WeedSmart Podcast

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! This week on the Regional Update, we are joined by former agronomist and grower Vicky French. With nearly 10 years of experience working for Elders as an agronomist, and now a grower with her husband in Derrinallum,  Victoria, Vicky French has a wealth of knowledge to share - and will be doing so at WeedSmart Week this July! Vicky w...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! Joining us on this extra-long episode of the WeedSmart Podcast was Mike Bell, who shared his extensive experience of soil nutrition and more recent work into P&K deep placement in the northern regions. We also talked with Kurt Mayne, a grower from Rolleston, QLD, who has been implementing a deep placement regime into his operati...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! This week on the Regional Update, we are joined by agronomist Angus Dalgliesh. Angus is an agronomist with Nutrien Ag Solutions who has recently moved from Dalby to Cloncurry in north-west Queensland, taking on the challenge and opportunity in the burgeoning cropping region.  Though weeds aren't a problem at this early stage, g...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! In this episode, we talk to Bevan Addison of Adama about pre-emergent herbicide options in canola, and getting the best out of products. We also spoke to Senior Research Officer Mechelle Owen, who works within the Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative (AHRI) to monitor herbicide resistance and development. NEWS and LINKS Webina...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! This week on the Regional Update, our new podcast host (and WeedSmart Communications Lead) Siobhon Eacott talked to Farm Manager Cameron Jenkin. Cameron manages the wheat and chemical fallow operations of Mark and John Flannagan near Pindar, 125km east of Geraldton in WA in the low rainfall zone. The Flanagan's have recently em...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! In this episode, we look at management strategies for glyphosate resistant weeds. We're joined by University of Adelaide researcher Chris Preston, who recently presented on the topic at the GRDC Crop Updates in Dubbo. We're also joined by Delta Ag agronomist David Strahorn who speaks about the current state of glyphosate r...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! This week on the Regional Update, we are joined by grower and agronomist James Kearines. James is an agronomist with Elders near Lake Cargelligo in central NSW, where he specialises in broadacre dryland agronomy, mainly dealing with the major crops of wheat, barley, canola, oats and pulses. His family also manages a number of farms...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! In this episode, we delve into the world of spot spray technology. Rob Price, from South Australia, and Jake Hamilton, from Queensland, use Bilberry and John Deere See and Spray tech respectively. They explain their motivations for using the tech, and discuss the opportunities and challenges they have faced when incorporating the la...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! Welcome back to the WeedSmart Podcast for 2024. This week on the Regional Update, we are joined by grower and agronomist Matt Elliott. Matt farms with his family near Nandaly in the Mallee region of Victoria, and is also an agronomist with Dodgshun Medlin. They crop mainly wheat barley, lentils, and export hay, and run their operati...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! In this episode, we wrap up the 2023 season by talking with our WeedSmart Extension Agronomists. Together, Northern Extension Agronomist Paul McIntosh, Southern Extension Agronomists Greg Condon and Chris Davey, and Western Extension Agronomist Peter Newman take us through the year that was in their various parts of the country. The...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! This week on the Regional Update, we are joined by grower Katrina (Treen) Swift. Treen farms with her family near Parkes, NSW, where they grow summer and winter crops in incredibly variable conditions. They have 13 different crops in their toolbox, including but not limited to, sorghum, mungbeans, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, lupins,...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! In this episode, we talk about crop rotations with two researchers from CSIRO. CSIRO senior experimental scientist, Tony Swan, discusses the importance of diverse crop rotations, the benefits of a double break, and how well-planned crop rotations can help nitrogen management.   CSIRO farming systems scientist, Lindsay Bell, talks ab...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! This week on the Regional Update, we are joined by grower and Nutrien agronomist Dan Skerman.  Dan farms with his family near Dalby, Qld, on 2000 ha. They grow cotton, sorghum and mungbean in summer and wheat, barley and chickpeas in winter. He gives us an update on how the season played out for him, considering the region went from...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! In this episode, we talk about harvest preparedness. We hear from two of WeedSmart’s extension agronomists. WeedSmart southern extension agronomist, Chris Davey, discusses the different ways growers can get the crop dry enough to successfully put it through a harvester without any blockages, such as windrowing, desiccation and crop...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! In this podcast, we’re talking about hybrid canola and how it might benefit your farming system.   We’ll hear from AHRI Agronomy Lead, Mike Ashworth, who has done research in this space, as well as Wagga Wagga grower, Michael Molloy, who grows Clearfield canola.  NEWS and LINKS WeedSmart Week presentation recordings WeedSmart Week D...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! East Pingelly grain farmer Lance Turner joins us on the Regional Update today. Lance has farming land in the northern part of the Wheatbelt as well in Goodlands, as well as Corrigin.  The home farm in Pingelly is and has had quite good rainfall, but as Lance says in the podcast, it's been a mixed bag for his farming properties...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! This week on the podcast we're hearing about the key messages shared by presenters and panel members at WeedSmart Week Dubbo. This was our 10th event and we also celebrated WeedSmart’s 10th anniversary. We had excellent presenters and lively panels at the forum day, machinery expo and farm visits.  Our Southern Extension Agrono...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! Temora grower, Jason Coleman, joins us on the podcast today to give a recap on his experience at WeedSmart Week Dubbo and an update on his farming system. Jason farms with his family in Temora, NSW, on 6000 ha, growing primarily wheat and canola. He said his interest was piqued in the technology space at Dubbo, including the insight...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! This is our 200th WeedSmart podcast episode – thank you for downloading the podcast and being part of the community since 2016.  In this episode, we talk about weed hygiene and how to deal with resistant ryegrass incursions, with Moree agronomist Garry Onus. We also talk to Ben Single from Single Agriculture about the Single Shot te...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! In this Regional update, we head to Central Queensland, to hear from farmer Don Sampson.  Don uses a blade plough that cuts weeds off at the roots without inverting the soil. This maintains soil moisture in his conservation farming system.  We met Don back in 2019 at our Emerald WeedSmart Week event, so we’re going to hear how he’s...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! In this episode, we catch up with two growers who will be presenting at WeedSmart Week Dubbo, as well as one of our panel chairs. Our guests provide insights into Western Plains farming systems, as well provide updates on how the season is playing out in this region. We hear from Heuston Agronomy Services Director and New South Wale...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! For this Western Regional Update, we caught up with grower Sandon Knipe who runs a mixed farming enterprise with his family. We caught up  in the field at his home farm based in Spencers Brook in WA's Avon Valley. Sandon explained they've expanded their enterprise away from this region, acquiring more farmland in the Jenna...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! On this podcast episode, we catch up with two growers to see how seeding is going and we get an insight into their farming systems. We hear from Collie, NSW, grower, Andrew Freeth, who outlines his spray application strategy. This is also the topic he'll be presenting at our upcoming WeedSmart Week Dubbo event on August 1. Tim...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! An opportunity for a double knock has been few and far between for growers in the region surrounding Wirrabara in South Australia.  Russell Zwar is grower in this area, with over 2000 hectares on a zero-till, strip and disc farming system. With an average 450-550mm annual rainfall, the Zwar familiy grow wheat, barley, canola, faba b...

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! In this podcast, we talk about getting the most out of your autumn knockdowns with Mark Congreve. My co-host Peter Newman also provides an update on the changes to the residue limits of canola treated with haloxyfop. Spray application links Watch Mark Congreve's webinar on glyphosate application here.  Read our article discussi...