Sarah Sanderson catches up with Tom De Mattia, from Delta Ag and learns about the 3000km GRDC funded study tour which took a group of growers and advisors from Wagga Wagga NSW to Esperance WA to learn about the similarities and differences in management strategies for each area and highlight the ‘peer-learning’ approach of growers learning from growers. Download the transcript for this episode Contact: Tom De Mattia Delta Ag tdemattia@deltaag.com.au Project Code: DEL2206-002AWX Learn more about ...
May 23, 2023•12 min
🎙️ Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with Dr Cassandra Schefe. In the Forbes RSL using coasters and the RSL carpet as a reference, Cassie and two big names in agricultural sustainability came up with the idea for the Cool Soil Initiative, which now supports farmers explore practices to improve soil health. It's no surprise she brought such an idea to life, she grew up around farming and found a love for science and soils early on in her career and now runs her consultancy Agri...
May 21, 2023•53 min
Deborah Bishop interviews Mechelle Owen from AHRI, Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative about herbicide resistance in weed species in Western Australia and the data collected from the GRDC funded survey conducted during the 2020 harvest. Download the transcript for this episode Contact: Mechelle Owen AHRI, University of WA mechelle.owen@uwa.edu.au More Information: GRDC Podcast – Annual ryegrass resistance to pre-emergent herbicides snapshot Project Code: UCS2008-001RTX Learn more about yo...
May 16, 2023•8 min
Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with David "DJ" Jochinke. DJ is the vice president of the National Farmers’ Federation, third generation grain and livestock farmer and an incredibly passionate advocate for the agriculture industry. This conversation feels like one motivational pep talk and we hear all about his education journey, why he cares so much about the work he does and the incident that inspired him to live life to the fullest. GRDC in Conversation is a limited series...
May 14, 2023•34 min
Deborah Bishop catches up with Dr Lizzy Lowe from Cesar Australia to discuss redlegged earth mite resistance and the surveillance measures being taken to develop up to date management recommendations and help with maintaining the effectiveness of current chemical control options. Download the transcript for this episode Contact Lizzy Lowe Cesar Australia llowe@cesaraustralia.com More Information GroundCover article – Growers urged to test redlegged earth mite for resistance GRDC Factsheet – Resi...
May 09, 2023•13 min
Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with Ann McNeill. A semi-retired soil scientist Ann started life in the UK, spent time in Syria working in dryland agriculture, and landed in Australia where she’s done a lot of work and research with farmers to help improve their crops. She has fascinating stories about research, her pathway into academia and the love she found along the way – have you ever gone for the same job as your partner? Ann has... and it’s interesting to hear how she ...
May 07, 2023•55 min
Darryl Anderson comes live from Showcase Day at the Agtech and Logistics Hub in Toowoomba, Queensland. Darryl speaks with Agtech coordinator, Thomas Hall about the innovation behind some of the most current, up and coming products and services in agriculture and also catches up with participants from this year’s GroundUp, agribusiness accelerator program. Download the transcript for this episode Contact: Thomas Hall Agtech and Logistics Hub thomas.hall@agrifoodconnect.com.au More information: GR...
May 02, 2023•15 min
Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with Lou Flohr. Lou is a mixed cropping and livestock farmer running her enterprise alongside her parents and partner in Lameroo in the Southern Mallee of South Australia. With three young children, family is a huge part of Lou’s life, as is her commitment to ensuring women are represented in the ag sector and support for them encouraged. She is a member of the GRDC Southern Panel and deeply cares about agriculture and the people in it. She is ...
Apr 30, 2023•49 min
Darryl Anderson interviews Professor Mike Bell and Dr David Lester to find out about GRDC’s $11.9 million investment into predicting nitrogen cycles and losses in Australian cropping systems. This video looks into the use of the APSIM farming system simulation model which measures the nitrogen cycle; and how this GRDC trial is looking to create a national data set of nitrogen loss across all regions of Australia. Download the transcript for this episode Contact: Professor Mike Bell University of...
Apr 25, 2023•18 min
Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with Harm van Rees. Harm’s story starts in the Netherlands where he was raised until he was 14. Then his father got an engineering job in Australia, bringing the family with him. When his dad got another job back in the UK, Harm was not ready to leave. He studied science and biochemistry which took him all around the world, and when he got back to Australia, he headed to Victoria’s high country to study cattle grazing, but that’s only the begin...
Apr 23, 2023•56 min
It’s estimated the Australian grains industry loses more than $350 million a year – due to insects. GRDC has invested in the Australian Grains Pest Innovation Program (AGPIP) a joint initiative with the University of Melbourne and Cesar Australia – set up to tackle pest management problems in the grains industry. More novel approaches and solutions pest control are needed – Associate Professor Paul Umina from Cesar Australia and the University of Melbourne – provided an update on the ground-brea...
Apr 18, 2023•13 min
Sally Maguire looks at ammonia volatilisation in depth with Associate Professor Louise Barton from the University of WA. They discuss the extended findings from a 14 month trial study and the implications for crop productivity and nitrogen use efficiency. Contact: Louise Barton University of WA Email: louise.barton@uwa.edu.au More Information: GroundCover article - Assessing gaseous nitrogen loss from WA crop systems Project Code: UWA2202-001RTX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone....
Apr 13, 2023•12 min
Deborah Bishop catches up with spray application specialist, Bill Campbell at the GRDC Western update, to discuss the awareness and understanding of making good weed spraying decisions. Contact: Bill Campbell Consulting bill@campbellag.com More Information: GRDC Media Release – How to get the most from your spraying program Project Code : BCC1910-001SAX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Apr 11, 2023•12 min
Deborah Bishop interviews Dr. Elizabeth Petersen from the University of Western Australia about the results from a survey of four hundred West Australian grain producers. They discuss the role of agronomics, the process involved with making fertiliser decisions and strategies implemented to maximise yield potential. Contact: Dr Elizabeth Petersen Principal Applied Economist, Advanced Choice Economics P/L Senior Research Fellow, University of Queensland Adjunct Senior Lecturer, University of West...
Apr 06, 2023•12 min
Sally Maguire interviews experts at the 2023 GRDC Grains research update held in Wagga Wagga. They discuss the latest advice for the season ahead. These experts include: Dr John Kirkegaard, CSIRO Dr Felicity Harris, Charles Sturt University Prof Chris Preston, Adelaide University Prof Robert Park, University of Sydney Prof James Hunt, University of Melbourne. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Apr 04, 2023•9 min
Deborah Bishop interviews Richard Bell from Murdoch University (SoilWest Alliance), to discuss widespread Potassium deficiencies in soils and report on the highly successful collaboration between GRDC, DPIRD, SoilsWest, Murdoch University, Summit Fertilisers and CSBP Fertilisers and key research findings for growers and advisors from a long-term field trial in Western Australia, investigating how to maximise profit and efficiency from potassium fertiliser. Contact: Richard Bell, Murdoch Universi...
Mar 30, 2023•17 min
Pre-emergent herbicide applications at seeding. What to apply? How? And what chemicals really don’t get along well together in the spray tank? There is a lot to know as growers approach the 2023 season. Across the southern region, the mild and wet season last year means there’s a mighty bank of weed seeds just waiting to rear their ugly heads. There’s a range of options for pre-emergent herbicide applications, and we spoke to Southern Extension Officer with WeedSmart Chris Davey likes to get som...
Mar 28, 2023•15 min
Welcome to the first podcast in our new limited series focusing on Nutrition in the West . Each Friday for the next four weeks, we’ll release an additional GRDC podcast covering nutrition topics specifically for Western Australia, as growers gear up for seeding 2023. The knowledge used to guide phosphorus management in WA agriculture has its origins in field research from 20 to 60 years ago. This long term private-public partnership study, part of a large crop nutrition project, helps provide up...
Mar 23, 2023•12 min
Forecasting how optimal flowering windows and crop yields will be impacted by the warming climate, and what growers can do about it, has been unexplored – until now. A new economics project under the Optimising Irrigated Grains Initiative, led by Associate Professor Matt Harrison from University of Tasmania, has brought together researchers, farming groups, and industry organisations to compare and predict optimal flowering windows to increase yields. It’s the first time contemporary genotypes h...
Mar 21, 2023•18 min
If you’re a grain grower, an agribusiness practitioner, scientist, or industry expert – GRDC wants you. That’s right, GRDC is looking for Regional Panel Members who are willing to share their knowledge, expertise and networks to help facilitate cutting edge research; and in turn bolster on farm profitability. GRDC is a world leading grains research organisation, responsible for planning, investing in and overseeing research, development, and extension. Regional panels provide a vital link betwee...
Mar 14, 2023•7 min
Determining the economic impact of native budworm in wheat crops was not something Dustin Severtson from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) ever expected to be doing. But when WA agronomists and growers started reporting the insects feeding off wheat in spring, DPIRD, backed by GRDC investment, launched glasshouse and in-field research to examine why native budworm was moving into this non-traditional cereal crop host. Contact Dustin Severtson DPIRD More inform...
Mar 07, 2023•11 min
For many South Australian grain growers, 2022 was a cracker season, but the weather and other factors did lead to some cereal disease. So, what does 2023 have in store, and what to do to keep disease at bay? This is the second part of a two-part podcast where we do a deep dive to bring you the latest advice. In Part two we speak to Sam Trengove, who is an independent consultant on Yorke Peninsula and his business also does research and extension; and we also hear from Associate Professor, Fran L...
Feb 28, 2023•13 min
For many South Australian growers, 2022 was a cracker season, but the weather and other factors did lead to some cereal disease. So what does 2023 have in store, and what to do to keep disease at bay? Dr Tara Garrard is a cereal pathologist at the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), the research division of the Department of Primary Industries and Regions in South Australia. She has a project looking at Septoria Tritici Blotch, working out how it behaves in low and mediu...
Feb 21, 2023•16 min
Hot finishes in Australia’s northern region are resulting in lower chickpea quality and yield. In a bid to improve heat tolerance in chickpea, GRDC has funded research that builds on advances already made under the Australian Research Council: Legumes for Sustainable Agriculture Hub. Professor Richard Trethowan is Director of the University of Sydney’s Plant Breeding Institute in Narrabri, New South Wales… where he and his team, are pursuing both genetic and agronomic solutions to improve the he...
Feb 14, 2023•11 min
The economics of farming are a crucial component for all growers, and it’s not always a skill set that comes naturally. That’s why a group of Victorian growers has come together to pool their knowledge and resources around the topic of financial benchmarking. One of the tools used by the Victorian grower group is business management software (P2P Agri) made by leading farm management consultant, Michael Krause, who also previously developed the ‘Farming the Business’ manual for GRDC. Victorian g...
Feb 07, 2023•12 min
Last year along the east coast of Australia, stripe rust was a huge issue and experts are warning that in 2023, growers will continue to experience stripe rust pressure with wet summer conditions and significant green bridge carryover from last year, creating the perfect storm for the disease. The good news is there's a free online tool that growers can use to avoid highly susceptible varieties in their regions and develop management plans to minimise impacts. Called the NVT disease ratings tool...
Jan 31, 2023•15 min
Growers and advisers in South Australia and Victoria are increasingly reporting underperforming crops, which they believe could be attributed to a lack of potassium (K). Soil tests often show the levels are fine, but are those tests accurate for south-eastern Australia and has the grains industry relied on good K reserves in that part of the world for too long? Dr Nigel Wilhelm is from SARDI, the South Australian Research and Development Institute, the research division of the Department of Prim...
Jan 24, 2023•11 min
Chickpea production in Western Australia took a king hit in the early 2000s when a fungal outbreak hammered grower confidence and reduced crop coverage from 60,000 to 5,000 hectares. These days, it’s around 10,000 hectares. But with GRDC investment, Chickpea Breeding Australia (CBA) is working to firmly re-establish chickpea production into a premium and profitable product in WA through the release of new varieties. As CBA program lead Dr Kirsty Hobson explains, the team is working to improve yi...
Jan 17, 2023•11 min
Unprecedented spring rainfall and flooding in 2022 has made for a particularly tough year for many growers. In this special GRDC podcast, NSW Riverina grower, Roy Hamilton, shares his experience of salvaging a soaked harvest in a season that initially held so much promise. Then ex- NRL Balmain Tigers player turned mental health speaker and educator at the Black Dog Institute, Wayne Wigham, shares his lived experience with depression and mental health recommendations in an effort to help others. ...
Jan 10, 2023•21 min
Cucumber Mosaic Virus - also known as CMV - is a seed transmitted virus that can cause yield losses of almost 100 per cent. That’s why GRDC is investing in a project that will support industry by providing information on minimising the impact of CMV infected seed; specifically on lentil yield in the Southern region. The project also aims to promote awareness of seed health, seed transmitted viruses and yield penalties associated with different levels of virus infection. Contact: piotr.trebicki@a...
Dec 20, 2022•12 min
