ABOUT US
About SOFT Agriculture Pty Ltd
SOFT Agriculture Pty Ltd (Sustainable Organic Farming Techniques) was established in 2012 as a Marketing and Processing company for parent company Mara Seeds Pty Ltd.
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With an extensive range of organic products, Managing Director Stuart Larsson's vision is to offer farmers "carbon smart" innovations that deliver superior animal and soil health productivity.
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SOFT Agriculture is located with Mara Seeds, 50 km west of Casino in northern New South Wales.
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Looking forward at a sustainable future
Mara Seeds is a family owned business that was established in 1967. In the mid 1990's management identified the diminishing returns on artificial fertiliser, chemical systems and increased costs, both financially and health related.
In 1996 Mara Seeds changed its approach to an organic farming system to allow for the development of niche specialised products and also to cater for the organic culinary soybean and beef markets in Australia.
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Mara Seeds is involved in the production and processing of a range of organic products from oilseeds to grass seeds which are value added for specific markets. Mara Seeds was a pioneer soybean grower in northern NSW, being the second farming operation to ever grow soybean on the Far North Coast.
The inception of SOFT Agriculture Pty Ltd
In 2012 Managing Director Stuart Larsson decided to evolve the Mara Seeds brand to reflect his vision of "carbon smart" farming.
SOFT Agriculture (Sustainable Organic Farming Techniques) was established, and using a unique blend of biochar developed a range of organic fertilisers, livestock feeds and additives that support high yield productivity gains while offering the best possible health benefits for plants and livestock.
SOFT Agriculture continues to build and develop organic products for domestic and export markets with the view of promoting the Australian Organic Industry.
MARA SEEDS
History
Mara Seeds Pty Ltd is a family-owned business which has been growing and developing since 1967.
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Located 50km west of Casino in northern NSW, Mara Seeds produces, processes and markets a range of organic products from beef and oilseeds to grass seeds which are value-added for specific markets.
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Mara Seeds was a pioneer soybean grower in northern NSW, as the second farming operation to ever grow soybean on the Far North Coast. Initially, a processing facility was built to handle the production of soybeans.
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In addition to our strong soy industry links the business has developed a strong position for temperate and subtropical grass seeds and cereal crops in domestic and export markets, based on innovative niche quality led strategies.
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The Larsson family had been running a dairy herd since 1948, it was in 1967 that the first beef herd was introduced. Today our herds are high-quality EU accredited organic beef finished on organic pastures and silage.
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Organic Farming
It was in the mid-1990’s that management identified the diminishing returns on artificial fertiliser and chemical systems and increased costs, both financially and health-related.
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In 1996 management changed its approach to an organic farming system to allow for the development of niche specialised products and also to cater for the growing organic culinary soybean and beef markets in Australia, with the view to expand overseas as the market developed. Mara Seeds Pty Ltd gained certification with the Biological Farmers Association (BFA) and to date have a company that deals in products free from harmful pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and artificial fertilisers.
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In 1997 the company saw an opportunity to develop a composting facility to produce organic compost and biological tea products for use on-site as well as for commercial sales. The compost and biological tea to date have yielded tremendous results in several vegetable and cropping programs.
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Mara Seeds continues to build and develop organic products for domestic and export markets with the view of promoting the Australian Organic Industry.