trials

To evaluate if there is any difference in deriving management zones from soil or production spatial information and in what situations each of these layers may be useful to help maximise grower investment in PA technologies.

This trial aims to assist growers in making informed decisions around the construction of sub-surface drainage to reduce the impacts of waterlogging on crop production and farm profitability. By 2024, 45% of growers whose properties are affected by waterlogging will have a good understanding of the yield benefits and time to return on investment of installation of on-farm sub-surface drainage and ability to implement on-farm.

The Transitioning Family Farming Businesses project proposed to facilitate a discussion in the WA grains industry regarding its future industry development requirements around the establishment of farm advisory boards. It did this through the delivery of:

• Needs analysis of the Australian grains industry regarding the development of farm advisory boards using leading farmers and key industry stakeholders in;

o a series of in-depth interviews, and

o an industry forum.

• Develop an outline of a training programme that, once developed, will support grain businesses in their implementation of an advisory board of management.

• Develop fact sheets regarding the establishment of farm advisory boards.

• Provide an opportunity for members of the project team to participate with other leading businesses at a national level through;

o Participation in the National Farm Advisory Board Forum, and

o Participation in the Family Business Australia “Family Business Directors

• Delivery of information on the establishment of farm boards at identified industry conferences and field days.

To (i) establish a network of 100 engaged women from farm businesses across all port zones; (ii) increase confidence and capacity of women involved in farm businesses; (iii) increase engagement of women in local and industry organisations; (iv) increase sharing of farm business management responsibilities across various partners; (v) increase awareness and understanding of farm business succession, governance, farm advisory boards, technology, the impact of social media, office management systems, farm employment obligations and options, structures and strategies for overcoming the unexpected; (vi) improve communication and team management skills; (vii) aid better understanding of how significant agriculture is globally and the opportunities that brings Australian farm businesses; (vii) improve relationships and understanding between farmers and their consultants, accountants and bankers.

The objective of this survey is to understand if HWSC systems influence in mice populations in paddocks.

Properties with mice activity around sheds or houses were targeted.

To gain insights from some of the top performing farm businesses in the zone about their management, agronomy practices and the triggers for key decision-making.

To report on a survey of the “Red Leaf Clover Syndrome”.

To determine environmental triggers and time of day vegetable beetles and slaters are active.

This project aims to evaluate if there is any difference in deriving management zones from soil or production spatial information and in what situations each of these layers may be useful to help maximise grower investment in PA technologies.

This project aimed to assess the accuracy and precision of SBAS and PPP technologies across different farming tasks on farming properties using a range of GNSS positioning systems. In addition, this project conducted an economic survey of mixed farming enterprises throughout WA to collect data on the impact, benefits, and potential uptake of SBAS technology in small-medium mixed farming enterprises.

To ascertain the major differences in soil types in the region, and provide more accurate and timely information on a broad, generic scale that would have better relevance for growers in the region.

To work out what are the most important factors affecting bait efficacy on small pointed snails.

To present research information available on role of foliar fungicide mixtures with new chemistry against barley LR in a variety with known APR.

To test the accuracy of ryegrass mapping using satellite imagery.

To outline possible reasons for poor performance of lambs following mulesing and management to minimise the risks.

To discuss the benefits of using aeroplanes for monitoring purposes in cropping.

To uncover what makes for profitable and sustainable crop production.

• To determine the use of new design wildlife ponds by frogs.
• To determine the ability of frogs to disperse from existing channel-fed water sources to wildlife ponds.
• To determine the potential to re-establish populaitons within their former range in the Northern Mallee Pipeline region.
• To determine whether the new design willdlife pond can maintain or enhance broader biodiversity value benefits, using birds as indicators.

To establish a grower owned fuel distribution group with the difference being the addition of Bio-diesel.

• To use PA maps to indentify and sample soil zones within paddocks.
• To identify potential soil specific nitrogen responses within paddocks.

To estimate in-crop risk management using the Yield Prophet.

To determine the most cost effective approach to managing inputs for wheat production in a low rainfall cropping environment.

To determine if crop sensors can be used during stem elongation to determine N content of the plant and the need for applied N.

To determine whether crop reflectance at particular wavelengths of light can be used during stem elongation to determine the need for applied nitrogen.

To investigate pasture production and utilisation by sheep.

• To compare performance of four different farming systems, over the years 2003-08, using prices appropriate for 2009.
• To use a machinery inventory and relevant costings compared with contract pricing for operations.

To improve the management of grain crops in the Mallee region of Victoria using precision agricultural technology: and more specifically, to improve the understanding of the causes of spatial variability within a paddock and its interaction with seasonal conditions as this knowledge is regarded as essential to developing appropriate management strategies in precision agriculture.

To measure the loss of soil water attributed to summer weeds and to quantify the impact of summer weeds on lost production.

• To gain an indication of the distribution of some beneficial species across the region.
• To gain an appreciation of what beneficial species occur in the different ecosystems.
• To investigate the potential role of native grasslands in assisting to control pests in agricultural crops and pastures

To discuss how to cope with stress in rural communities.

To discuss lentil varieties.

To answer the question 'Can we manage inputs in-crop that will yield well in a good season whilst also maintaining yields and keeping costs down in poorer seasons?'.

• To investigate the benefits of a range of spatial datasets including soil pH mapping, satellite imagery, yiled maps.
• To compare different potash rates in areas of paddocks which are believed to be potash deficient.

To determine the most cost effective approach to managing inputs for wheat production in a low rainfall cropping environment.

To increase the awareness of grain marketing tools available to grain growers and to demonstrate how they can be utilised.

To increase the awareness of grain marketing tools available to grain growers and to demonstrate how they can be utilised.

To inform about the 1995 farm bill.

To comment on the year that was 2006.

To review the broadscale weather pattern and summarise implications for the 2007 cropping season, i.e. May-October.

To present the main messages from the agronomy trial work undertaken in 2005.

To discuss the profitability of farming enterprises.

This paper addresses three issues:

• The challenges facing high input farming systems,
• How valid is biological farming as an alternative, and
• Can high input farming and alternative methods be integrated?

To answer the questions 'What can I do about root diseases between now and sowing?'

To compare the weaknesses and strengths of common non-ownership options and proposes an alternative to the norm.

To investigate the effect of rainfall on farm gross income in the southern Mallee.

To discuss the effects of drought and other pressures upon farming families in the Wimmera Southern Mallee region.

To provide information on cross reference of previous  trial results 2005 – 2010.
 

• To assess the biodiversity values of stock water points in the Wimmera Mallee Channel/Dam region and the Northern Mallee Pipeline region.
• To determine whether biodiversity and the environmental values of open water can be maintained in a farming landscape through the use of purpose-built water points for wildlife.
• To develop guidelines for farmers and industry on the use of water points for best management of wildlife within a piped water delivery system.