A coming Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) tour will visit southern cropping regions in Western Australia where growers and advisers will have the opportunity to discuss local production constraints and opportunities.
GRDC Western Region Panel members and staff will visit growers’ properties, trial sites and other locations within the Upper Great Southern and Great Southern regions, and Lakes districts.
The Panel plays a critical advisory and strategic role in informing GRDC investments in research, development and extension (RD&E) to create enduring profitability for grain growers.
Panel chair and Mingenew grain grower Darrin Lee says the Panel’s annual tours enable the GRDC to get a deeper understanding of the issues facing growers in different cropping regions of WA, and to identify any gaps for potential GRDC investment.
“The tours provide us with the opportunity to meet with growers, agronomists and other grain industry representatives in a relaxed setting and to obtain firsthand insights into their local farming systems,” Mr Lee said.
“Our coming tour of southern cropping areas in the State begins on September 10 and follows a Panel tour in the Geraldton port zone in July. The tours are centred on different parts of WA’s cropping regions each year.
“We engage in two-way conversations and welcome the opportunity to answer grower questions and provide information about the GRDC’s strategic direction and investments.
“The GRDC recognises that grain growers operate in an evolving environment that impacts on their profitability in changing ways.
“To help the GRDC deliver on its purpose, which is firmly focused on grower profitability, we must constantly have our ears to the ground so that we are as responsive as possible to grower needs, and this involves ongoing consultation including through the Panel tours.”
The tour party will firstly travel to Wagin where it will meet with a local agronomist and growers, before travelling to Darkan to meet with Ray Harrington and inspect his sub-surface work responding to seepage issues in mid to upper slopes in the landscape.
The group will then visit trials at Katanning.
On day two, growers’ properties and locations at Pingaring and nearby districts will be visited.
The third day will include discussion with growers about cropping challenges ‘forest gravel’ soils, as well as other issues and opportunities.
More information about the GRDC Western Region Panel can be found on the GRDC website at http://bit.ly/30mT6ZF. Growers and industry people seeking details about the GRDC Western Region Panel spring tours can contact the Perth office on 08 9230 4600.
