Eyre Peninsula grain growers, farming systems groups and others in the grains industry will meet with the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Southern Panel when they visit the region next week to discuss the season, and industry opportunities and challenges.
The GRDC Southern Panel spring tour will visit growers' farms and research trials across the Eyre Peninsula, as well as local research facility Minnipa Agricultural Centre.
Using levies paid by grain growers and contributions paid by the Australian Government, GRDC invests in research, development and extension (RD&E) to create enduring profitability for Australian grain growers.
Andrew Russell, Chair of the GRDC Southern Panel says the spring tour is a key event for panel members and plays an important role in shaping GRDC's investment decisions.
"The spring tour gives us a chance to directly engage with growers, advisers and researchers in the paddock," says Mr Russell.
Talking to grain growers in their paddock and at trial sites helps us guide GRDC's investment in RD&E to help ensure it is relevant and practical for South Australian growers. Sometimes constraints and opportunities are difficult to articulate. Engaging with growers on site and seeing for ourselves, really helps us understand issues and opportunities for investment.
The Eyre Peninsula produces almost half of South Australia's wheat, 28 per cent of its barley and 32 per cent of its canola. While lentil production has grown in the past 5 years across the region. Agriculture is also a major local employer.
"We're looking forward to tour the EP, to see how the season's played out so far, and meet growers," said Mr Russell.
The tour will start and end in Port Lincoln with stops in Verran, Rudall, Kimba, Minnipa, Port Kenny, Wudinna, Lock, Tooligie, Cummins, Brooker and Wanilla.
The GRDC Southern Panel spring tour is one of the key ways panel members engage with growers and industry members to identify RD&E investment opportunities that are locally relevant and targeted at helping growers. Photo: Sophie Clayton, GRDC
Topics for discussion and sharing include innovations to manage sandy and calcareous soils and related challenges, grain storage opportunities, and frost management. The groups will also meet AIR EP's Rudall young farmers group and agronomic advisory businesses.
GRDC Southern Panel member and EP-based research agronomist Andrew Ware has helped organise the tour and will co-host it.
"We're excited to have the GRDC Southern Panel back on the Eyre Peninsula. The last time the Panel visited the region was in 2019," said Mr Ware.
"This year, both the Lower and Upper EP regions endured one of the driest starts on record, with no significant rainfall until June.
"Since then, it's been a bit of a roller coaster ride with above average rainfall in July followed by a dry start to August, leaving the season's fortunes currently in the balance.
"This visit is a timely opportunity for the Panel to see firsthand how growers are managing the season, and to discuss how farming systems on the Eyre Peninsula are evolving in response to emerging opportunities and constraints."
The tour will include GRDC Southern Panel members – 4 of whom are new – and a small selection of GRDC staff.
