The year that was - 2004

2004

Research organisaton

Trial details

Researcher(s) N/A
Year(s) 2004
Contributor Birchip Cropping Group
Trial location(s) Birchip, VIC
The year that was - 2004 locations
Aims

It is relatively easy to describe a particular year on one’s own farm. To specify precisely what happened over our whole region is the challenging part. Far more difficult is to accurately describe the feelings of the farmers, not to mention those of their partners: the hopes, expectations, commitment, hard work, disappointments and the consequences of what happened.

Key messages

2004 was a disappointing year in nearly every way we choose to look at it. For some, it was the worst financial drought they have had, worse than 2002, because they spent money on inputs right up till harvest. The good thing about the year was that, as droughts go, there was very little wind erosion because paddocks were not bare. All paddocks had enough rain to grow crops or pastures, enough rain to persuade farmers that every thing was going to be all right, right up till the bitter end.

Lead research organisation N/A
Host research organisation N/A
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments N/A
Other trial partners Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type None: No crop specified
Treatment type(s)
  • Farm operations: Other
Trial type Article/commentary
Trial design Not applicable

Birchip 2004

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information
Trial source data and summary not available
Check the trial report PDF for trial results.
Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Birchip, VIC Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Birchip, VIC Vertosol
Soil Moisture Source: BOM/ANU
Average amount of water stored in the soil profile during the year, estimated by the OzWALD model-data fusion system.
Year Birchip VIC
2004 281.0mm
2003 275.8mm
2002 240.1mm
2001 285.1mm
2000 290.6mm
National soil grid Source: CSIRO/TERN
NOTE: National Soil Grid data is aggregated information for background information on the wider area
Actual soil values can vary significantly in a small area and the trial soil tests are the most relevant data where available

Soil properties

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Climate

Derived climate information

No observed climate data available for this trial.
Derived climate data is determined from trial site location and national weather sources.

Birchip VIC

CAUTION: Trial site locality unknown; Climate data sourced from Birchip Cropping Group office location
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Some data on this site is sourced from the Bureau of Meteorology

SILO weather estimates sourced from https://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/silo/
Jeffrey, S.J., Carter, J.O., Moodie, K.B. and Beswick, A.R. (2001). Using spatial interpolation to construct a comprehensive archive of Australian climate data , Environmental Modelling and Software, Vol 16/4, pp 309-330. DOI: 10.1016/S1364-8152(01)00008-1.

Trial report and links

2004 trial report



Trial last modified: 07-05-2019 21:14pm AEST