GRDC Podcast

Data recently collected as part of the GRDC investment "Measuring Harvest Losses in the western region," has helped to identify opportunities for growers to reclaim grain that is lost during harvest. A report published on the back of this investment shows that more than $320 million dollars’ worth of grain was lost in Western Australia during the 2022/23 harvest. The podcast explores the data and...

Join agricultural procurement specialist and speaker at a recent GRDC Farm Business Update Rob Dawes talk about the urea supply and how to prevent getting caught short again. And then Horsham agronomist Matthew Sparke will share his insights on the strategic application of what nitrogen you do have to get the most out of it. Lack of urea supply is a major issue for growers, particularly in the sou...

At GRDC Grower Network Forums in the Western region, the issue of poor canola establishment was raised by growers in the low rainfall zone who mainly flagged problems when the crop is dry sown. This investment aimed to validate and extend previous agronomic and management research on how to successfully establish canola in those regions and conditions. To find out more, we speak to Living Farm’s A...

Trials taking place in Western Australia aim to provide growers with information and resources to increase the effectiveness of claying on poor soil. In this podcast, Dan Fay from Stirlings to Coast Farmers discusses the benefits and long-term soil amelioration that can be achieved by claying and grower Ben Webb shares his experiences with the trials and how it has positively affected yields. Cont...

🎙️ Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with Terry Horan. Joining us from central Tasmania this week is agronomic specialist Terry Horan, in our last episode of Series 2 of the GRDC podcast In Conversation. For more than 40 years, Terry has been actively involved in agronomy in the low, medium and high rainfall cropping areas. He grew up in between Trundle and Parks, NSW, studied in...

As part of the Australian Grains Pest Innovation Program’s (AGPIP) blue sky approach to tackling insect pests in Australian grain crops, endosymbionts are being used to influence an insect’s ability to transmit crop viruses and resist pesticides. Dr Perran Ross from the University of Melbourne’s Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group (PEAR–G) explains what endosymbionts are, how they are...

🎙️ Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with Dr Allan Mayfield. In 2021, Allan was granted the GRDC Recognising and Rewarding Excellence Award for the southern region for his long-standing input and commitment to the nation’s grains industry. And it's not just the grains industry he's impressed, with Allan named as SA's Australia Day Citizen of the Year 2020. Allan grew up on the Ey...

WeedSmart provides solutions to control crop weeds using the ‘Big 6’ principles utilising herbicide, mechanical and cultural tactics. 2023 marks ten years of the WeedSmart program, with a focus on spray efficacy as part of the ‘Big 6’. WeedSmart agronomists, Jana Dixon and Greg Condon discuss the benefits of the WeedSmart ‘Big 6’ as they prepare for WeedSmart Week on 1 August in Dubbo, New South W...

🎙️ Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with Dr Lynne MacDonald. Dr Lynne MacDonald is a research scientist with CSIRO where she leads a portfolio of research on soil carbon and low emissions agriculture. Her early love of agriculture and childhood memories of playing in the dirt stem back to Scotland. Years later, she was awarded a fellowship which saw her move to Canada, but she e...

Across the country, many growers have not had much of a break between harvest and this season's operations… and this comes on top of a tough couple of years that included the unpredictability of mother nature, as well as a global pandemic. This podcast explores strategies for maintaining a healthy mindset while under pressure. We spoke to Kim Huckerby from ‘The Wellbeing Affect’ who shares practic...

🎙️ Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with James Hunt. James Hunt is a Professor of agronomy at the University of Melbourne, but his journey there was interesting and included touring Europe as part of a heavy metal rock band and some home brewing detours. He grew up on a farm in western Victoria and has done quite a bit in the world of grain crop research and farming systems. Jam...

Dr Kym Perry from SARDI discusses all things snails including how they got to Australia and have spread across the whole country. He also discusses the new GRDC investment looking at monitoring techniques, biological control and a multifaceted approach to dealing with the widespread problem affecting the grains industry. Download the transcript for this episode Contact: Dr Kym Perry SARDI Entomolo...

🎙️ Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with Lawrence Richmond.  Growing up in Watchem in western Victoria, Lawrence Richmond had no idea that there were opportunities to be a farmer beyond his farm gate. But at 21, he picked up work in the world of corporate agriculture, opening his eyes to a world of possibility. Fast forward to today and Lawrence joins us from Romania, where he c...

Soilborne disease and root health in cereals and pulses often doesn't get the attention it deserves because it's quite literally out of sight, out of mind. In this podcast, researchers Blake Gontar and Dr Liz Farquharson of the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), the research division of the Department of Primary Industries and Regions in South Australia, share their insig...

🎙️ Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with Tanja Morgan.  Twenty years ago, Tanja took up a job in the Mallee for a better work opportunity but was ‘devastated’ to move to the area. However, the place grew on her and farming in the Mallee has since become a large part of her life. She’s even moved further away from the big smoke residing in the little town of Geranium where she is...

GRDC, the Irrigated Cropping Council and the NSW Department of Primary Industries have teamed up to explore the influence of soil amelioration and soil amendments on crop yield and profitability in irrigated farming systems. So far there have been mixed results from the project which aims to give growers an understanding of the costs and benefits of deep ripping on sodic soils. Download the transc...

🎙️ Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with Professor Andrew Barr. Andy is a valued SA local and well-known across the grains industry. He joins us to talk about his childhood memories on a mixed farm, where he developed a love for innovation, inspiring him to study agricultural science that led to a 30-year career in plant breeding. Andy shares his experiences of travelling the wo...

The southern region is experiencing its worst season of slug infestation. GRDC is so aware of the problems growers are having with slugs, that it currently has a tender out to invest further in slug research. Meantime we catch up with agronomist, Tim Pohlner and invertebrate ecologist, Dr Michael Nash to discuss trouble shooting the problem now and in future seasons.  Download the transcript for t...

🎙️ Terry is the chair of Grains Australia Limited and this year was presented with a GRDC Seed of Gold award. In this episode, Terry talks about his passion for agriculture and how he started his career in the 1970s in Mount Barker, WA. Despite challenges like the collapse of the wool industry, Terry and his peers persevered, transitioning to grain and livestock. He shares his insights into WA’s G...

Camilla Plunkett attends a demonstration day at Dalyup, WA to look at the latest in tile ploughing, a solution being used in the GRDC investment trial exploring sub-surface drainage ROI. Project officer Sophie Willsher from South Coast Natural Resource Management and grower, Rohan Marold discuss all things sub-surface drainage, including a ‘how to’ for growers; and the challenges and rewards of th...

🎙️ Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with Dr Kevin Moore. A renowned plant pathologist, Kevin was recognised in 2023 with GRDC's highest accolade - a Seed of Gold award - for his work in crop protection. His extensive 55-year career has had long-lasting effects on the grains industry, with his research outcomes and pulse disease management strategies still actively used by fellow...

Deborah Bishop finds out about the latest in canola genetics from CSIRO’s Dr Matt Nelson. Dr Nelson gives an insight into the GRDC invested genetics project exploring the key genetic traits contributing to successful canola establishment. The project also aims to provide canola breeders with improved genetics from overseas varieties and selection tools to accelerate the breeding of varieties with...

🎙️ Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with Dan Bingham. Dan runs a large-scale contracting and farming business Bingham Agriculture, from his home base in Skipton, Victoria. He loves the balance of the contracting and farming, lights up when he talks about supporting young people enter the industry and get their start, and says it's the "happy faces and good crops" that are his in...

Sarah Sanderson catches up with Tom De Mattia, from Delta Ag and learns about the 3000km GRDC funded study tour which took a group of growers and advisors from Wagga Wagga NSW to Esperance WA to learn about the similarities and differences in management strategies for each area and highlight the ‘peer-learning’ approach of growers learning from growers. Download the transcript for this episode Con...

🎙️ Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with Dr Cassandra Schefe.  In the Forbes RSL using coasters and the RSL carpet as a reference, Cassie and two big names in agricultural sustainability came up with the idea for the Cool Soil Initiative, which now supports farmers explore practices to improve soil health. It's no surprise she brought such an idea to life, she grew up around far...