The 4Farmers Podcast

In this 24th episode, Bill sits down with Professor Ken Flower to explore a remarkable career spanning Zimbabwe, the UK and Western Australia, and a lifetime of work in agronomy, weed science and farming systems. Ken shares how growing up on a farm in Zimbabwe shaped his path into agriculture, from early work in tobacco research and weed control to completing postgraduate studies in weed science a...

In this special 23rd episode of the 4Farmers Podcast, Bill sits down with Jacinta Patterson and Cameron Beeck to explore the story, people and future behind 4Farmers. First, Jacinta Patterson shares what it was like growing up in the Patterson family and watching 4Farmers grow from its early beginnings into a business that has spent more than 30 years supporting Australian farmers. She reflects on...

In Episode 22 of the 4Farmers Podcast, Bill Crabtree sits down with Professor Wallace Cowling, one of Western Australia’s most respected plant breeders, to explore the science and history behind lupins, canola and modern crop breeding. Wallace shares how his career took him from Melbourne and the United States to the WA Department of Agriculture, where he worked alongside renowned agricultural sci...

Rob Delane has spent much of his career at the heart of Western Australian agriculture, from early research in the Ord River and Geraldton to senior leadership in the Department of Agriculture and major roles in Australian biosecurity. In this episode, Bill Crabtree and Rob revisit the evolution of WA farming, including the early days of lupin and grain research, deep ripping, no-till adoption, co...

In EP 20 of Bill Crabtree’s conversation with Geoff Fosbery, they explore the challenges, weaknesses and opportunities shaping modern Western Australian agriculture. Drawing on more than four decades of experience, Geoff explains why diversity is essential to building resilient farming systems and why repeatedly relying on the same crops, herbicides and management practices will eventually create...

Bill sits down with respected WA agronomist Geoff Fosbery to look back on a career shaped by curiosity, experimentation, and some of the biggest changes in Western Australian agriculture. Geoff shares how growing up around Corrigin sparked his passion for farming, before taking us through his early work with the Department of Agriculture in Merredin and Three Springs. A major part of the conversat...

What happens when agriculture meets artificial intelligence? In this episode, Bill Crabtree interviews rising weed science researcher Guy Coleman about the future of precision agriculture and how AI, robotics, computer vision, and autonomous machines are changing the battle against weeds. The discussion covers laser weeders, smart sprayers, herbicide resistance, harvest weed seed control, and the...

In this 17th episode, Bill we sat down with David Seagreen, a chemist, innovator, and one of the minds behind some of the most interesting developments in modern agriculture. From growing up in a farming community in South Africa to building a fertilizer company in Western Australia, David shares the journey that shaped his thinking around soil, water, and plant nutrition. We dive into: The real p...

Farming isn’t just about crops, it’s about constant learning. In this episode, we sit down with Jeremy Lemon to unpack his journey from South Australia to Western Australia, and how he spent over two decades helping shape farming systems in Esperance. From early canola trials to soil challenges and major industry shifts, this is a grounded, experience-driven conversation about agriculture at its c...

In this 15th episode, we sit down with Kevin Young, one of Western Australia’s most respected agricultural minds, to unpack decades of innovation, failure, and breakthrough in crop science. From his early days in barley agronomy to pioneering high-yield systems, Kevin shares how farming evolved from 2-ton crops to 6–8 ton potential, and what made that shift possible. We dive deep into: The rise of...

In this episode of 4Farmers, Bill sits down with Trevor Whittington for a wide-ranging conversation that moves far beyond agronomy. Trevor comes from a long farming lineage in Western Australia and has spent decades working across agriculture, agri-politics, government policy, and international affairs. From growing up on the land to advising ministers and working in Indigenous pastoral enterprise...

In this 13th episode of the 4Farmers Podcast, we sit down with Mark Seymour, research agronomist based in Esperance, to unpack over 40 years of change in Western Australian agriculture. From the early days of lupins and alternative legumes to the rise of canola dominance, Mark shares an honest, experienced perspective on how rotations evolved, why pulses declined in some regions, and whether we ma...

Professor David Lindsay has spent a lifetime at the forefront of Australian agricultural science but this conversation goes far beyond the lab. In this episode, Bill sits down with David to explore a career that shaped modern understanding of animal reproduction, fertility, nutrition, and farmer–scientist collaboration. From early breakthroughs in sheep fertility to the role of lupins, hormones, a...

In this episode, Bill sits down with Professor Kevin Folta, molecular biologist at the University of Florida and host of the Talking Biotech podcast, to unpack the science, controversy, and real-world impact of genetic engineering in modern agriculture. From the early days of producing insulin in bacteria to the development of Bt crops and genetically engineered oilseeds, Professor Folta shares ho...

Agronomist and innovator Wayne Smith returns for one of the most candid conversations ever recorded on this podcast. Wayne opens up about the rise and collapse of Caluka Farms an ambitious livestock project that pushed the limits of pasture productivity, animal genetics and high-rainfall farming in Western Australia. Wayne also shares powerful insights on: • Trace-element deficiencies across Afric...

Agronomist Wayne Smith has been behind some of the biggest shifts in Australian broadacre farming. In this episode, he joins Bill to unpack how no-till, better rotations, improved nutrition and smarter agronomy lifted WA cropping from two-tonne wheat to the high-yield systems farmers run today. Wayne shares the breakthroughs that changed everything from zinc, copper and molybdenum diagnostics to t...

Dr David Bowran has spent a lifetime at the forefront of agricultural science, from early herbicide trials in the jungles of Sabah to leading Western Australia’s research into weed management, chemistry, and crop tolerance. In this episode, Bill dives deep with David into the real science behind herbicides, the myths that refuse to die, and the innovations that transformed broadacre farming. David...

Dr Bill Bowden has spent more than five decades shaping the way Western Australia understands soil, fertiliser strategy and plant nutrition. In this episode, he joins host Bill Crabtree for a candid conversation about the science, history and hard-won lessons behind modern cropping systems. From the early days of superphosphate to the complexities of trace elements, root development, pH buffering...

Dr. Steve Carr joins Bill "No-Till Bill" Crabtree for a deep dive into soil acidity, the silent crop killer affecting thousands of Western Australian farms. With decades of research experience from UWA and hands-on fieldwork in the Eastern Wheatbelt, Dr. Carr breaks down the complex science behind why WA's ancient soils are naturally acidic and how modern agriculture accelerates the problem. Dr. C...

From decades in rural broadcasting to witnessing the rise and fall of major agricultural industries, former ABC journalist Owen Grieve joins Bill “No-Till Bill” Crabtree for one of the most honest and controversial conversations yet. Together, they unpack the live sheep export ban, government policies that have shaped (and shaken) rural Australia, and the media’s role in shaping public perception...

From battling wind erosion to leading the no-till revolution in Western Australia, Bill “No-Till Bill” Crabtree sits down with Rick Madden and Owen Grieve to reflect on the innovations, challenges, and breakthroughs that reshaped farming across the WA Wheatbelt. Together, they share raw, funny, and insightful stories about the shift from conventional tillage to direct drilling, the machinery and c...

From dust storms and soil erosion in Esperance to the birth of no-till farming in Western Australia, this episode of the 4Farmers Podcast captures a turning point in Australian agriculture. Host Bill Crabtree (“No-Till Bill”) is joined by Rick Madden, one of WA’s early champions of direct drilling and minimum tillage, and Owen Grieve, long-time ABC Rural journalist. Together, they share the storie...

In this episode, Cathy McKenna interviews Bill Crabtree - better known as No-Till Bill about his remarkable journey from growing up on a family farm in WA’s Wheatbelt to becoming a global leader in no-till agriculture. Bill shares personal stories of life as one of ten children, early lessons on tractors and soil, and the challenges of studying and working in agriculture at a time of massive chang...

In today’s episode, from droughts and dust storms to pioneering no-till farming, Bill Crabtree and Cathy McKenna share raw, funny, and inspiring stories from decades in Australian agriculture. Hear their journey from university mates to industry leaders, tackling the science, challenges, and triumphs of life on the land. Perfect for farmers, ag-industry professionals, and anyone interested in the...