Latest RD&E, news and events from the Grains Research and Development Corporation. Region specific accounts @GRDCNorth, @GRDCSouth & @GRDCWest

Australia
Joined May 2011
Angus Butterfield has built his agronomy career working closely with growers across the Mallee, Wimmera and beyond. In the latest GRDC In Conversation podcast, the @BCG_Birchip researcher talks weeds, pulses, crop establishment and farming systems, joining @humans_of_ag to share why he’s optimistic about the future of Australian grains. 🎧 Listen bit.ly/4Bg8CZ4 #GRDCPodcast #GRDCInConversation #BirchipCroppingGroup #HumansOfAgriculture #Agronomy #AustralianGrains
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WEBINAR RECORDING: Farm Business Update, online – Farming identity; stepping back, doesn't mean stepping out πŸ’» bit.ly/47ULEcz In this session, James Hillcoat from @PinionAdvisory explored how farming businesses can transition leadership and responsibility in a way that supports the next generation while recognising the contribution of those who built the business. #GRDCEvent #GRDCUpdate #FarmBusiness #Succession
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🎧 A new GRDC In Conversation podcast lands tomorrow πŸ™Œ @BCG_Birchip’s Angus Butterfield talks agronomy, working closely with growers and research spanning weeds, pulses, crop establishment and farming systems with @humans_of_ag. #GRDCPodcast #GRDCInConversation
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Your header can carry weed seed from paddock to paddock - and farm to farm. A compressed-air blow-down before moving into clean paddocks, plus a come-clean, go-clean approach, can help stop new weeds and resistance spreading. πŸ”— bit.ly/3TM6CXP #GRDCPublication #PaddockPractices #WeedManagementInitiative
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🧬 Faster pest and disease diagnosis could mean quicker, better-informed decisions for grain growers. A national GRDC-backed initiative is improving surveillance, rapid diagnostics and forecasting for exotic and established threats, including work to identify some diseases in less than 48 hours. πŸ”— bit.ly/3UpAGc1 #GroundCoverOnline #Biosecurity #CropProtection
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⏰ One week left to apply for TRAIL 2027! You don’t need to already think of yourself as β€œleadership material” - curiosity, a willingness to learn and a desire to contribute to the grains industry are a good place to start. GRDC is supporting 6 funded places through @ARLFNews. πŸ”— Apply by 30 October: bit.ly/4bKerD1 #TRAIL2027 #GRDC #EmergingLeaders
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🌱 Victorian growers Dan and Trish Flynn have been tackling high soil strength that can stop crop roots accessing moisture deeper in the profile. At trials on their Douglas farm, deep ripping reduced soil strength to about 300mm and lifted wheat and faba bean biomass by 10–20% in 2025, although yield gains were smaller and canola showed no yield benefit. πŸ”— bit.ly/4ympwmk #GroundCoverOnline #SoilCompaction #DeepRipping
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🌾 A group of Australian high rainfall zone growers and advisers recently travelled to the UK on a GRDC-supported study tour, led by @SouthernFS. The tour explored integrated weed management, nitrogen and canopy management, grain storage, precision ag and diversification. A key takeaway was the value of combining cultural, mechanical and technological approaches across the whole farming system. #GRDCStudyTour #GRDC #HighRainfallZone
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πŸ› Fall armyworm pressure can shift quickly between seasons, so knowing when to act starts with good monitoring. Key areas to watch include volunteer sorghum, isolated plantings, paddock edges and winter cereals. Trials led by JB Ag Services are testing when insecticide applications pay in sorghum, while @nswagriculture is tracking resistance risks and Jane Wightman is leading national coordination to improve regionally relevant management. πŸ”— bit.ly/46KhqIM πŸ“· Dr Melina Miles, QDPI #FallArmyworm #PestManagement
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ON TOMORROW: Webinar - GRDC RiskWi$e: Making fast harvest decisions, wisely πŸ“† 12pm ACDT, Fri 23 Oct πŸ”— bit.ly/4jyEd1P Join guest speaker and RiskWi$e partner @1800weevil to explore the considerations around making better harvest decisions when time is short and conditions are uncertain. Ben will discuss the cost of running a harvester with Planfarm consultant, @peterdnewman, who has recently completed an analysis of costs. @AgCommunicators #GRDC #RiskWise #Harvest #DecisionMaking
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πŸŽ“ The next generation of grains researchers is tackling some of the biggest challenges facing Australian growers. GRDC is supporting a record 21 PhD researchers, with projects covering fall armyworm, phosphine resistance, crop disease, fertiliser efficiency, climate resilience and more. πŸ”— bit.ly/4k7gvdf #GRDC #GrainsResearch #ResearchScholarships #AgriculturalResearch
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Could gravel or sand help crops establish in stubborn problem patches? @SLR_Agriculture’s Ella Shaylor explains how surface mulches are being tested on non-wetting, waterlogged and saline soils to conserve moisture and limit salt movement. πŸ“Ή Watch the full video: bit.ly/4z2bTtB #GRDCVideo #SoilConstraints #SoilManagement #CropEstablishment
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Windrowing on time maximises income, avoiding losses due to windrowing canola too early. Crops should be windrowed when 60–80% of seed sampled from the middle 3rd of main stem and branches has changed colour from green to red, brown or black. This guide will help growers decide on the best time to windrow their crop. πŸ”— Read the full guide and order a printed version: bit.ly/4jzFDsS #GRDCPublication #Canola #Windrowing
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🚜 A well set-up header can capture 50 to 80% of weed seed at harvest, making setup one of the most effective, lowest-cost tools growers have against herbicide resistance. The latest Paddock Practice covers rotor and concave settings, checking losses with drop trays, fan speed, baffles and getting harvest weed seed control equipment set up before harvest. It also looks at weeds that retain seed well at harvest, including annual ryegrass, wild radish, brome grass and wild oat. πŸ”— Read more: bit.ly/4yiOnZ0 #GRDCPublication #WeedManagementInitiative #HarvestWeedSeedControl #IWM #WeedManagement
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The @ARLFNews TRAIL Emerging Leaders Program challenges participants to think differently about agriculture, leadership and the role they can play in shaping the future of the industry. Through GRDC's support, six funded places valued at approximately $15,000 each are available for people working in grain-growing businesses and grain industry-aligned organisations. Applications close 30 October 2026. πŸ”— Apply now: bit.ly/4bKerD1 #TRAIL2027 #GRDCPodcast #LeadershipDevelopment #EmergingLeaders
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Upcoming webinar - Net blotch resistance and management: practical insights for 2027 πŸ“… 1.30pm AEDT, Fri 23 Oct πŸ”— bit.ly/4zmCCAR This webinar will provide an update on net blotch following the 2026 season, including regional disease observations, the latest fungicide resistance findings and new NFNB trial research. Speakers: πŸ”ˆ Dr Lisle Snyman, Queensland DPI πŸ”ˆ Dr Tara Garrard, @SA_PIRSA πŸ”ˆ Dr Nola D'Souza, @theCCDM #GRDCEvent #DMEN #NetFormNetBlotch #CropProtection
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🚜 There's nothing quite like seeing a system working in the paddock. Great Southern WA growers recently completed a GRDC-supported study tour through Tasmania and Victoria, exploring surface and subsurface drainage systems. Visits to farms, research sites and drainage installations provided practical insights into design, landforming, machinery, maintenance and water management. A key takeaway was the confidence gained in WA's progress, with Great Southern growers helping lead innovation in broadacre subsurface drainage. #GRDC #GRDCStudyTour #FarmDrainage #AustralianGrains
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WEBINAR RECORDING: Grains Research Update, online – Making every spray pass count πŸ’» bit.ly/3VYe6HP Effective summer weed control relied on more than the right product choice. In this practical session, Bill Gordon explained how nozzle selection, spray quality, boom height, travel speed, weather conditions, and sprayer setup influenced spray performance. #GRDCEvent #GRDCUpdate #WeedControl
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⚠️ New phosphine worker exposure limits could affect on-farm grain storage and delivery practices. GRDC is investing $4.7m to help growers adapt, alongside broader industry work coordinated through @GrainTradeAus. Most jurisdictions are currently working towards 1 December 2026, although timelines may vary. πŸ”— bit.ly/4yNCAlH #GRDC #MediaRelease #Phosphine #GrainStorage #StoredGrain #FarmSafety #AustralianGrains
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🌱 Why do crops respond differently to the same management decisions from one season to the next? It's a question driving @CSIRO Crop Systems Researcher James Manson, who is interested in understanding the crop processes and environmental conditions behind those differences. In case you missed it, James explores the science behind seasonal variability and crop performance in GRDC In Conversation, hosted by @humans_of_ag. 🎧 grdc.com.au/news-and-media/a… #GRDCPodcast #GRDCInConversation #HumansOfAgriculture #CropResearch
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