GRAINGROWERS and agronomists from Swan Hill to Kerang this week got their chance to deliver a message to the industry’s biggest investor in research and development.
The Grains Research and Development Corporation staged one of its grower network forums at Pyramid Hill to hear directly about local grain production challenges, and opportunities for research, development and extension (RD&E).
At the same forum, GRDC specialists detailed what it was investing grower levies in.
Speakers at the event included Dr Jason Brand, from Frontier Faming Systems, who presented a detailed update on pulses in low rainfall zones such as the Mallee.
Birchip Cropping Group senior research manager Dr Yolanda Plowman talked about disease management in the region, backed up by Chris Davey, from Next Level Agronomy, who zeroed in on local weed control.
GRDC grower relations manager Courtney Ramsey said the national grower network (NGN) was “the community of growers and grains industry stakeholders across Australia’s growing regions who GRDC directly engages with to developing locally relevant research development and extension investments”.
Speaking to North West Farmer, Ms Ramsey said NGN helped to capture ideas, issues, constraints and opportunities for RD&E to enhance grower profitability.
“To achieve this, we will engage with stakeholders through forums such as this one, which are open to all growers, advisers, researchers and industry parties,” she said.
“We recognise the value of grower and grains industry stakeholder time and where possible, we will partner with industry stakeholders to leverage existing engagement opportunities.”
Ms Ramsey said the network also contributed to the national opportunities and constraints register, which captures all issues and constraints raised by attendees at NGN forums nationally.
She said the register provided a register for priority issues raised in each sub-region including background to provide context.
This data is utilised to inform the GRDC investment portfolio, and also provide a feedback summary of GRDC investments and resources related to each of the issues.
