Farmers are increasingly embracing change, and it's bringing them hope

Matthew Peart embarked on a transition to regenerative agriculture almost 40 years ago. (Supplied)

When grazier Matthew Peart took over his family's organic beef operation almost 20 years ago, his pastures were rundown and the future looked as bleak as the barren paddocks.

Alongside his brother, he embarked on a journey to regenerate the 6,000 hectare property in central Queensland,

His experience is reflected in the first Farms in Focus report, which found farmers are embracing new land management practices, but implementing change remained difficult.

But even amidst global volatility and uncertain weather, Mr Peart is unashamedly optimistic about the future, and the survey results suggest he's not alone.

In the late 1990s Mr Peart's Carnarvon Range property, about 600 kilometres north-west of Brisbane, was gripped by pasture rundown.

Decades of continuously stocking cattle in the same paddocks had reduced the nitrogen in the soil to the point that grass would not grow.

"You had areas (of paddocks) that were bare … that was the catalyst to change," he said.

Rotational grazing keeps cattle in bigger mobs and moves them around the farm to give the environment time to rest and recover is an example of regenerative agriculture. (Matt Roberts ABC News)

"We didn't start with grazing at all, we started with the business analysis."

The fourth-generation farmer split the farm's 10 paddocks into 70 smaller cells, rotating the grazing cattle each day into new pastures, allowing the land to rest in between.

Mr Peart said he participated in the survey to encourage others to embrace change.

"My takeaway from the survey was that there are a significant portion starting on this journey or intending to start on this journey," he said.

The result has been more profit, more resilience, and more optimism.

Matthew Peart says adopting regenerative agriculture practices have excited the next generation to take over the farm. (Supplied)

"The ability to understand where you are in the world and how far your pastures will take you is fantastic," he said.

"The other beautiful thing is that it does give you a wholesome business model for the younger generation to get their teeth into and get excited about."

Led by researchers at Harvard University and commissioned by the Commonwealth Bank, the survey captured data from 500 Australian farmers across all states and territories between November 16, 2025 and March 16, 2026.

Behavioural economist Michael Hiscox grew up on a small dairy farm near Tamworth in New South Wales, but is now a professor of International Rela