Nitrogen application doesn’t have to be a guessing game. In this episode, Dr Melissa Fraser and agronomist Lee Menhenett reveal how moisture, measurement and timing can transform your nitrogen strategy—and your bottom line.

Mel and Lee break down the tools, data and on-farm decisions that drive profitable, resilient cropping. Packed with smart tools, practical insights and memorable one-liners (yes—rainfall is a tool, not just pub bragging rights!), this lively, insightful conversation is full of farmer-tested wisdom, good humour, and a reminder that you can’t manage what you don’t measure.

The Mastering Nitrogen Application Seminar was held in July in Naracoorte.

Shownotes:

CliMate website : https://climateapp.net.au/

Yield Prophet Lite: https://www.yieldprophet.com.au/yplite/

Soil Moisture Probe: https://app.outpostcentral.com/remote/MFMGLogin.html

CoTL Mesonet: https://cotl.com.au/mesonet

Tom Kapcejevs is a Durum Breeder with Australian Grain Technologies (AGT) MFMG sponsor, and Australia’s largest plant breeding company and market leader in wheat genetics.  

At the recent Southern Australia Durum Growers Association Crop Walk at Bordertown Tom took some time out to catch up with The Prosperous Farmer. Tom dives into the two new releases of durum wheat varieties - Rimfire and Banker - discussing their performance, their limitations, their yield, and how they stack up against common diseases for durum wheat.

Durum wheat in the Limestone Coast is a positive story, with a strong domestic market with San Remo together with a growing export market.

And what's with the variety names? And what do they have to do with the Melbourne Cup?

Is there any money in farming? Cam Nicholson and Nathaniel Modra unpack the biggest challenges farmers face in today's landscape, areas for improvement for calculating costs, and how knowing your cost of production plays an important part in decision making.

Whilst its a retrospective measure, knowing your cost of production can give farmers an understanding of the efficiencies of their business. But what else needs to be considered when it comes to cost management? And what are the volatilities of being in ag? How have they changed over the years?

Why are alternative methods of weed control systems important? Which options will become commercially available for farmers?

Michael Walsh from the Gulbali Institute, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga details the new technologies on weed control. With the development of electrical and chemical weeding systems, targeted tillage, and automated laser delivery system through robotics, Michael unpacks the opportunities, challenges and potential adoption of these technologies.

Michael Walsh presented at the GRDC Update at Keith in August 2025, on 'Novel weed control technologies with potential for use in Australian grain production systems'.

Did you know that the majority of fertiliser spreaders deliver highly variable spread patterns? This compromises production rates and farm profitability as some areas within the paddock receive too much fertiliser and others too little. Understanding your spreader pattern using different products can result in higher productivity and healthier waterways.

In this episode, we catch up with Australia’s leading Accu-Spread trainer Russell Nichol sharing his knowledge on the types of spreaders, how to test and calibrate spreading equipment, how frequently farmers should be check their calibration. What's the elusive spreader mark, why is it important and how can it be achieved? And if you're in the market for a spreader what should you be looking for?

Together with farm business consultant Chris Scheid, Pine Hill farmers - father and daughter team Ted and Clare Langley - share the learnings from their participation in the recent AgRi-Silience program. Kicking off with the 'Now, Where, How' business planning process, profitability, return on assets, key business ratios and goal setting, the program was an excellent opportunity to work on the business and identify challenges and opportunities.

The business planning 'roadmap' provides pathways when challenges arise, using risk analysis and actionable strategies for individual businesses.

AgRi-Silience is delivered by Livestock SA and jointly funded through the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund and the Government of South Australia.

New germplasm in the Limestone Coast - Upper (Bordertown) and Lower (Millicent) - offers insight into the future of wheat and barley disease management for the region. The Prosperous Farmer checks in with FAR Australia's Senior Research Manager Darcy Warren and Research Manager Max Bloomfield on the trials undertaken in the Limestone Coast. What were the key results in terms of yields and fungicide response for the selected varieties and how will these results assist with farmer decision making?

This episode was recorded on 29 May 2025.

Related episodes:

Season 3, Episode 3 'Grain Legume production with Max Bloomfield.

Season 6, Episode 5: The GRDC Hyper Yielding Crop Project - reflections with Jen Lillecrapp and Sam Ballantyne

Upcoming events: FAR Australia Crop Technology Centre Field Day at Millicent on October 24.

Related Projects: GRDC Hyper Profitable Crops Project

The Prosperous Farmer catches up with Vet Jo Ward and farmer Haydn Lines to learn more about the post weaning project for beef weaners, looking at how they grow - or not - from the time of weaning until there is sufficient feed on the ground. What are the factors that influence the profitability of beef weaners? And what management strategies can be used to optimise their growth? Keith-based Haydn explains why he got involved in the project and how it has changed his approach to managing beef weaners.

We take a look at the agtech product of virtual fencing with SARDI Senior Research Officer, Megan Willis and Mallee based mixed farmer Paul Roberts.

Megan explains how virtual fencing is changing the way we think about managing rotational grazing for cattle using this collared technology.

Trial participant Paul Roberts explains why this exciting technology is the next step in their system for crop management and its benefits for soil, pasture and productivity on farm.

What are the limits, and will commercialisation of virtual fencing come to South Australia?

Related podcast: Virtual fencing in agriculture with James Pitchford and Megan Willis

Prof. Wayne Pitchford explains that the losses that occur in maternal productivity in southern beef herds often aren't disastrous, but there is still plenty of room for the 'one-percenters' to be addressed, making breeder herds as efficient as possible.

He steps through the reproductive cycle and the losses that may occur in each.

Through strategies relating to joining weight - and weight gained during joining - calving time and bull genetics, productivity and profitability opportunities can be realised.

Related podcast: Benchmarking Beef with Michael Cobiac and Elke Hocking