RESILIENT BUSINESSES NATIONAL CLIMATE VARIABILITY Tools to manage climate risk M LA is supporting the median, wet or very wet). This enables development of climate better interpretation of forecast data. Doug McNicholl forecasting tools to E: dmcnicholl@mla.com.au MLA’s Supply Chain Sustainability help producers navigate Innovation Manager, Doug McNicholl, MLA-supported climate seasonal variability and better said accessing more timely and variability projects prepare for extreme events. accurate information can improve Forewarned is Forearmed: One project which is improving on‑farm productivity and reduce climatekelpie.com.au/index.php/ seasonal forecasts is ‘Forewarned isfinancial losses. mcvproject Forearmed’, supported by the Australian“Producers can use this information toNorthern Australia Climate Government’s Rural Research and make the best decisions to mitigate Program: bom.gov.au/research/ Development for Profit program. risk and maximise opportunities from projects/NACP The project is directly aimed at givingseasonal conditions and extreme Drought and Climate weather events. Adaptation Program: producers advance warning of extreme longpaddock.qld.gov.au/dcap weather events such as heatwaves, “Forecast accuracy is being improved cold snaps, droughts and floods. through continued advancements More resources to help manage in computing power, combined with climatevariability on‑farm Researchers aim to develop new targeted efforts to improve weather and forecasting models to predict these The Break e‑newsletters (southern climate data collection and modelling seasonal updates): events well in advance, to help for producers. producers make weather and climate risk agriculture.vic.gov.au/agriculture/ managementrecast tools are adroved fo“If impdecisions,such as whento: opted weather-and-climate/newsletters • move freshlyshorn sheep to sheltered into business decision making, they canGuide to using seasonal forecasts: paddocksaheadof unseasonal cold greatly assist climate risk management agriculture.vic.gov.au and search andwet conditions on‑farm and through the supply chain.” ‘Guide for using seasonal forecasts’. •e Forewarned is Forearmed projectThhigher ground ifshiftlivestockto Climate Kelpie: extremerainfall is predicted willalso take steps towards making climatekelpie.com.au • adancevor delay animal management seasonal outlooks more interpretable procedures and aligned with producer decisions (see pages 25–26). • sell, buy or transport fodder or livestock aheadThe prototypes developedof a period of high orwithin the lowfeed availability. project are being tested with industry reference groups, with the first products One prototype forecast product beingexpected to be released on the Bureau tested allows users to identify extremeof Meteorology website (bom.gov.au) heat events weeks to months ahead in early 2021. (current temperature and weather forecastsproject seven days into The MLA Donor Company is also the investing.future) in new forecast tools and extension initiatives specifically for the Another prototype product takes northern grazing industry through the seasonal planning a step further by Northern Australia Climate Program, increasing the range of probability ofin partnership with the Queensland seasonal rainfall from two categoriesGovernment and the University (above or below the long‑term medianof Southern Queensland. ■ rainfall) to five categories (very dry, dry, 23