing its benefits, and then around 2002, jumped fully into zero- till, and we’ve seen the positive impact over time,” Kate says.
Around the mid to late 2000s, Kate and Adrian started using chicken manure, which helped reduce the need for synthetic fertilisers. They are always looking for more sustainable farming practices and technologies, but their approach goes beyond just soil health — they also conduct soil testing to ensure the right nutrients are applied, maximising nitrogen efficiency.
“We are fortunate in our use of synthetic fertiliser to be in non- leaching soils which ensures very strong nitrogen use efficiency and enables us to maximise yields but with very low emissions intensity on a global scale. It’s really important to us to make the best use of resources like labour, machinery, chemicals, and fertilisers, making sure we’re as efficient as possible. This helps reduce our carbon footprint by eliminating waste.
“About 15 years ago, we started paying attention to emissions, and I remember Greg Butler from SANTFA [SA No-Till Farming Association] explaining that emissions are like waste. Every time we cut down on waste, we reduce emissions. That idea stuck with us, and even though the industry paused for a bit, we’ve continued focusing on making the best use of resources and cutting waste wherever possible,” Kate says.
A layered approach
But sustainability is about more than just production. It also includes community, social, and environmental factors, and the McCabes have their finger on the pulse with all of them.
“We’re very mindful of chemical use, closely monitoring weather conditions through our mesonet to avoid issues like inversions. Our staff are well-trained to use chemicals properly, and we
follow guidelines like the harvest code index. We also encourage other farmers in our community to follow these practices.
“On the social side, being an employer of choice is important to us. We want a positive work culture, where employee safety and wellbeing are priorities. Our technical and compliance officer ensures our health and safety policies are up-to- date, and everyone knows the procedures. We also offer an employee assistance program to support wellbeing because it’s crucial to us. All these areas matter to us,” Kate says.
And on the environmental side, Kate and Adrian are working with the Nature Conservation Society on revegetation projects, with the Wakefield Regional Council as a key partner in these efforts.
“We’re focusing on creating nature corridors by collaborating with neighbouring landowners, councils, and railways to achieve real biodiversity outcomes. We’re also looking at the nature repair markets and how we can scale these efforts, plus considering starting with a smaller trial project, then expanding when the nature repair market opens up. Hopefully, this will help us scale up and create more biodiversity corridors. Right now, we have a grant application in progress and are exploring other options to support these projects.”
Community movement
While there are still challenges, the McCabes have noticed the shift in the local community and the industry towards more sustainable practices. “I believe most people are aware of community concerns like chemical stewardship, fire danger, and safe operations, and genuinely want to do the right thing. Unfortunately, there are always a few who don’t follow the guidelines. But I’m hopeful that, through advocacy groups like Grain Producers SA, the current campaigns will help spread these important messages.
“With regions like the Barossa and Clare Valleys nearby, it’s crucial that we don’t cause any harm to them. Overall, I think people want to improve their soils, environment, and animal welfare. Most livestock farmers care deeply about their animals. For farms to be successful, they need to focus on sustainability.”
At the root of it all, Kate acknowledges the critical role that reporting and data collection plays in sustainability.
“In the past, we haven’t done enough reporting or data collection on our efforts. But now there’s a shift toward measuring and reporting sustainability actions, and more people want to understand their emissions and what’s driving them. It’s
not just about carbon either. Years ago, people cared about seeing wildlife on their farms, even if we didn’t call it biodiversity at the time.
“I understand that collecting and reporting data can feel overwhelming, and compliance, like with ISCC accreditation, can be a challenge. That’s why we’ve invested in a resource dedicated to sustainability
and implemented a grain traceability program, which not only helps with reporting but has also uncovered supply
chain errors. The data we collect can also help with decision- making, both for productivity and financial outcomes.
“Most importantly, instead of viewing sustainability requirements as a burden, it’s better to see them as an
opportunity to make informed decisions. And we need to keep the conversations going because it’s a field where we’re still figuring things out. I love hearing what others are doing and sharing ideas. If we can help spark
that conversation, I’m all in!”
