In this Episode we spoke to Reagan Manns from RSM in Jurien Bay about the use of Figured and XERO to supercharge your business financial budgeting process. Topics we cover: What is Figured and how does it differ from other packages What are the benefits of using Figured above the standard XERO budgeting package Where does the real power lie in having an integrated budgeting package And the real question: how to get started and who can help me get my first budget up and running! For more informat...
Feb 15, 2022•20 min
In this episode of Paddock Chat, we look to demystify the first steps that farmers need to take in creating a ‘smart’ or ‘connected' farm, where the Internet of Things (IoT) can make farm management that much easier! Nathan Craig (WMG Executive Officer) sat down with both Nathan Dovey, CEO and Phil Honey, Smart Farm Coordinator of Stirlings to Coast. Nathan has been involved with Stirlings to Coast for more than 6 years, and Phil's role is to assist farmers to adopt digital technologies and de-r...
Feb 01, 2022•25 min
In this episode of Paddock Chat, Executive Officer Nathan Craig sat down with Helen Viola, who is a Bookkeeper with RSM, to discuss how digital payroll systems are making it easier for businesses to manage their payroll. Key points: 1. Many programs are now on the Cloud which allows Bookkeepers easy access to business accounts when required. 2. It is important for businesses to understand the programs they are using, and RSM is available to help with any queries. 3. Digital payroll systems will ...
Jan 14, 2022•11 min•Season 2022Ep. 42
In this episode of PaddockChat, Beef Industry Development Officer Erin O'Brien sits down with Zoey Durmic and Peter Hutton to talk about the Carbon Neutral by 2030 Project, which includes their work in DietID. CN30 and DietID are projects within the BeefLinks research and development program, which is being delivered by Meat and Livestock Australia, The University of Australia and MLA Donor Company to strengthen production in the Northern Beef Supply Chain. In this episode, Peter Hutton and Zoey...
Jan 12, 2022•27 min
In this episode of Paddock Chat Erin spoke to RSM Accountant Ella Raffan about the benefits of using Xero as a part of your business management. Xero is a cloud-based accounting program which enables the user to access it at any time, and makes sharing information with accountants or advisors simple. This conversation was recorded in December 2021. Useful resources: Xero Support the show...
Dec 22, 2021•10 min
In this episode, we take you to our most recent event, a perennial pasture field walk hosted by Will Browne and facilitated by Ben and Sean Plozza, held on the 30th of November. This was our first event that focused solely on grower discussion and peer to peer learning. At the beginning of this episode, we get a farm introduction from Will Browne before hearing from Ben and Sean Plozza about the event, and why they brought the idea to the WMG team in the first place. We then hear thoughts about ...
Dec 10, 2021•30 min
Professor Terry Rose from Southern Cross University joins the podcast to share his strategies for improving soil health in your farming system. He talks through common strategies for improving soil health including cover cropping, interrow management to improve soil biodiversity and how to manage different soil types and season conditions. World Soils Day is coming up on December 5th, and to acknowledge this event WMG is talking all about how our region is looking to improve soil health. In this...
Nov 23, 2021•32 min
On this weeks episode of PaddockChat, West Midland's Group's Beef Industry Development Officer caught up with Rio Tinto pastoral manager Simon Mathwin to discuss virtual fencing technology. In this episode, Sim and Erin talk about how virtual fencing works, the origins of the trial and how it's progressed in 2021. They also discuss potential commercial uses for the technology and how the trial slots into a larger BeefLinks program. The virtual fencing technology trial, currently being tested at ...
Nov 09, 2021•18 min
PaddockChat coming to you from the ute as Erin O'Brien (Beef Industry Development Officer) and Melanie Dixon (Mixed Farming Systems Officer) interview locals about their experiences managing grasshoppers and locusts this season. In an effort to gain a better understanding of the pest problem in the region, Melanie and Erin visited farms in the area on behalf of DPIRD to surveil damage. While there, Melanie and Erin recorded these interviews with local growers Charles Wass and Steele Rudd, who di...
Oct 28, 2021•17 min
Each year, the United Nations marks October 15th as the International Day of Rural Women. The day celebrates and honours women and girls living in rural areas. It recognizes the huge role that rural mothers, daughters and grandmothers play in producing food, and building agricultural and rural development worldwide. To mark this day, the WMG team have put together a special episode of PaddockChat. On today's episode of PaddockChat, the WMG team sat down with three incredible women; Debbie Dowden...
Oct 15, 2021•28 min
On this weeks episode of PaddockChat, Northern Agricultural Catchment Council NRMs Annabelle Garrett speaks to local farmer, Pip Bain. They discuss Pip’s experience in the Agricultural industry, as well as what it means to farm sustainably. They also discuss cell grazing and the benefits that pasture management can have on feed availability for livestock. This discussion ties in with the BeefLinks Backgrounding Project, which is funded by MLA and UWA and is working to develop the northern beef c...
Oct 04, 2021•26 min
We're previewing the biggest day of the WMG Calendar, Spring Field Day! WMG Executive Officer, Nathan Craig, walks us through the agenda of the event and what to expect for Spring Field Day. Guests on the podcast include: • Matt Willis from Bayer Crop Science presenting his work on optimum pre-emergent herbicide strategies • Daniel Real who will be presenting his work on established crops at the field day in the main tent. The West Midlands Group 2021 Spring Field Day is on September 21st, and w...
Sep 14, 2021•15 min
Today’s guest interviewer is Callum Love, Sustainable Agricultural co-ordinator with the Northern Agricultural Catchment Council (NACC). Callum recently caught up with Nick Eyres who has been an agronomist with Elders for nearly 5 years servicing the Midwest region of WA, mainly around the Geraldton and Mingenew areas. Nick also works closely with NACC and the Yuna Farm Improvement Group (YFIG) in many of their sustainable agriculture projects. Callum and Nick explore some of the work with legum...
Sep 06, 2021•17 min
Are you seeing a lot of grasshoppers and locusts on your farm this year? After reports of high grasshopper numbers in the area, Paddock Chat decided to chat with DPIRD entomologist Svetlana Micic to learn more about what's going on. Local farmer Will Browne also joins the pod to talk about what he's seeing on the ground, and get advice on controlling grasshoppers for this local area. Topics covered include: • What is the difference between a grasshopper and a locust • How to identify the differe...
Aug 17, 2021•29 min
On this episode of Paddock Chat, we're tackling the topic of farm safety again. Returning guest Maree Gooch will break down and simplify the steps needed to start the process of implementing a good health and safety strategy in your business. We also preview the new ‘Green card for Ag safety’ which is now available to agricultural businesses to guide employees in the basic safety practices needed for your business. Our guest, Maree Gooch is from SafeFarmsWA. She returns to the podcast after her ...
Aug 02, 2021•26 min
Today on Paddock Chat we are talking all things feed budgeting! This episode continues on from our previous episode, where we caught up with Murray Grey who farms with his wife Adele, and father-in-law Colin in Yathroo. They run a cattle operation in conjunction with their family’s pastoral station in the West Pilbara. Murray is passionate about optimising feed and works hard to budget available feed accurately throughout the year. Murray unpacked their operation, and discussed his golden rules ...
Jul 21, 2021•21 min
Today on Paddock Chat we are talking all things feed budgeting! We caught up with Murray Grey who farms with his wife Adele, and father-in-law Colin in Yathroo. They run a cattle operation in conjunction with their family’s pastoral station in the West Pilbara. Murray is passionate about optimising feed and works hard to budget available feed accurately throughout the year. Murray unpacked their operation, giving us an insight into how exactly they budget feed, and the improvement they have made...
Jul 06, 2021•24 min
Today on Paddock Chat we caught up with Danelle Smith, who is the manager of the Moora RSM branch, to discuss the upcoming changes to the superannuation payment scheme. These changes are some of the first since the inception of the current scheme in 1992. Useful Resources https://www.ato.gov.au/super/apra-regulated-funds/in-detail/apra-resources/superannuation-changes-industry-roadmap/ Get in Touch RSM Moora - (08) 9651 1606 Support the show...
Jun 23, 2021•17 min
Today on Paddock Chat we caught up with Andrew Kenny who farms a mixed enterprise of cropping and sheep with his family in Badgingarra. The Kenny's use crop grazing during the season as a way of maintaining high stocking rates. Andrew runs us through the benefits, the constraints and the management that goes into crop grazing. We also chatted about their experience with ultrasound preg scanning ewes. It’s a tool the Kenny’s have been using for a long time and they’re now considering the next ste...
Jun 08, 2021•23 min
Today on Paddock Chat we’re getting into the research behind WA’s wild dog problem. Joining us today is a wildlife ecologist and DPIRD research scientist, Dr Tracey Kreplins. Tracey busted some common myths about wild dogs, gave us an update on the research being done in WA, and some insight into the kind of activity we may see following a productive breeding season and mild summer. We are also joined by returning guest, Midlands Biosecurity Group coordinator Chris O’Callaghan. You would have he...
May 25, 2021•29 min
Today on Paddock Chat we are talking preg scanning. Ultrasound scanning pregnant ewes, or pre-scanning, is a management practice that can boost lambing percentages by helping producers manage the needs of pregnant ewes. It also means you can manage dry ewes more effectively. We caught up with Bec Martin, who runs Martin's Ewe Scan across the Midlands region, to learn more about how it works and the potential benefits. Useful Resources Get in touch with Bec - martin.ewescan@gmail.com Sheep pregna...
May 11, 2021•11 min
Today on Paddock Chat we are talking potatoes. We caught up with Brad Ryan who farms with his family in Dandaragan. They run a mixed enterprise with a focus on ware and seed potatoes. “Ware Potatoes” refers to any potatoes destined for human consumption while still in potato form. Brad unpacked their operation, giving us an insight into what their growing season looks like, how they tackle constraints such as damaging winds and the innovations they’ve implemented on farm to improve power and wat...
Apr 27, 2021•21 min
Precision ag technologies have huge potential for managing variability in our agricultural systems. We caught up with the Agrarian Management consultant, Bindi Isbister, to shed some light on how we can implement precision ag in our farm businesses to improve input efficiency and boost yields. Bindi also shared some great tips on where to start, and how to tackle the roadblocks that many producers face when implementing precision ag tech on-farm. Useful Resources Profit from precision agricultur...
Apr 12, 2021•26 min
Today on Paddock Chat we’re talking farm safety. Is your farm business up to scratch when it comes to safety? In light of the recent changes to WA industrial manslaughter legislation, there is a renewed push to get farming operations up to scratch for the safety and well-being of everyone on-farm: employees, employers, family members, contractors, and visitors. To shed some light on how producers can approach farm safety in their farm business, we caught up with the executive officer of Safe Far...
Mar 29, 2021•32 min
In this episode, WMG’s Brinley Porter caught up with Calingiri farmer, Sarah Mason to unpack her experience eradicating spiny rush from her property. Sarah gives insight into the ongoing activities and tools they use to ensure the re-establishment of the invasive weed is prevented. And later in the episode, we get to know the newest member of the WMG team, Erin O’Brien. We talk about the BEEF LINKS project, what motivated Erin to get into ag after growing up in Perth, and her unique choice of pe...
Mar 15, 2021•21 min
Are you planning on burning your crop stubbles ahead of seeding this year? Research has shown there are many benefits to retaining stubbles. West Midlands Group 's executive officer Nathan Craig caught up with Ken Flower to discuss the advantages of retaining stubble to ensure good soil moisture retention and crop establishment, and to minimise soil erosion. Ken is a lecturer at UWA’s School of Agriculture and Environment and Institute of Agriculture and has conducted extensive farming systems r...
Mar 02, 2021•32 min
Are you currently using ASBVs to guide your decision making when purchasing rams? If you haven’t had a go at using Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBV) just yet, this episode will give you a better understanding of what they are, and how you can apply them to your operation to improve productivity and profitability. Essentially, ASBVs are an estimate of the genetic potential a sheep will pass on to its progeny. They are a great tool to help you decide whether a ram is the right fit for your f...
Feb 15, 2021•23 min
In 2020, Coorow farmer and WMG member Charles Wass hosted a collaborative WMG and Liebe Group trial site to explore options to increase production on what was previously an unviable paddock. The paddock was ameliorated with a Plozza Plow in June 2019 and seeded to 8 plots of varying pasture varieties in May 2020. On today’s episode, you’ll hear a conversation between myself, Charles and WMG mixed farming systems officer Brianna Hindle who ran the trial alongside the Liebe Group, where we unpack ...
Feb 01, 2021•20 min
When the West Midlands Group’s Nathan Craig caught up with DPIRD’s Paul Findlater recently to chat about the wind erosion in our region, after checking out some of this year’s trial site, they discussed the performance of a few of those as well as checked some of the interesting things that were happening in roadside paddocks on their way back to the WMG office. They also discussed why Paul loves working in agriculture after many years in the industry. Listen to the first episode featuring speci...
Dec 21, 2020•9 min
Feral pigs cost the agricultural industry over $100 million each year, largely via predation of lambs, competition with livestock and damage to property and crops. In this episode, I caught up with Peter Adams, DPIRD development officer and returning guest, the Midlands Biosecurity Group’s coordinator Chris O’Callaghan to get a better understanding of their impact on the Midlands region and what we can do to reduce their populations and damage to farm businesses. You can follow Pete on Twitter v...
Dec 07, 2020•30 min
