This document purports to assess Victoria's 'progress to sustainability' paddock-to-plate and, presumably, an understanding of related practicalities up to 2020. In doing so, Andrew Campbell has produced a very long document - perhaps 'a heavy meal',at times indigestible - some excellent messages and recommendations are obscured by a needlessly wide-ranging and elaborate presentation which may reduce its readership and impact. There is a reasonable entree - an Executive Summary. However, it all lacks definitions of terms used/ paradigms employed, and a concise description of the modern world of agricultural science and farming. Moreover, it does not adequately recognise the era since phosphorus deficiency was noted, legumes came to be used widely,with emphasis on soil organic matter from the phosphorus, sulphur and abundant nitrogen; a world where evidence-based arguments rule, precise information is gained using the latest analytical techniques to inform models, and farmers use GPS to sow cropswith minimal disturbance of the living soil.
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