GRDC Podcast

GRDC invests in many different approaches to the control of weeds, pests and diseases, including crop protection products. 

The world of chemical regulation can be complicated, and GRDC’s role in it is something many growers would like a better understanding of.

In this episode, Bencubbin grower and GRDC Western Panel Member Nick Gillett interviews GRDC Manager Chemical Regulation Gordon Cumming about GRDC’s role in chemical regulation. 

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Gordon Cumming 

GRDC 

[email protected]

GRDC YouTube – Your questions answered | GRDC and crop protection products

GroundCover – Grains industry scores A-plus for chemical residue compliance

GRDC Update Paper – Chemical restrictions on export grain and the impacts on trade

GRDC News and Media – Meet Gordon, Manager Chemical Regulation

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At Ravensthorpe in Western Australia, about 200km west of Esperance, field peas seem to grow well on the high pH, high clay content soils of Peter Daw's farm. While getting the legume established in the farming system involved a bit of trial and error, after more than ten years, they are now often Peter's highest gross margin crop.  

Peter is a part of the cohort of 'Legume Leaders' that has been established by the Grower Group Alliance, with investment from GRDC. These leaders are sharing their insights on the various legume crops over a seven-part series throughout 2024. 

In this episode, Peter tells us about the pros and cons of growing field peas and shares some tips for those thinking about whether the crop is the right fit for their operation.

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Peter Daw 

Grower 

[email protected]

Grower Group Alliance – Closing the economic yield gap of grain legumes in WA

Legume Leader bios and contact details

GRDC Code: GGA2110-002SAX

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New research insights suggest that deep sown long coleoptile wheat (LCW) varieties is an effective way to avoid rhizoctonia infection. 

It’s one of the many added benefits of LCW emerging as part of a $12.7 million GRDC investment to provide growers with the knowledge and tools to integrate LCW into their farming systems once the genetics become commercially available.  

In this podcast we hear all about the rhizoctonia research from two project participants, Dr Jonathan Anderson and Michael Lamond. This four-year long coleoptile wheat project, made possible with GRDC investment, is being led by CSIRO along with research partners including the University of Melbourne, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, SLR Agriculture, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, the University of South Australia, and EPAG research.  

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Dr Jonathan Anderson 

CSIRO

[email protected]

Michael Lamond 

SLR Agriculture

[email protected]

GroundCover – GRDC announces $12.7M project for long coleoptile wheat

Investment – Integrating long coleoptile wheat into Australian farming systems through an integrated understanding of genetics, management and environment

GRDC Code: CSP2212-007RTX

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The GRDC Emerging Leader Award recognises the commitment of a professional with less than ten years’ experience in the grains industry. At the Adelaide GRDC update event in February 2024, Jana Freebairn (nee Dixon) was presented with the Emerging Leader Award for her work as an agronomy consultant helping deliver benchmarking and on-farm management succession services. Since finishing a Bachelor of Agricultural Sciences at the University of Adelaide five years ago, Jana has quickly become a highly regarded agronomic advisor in South Australia's lower and mid-north grain growing regions. 

In addition to her work as an agronomy consultant for Pinion Advisory, Jana investigated sustainable weed control practices and helped deliver the GRDC Weedsmart initiative which led her to play a key role in organising the National WeedSmart Conference in South Australia in 2020. 

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Jana Freebairn (nee Dixon)

[email protected]

GroundCover – Communications expert and agronomist each win grains industry awards

GRDC website – GRDC RD&E capacity and ability: Awards

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For the 2024 growing season, some Western Australian growers are chasing moisture deeper than ever before, by successfully planting conventional wheat varieties down to around 60 to 80mm.  

This new thinking stems from positive findings from long coleoptile wheat (LCW) research. In this podcast, we hear from Tammin-based grower, Simon York, and SLR agriculture CEO Michael Lamond, on the benefits LCW will have accessing deep moisture and the success growers are having with planting conventional varieties deep this year. 

There's currently a four-year national GRDC investment underway to provide growers with the knowledge and tools to integrate long coleoptile wheat into their farming systems once the genetics become commercially available.  

The $12.7 million investment is being led by CSIRO along with research partners including the University of Melbourne, NSW Department of Primary Industries, QLD Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, SLR Agriculture, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, the University of South Australia and EPAG Research.

Image courtesy of ABC Midwest Wheatbelt/Jo Prendergast

Download the transcript for this episode

Michael Lamond 

SLR Agriculture

[email protected]

GroundCover – GRDC announces $12.7M project for long coleoptile wheat

GRDC Code: CSP2212-007RTX

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In the Lake Grace area, grower Ed Naisbitt has been growing lupins on the family farm for 40 years. It was a crop initially established by his father, and one that has remained a constant in the rotation as the years have gone by. 

Ed is a part of the cohort of 'Legume Leaders' that has been established by the Grower Group Alliance, with investment from GRDC. These leaders are sharing their insights on the various legume crops over a seven-part series throughout 2024. 

In this episode, Ed tells us about why he has stuck with lupins for four decades and the many benefits they bring to his farming operation.

Download the transcript for this episode

Ed Naisbitt, Grower

[email protected]

Grower Group Alliance – Closing the economic yield gap of grain legumes in WA

Airtable – Legume Leader bios and contact details

GRDC Code: GGA2110-002SAX

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Long coleoptile wheat (LCW) varieties are proving to be a good insurance policy to ensure emergence in ameliorated soil.  

This is one of the many positive findings so far from the national $12.7m GRDC investment to help Australian growers integrate long coleoptile wheat into their farming systems once the genetics are commercially available. 

In this podcast, we hear from Dr Stephen Davies from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and the CSIRO’s Dr Greg Rebetzke on the trial results and insights on how long coleoptile wheat varieties can improve establishment in ameliorated soils. 

This four-year long coleoptile wheat project, made possible with GRDC investment, is being led by CSIRO along with research partners including the University of Melbourne, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, SLR Agriculture, DPIRD, the University of South Australia, and EPAG research.

Download the transcript for this episode

Dr Greg Rebetzke

[email protected]

Dr Stephen Davies

[email protected]

GroundCover – GRDC announces $12.7M project for long coleoptile wheat

GRDC Code: CSP2212-007RTX

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Does the term 'regenerative agriculture' make you want to high-five the farmer next to you, or send you running for the hills?

In this week's podcast we talk to Dr Hanabeth Luke (Southern Cross University) and Victorian grain grower and GRDC Southern Panel member Tim McClelland about regenerative agriculture - what it means and what indicators we could use to measure progress towards improved soil health and farm resilience.  

The research team is looking for a broad range of growers to get involved, whether they see the type of farming they are doing as regenerative, sustainable, or something in between. To start with growers can help by doing survey. 

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Dr Hanabeth Luke, Southern Cross University

[email protected]

Farming practice survey

GRDC Code: SCU2307-001RTX 

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🎙️ Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with Steve Madden 

Steve Madden has over 30 years experience as an agronomist and is the inventor of an insect management device called Crop Capsule. In this GRDC in Conversation episode with Oli Le Lievre, Steve discusses his career progression, advancements in agricultural technology, using beneficial insects to manage pests in crops, the process in commercialising a product, agricultural community, evolutions and opportunities in the sector and learning from the generations before. 

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Join the conversation visually and see our reactions on the video podcast on YouTube

GRDC in Conversation is a limited series GRDC Podcast. It features in-depth interviews with growers and other experts in the grains industry who share their expertise, knowledge and experiences by exploring their personal stories, history, influences and motivations. The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views of GRDC, the interviewees’ employer, institution or other associated parties.  

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The GRDC Emerging Leader Award recognises the commitment of a professional with less than ten years’ experience in the grains industry. At the Perth GRDC update event in February 2024, Robert Harrison was presented with the Emerging Leader Award for his valuable work in legume and pasture agronomy.  

Robert is a research scientist at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and Murdoch University. 

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Robert Harrison, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD)

GroundCover – WA grains extension and innovation recognised with GRDC awards

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