In this episode of the South-West WA Drought Hub's Dry Season Resources podcast, Renae Piggott, a consultant with AgAsset, and Matt Hyde, a young Dalwallinu farmer, talk about the impact of a dry season on WA farms' cash flow. Farmers may need to pull different levers to change or modify farm operations to minimise the impacts of a dry season on their business. Renae and Matt give an introduction to the four key ratios farmers should know to help them make informed financial decisions. They...

In this episode, we turn our attention to getting good crop establishment with early sowing. Our guests are Glen Riethmuller, Research Scientist at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), and Stuart Faulkner, a mixed farmer from Beacon, WA. Good crop establishment and rapid, early growth can improve water efficiency, increase yields and help the crop to compete against weeds. However, early sowing comes with its risks. It can increase the risk of frost during...

In this episode of the South-West WA Drought Hub's Dry Season Resources podcast, host Shannon Beattie discusses the role of digital technologies in agricultural businesses with Smart Farms coordinator for Stirlings to Coast Farmers, Phil Honey, Principal Research Scientist at CSIRO, Roger Lawes, and Latham farmer, Dylan Hirsch.  A range of technologies have been developed in the agricultural industry that provide growers with new insights into their farm businesses and have potential to...

In this episode of the South-West WA Drought Hub's Dry Season Resources podcast, host Shannon Beattie catches up with Brad Milsteed, farmer and founder of 6Bs (Blokes, BBQ’s, Bonfires, Beers, Bonding and B******t) and Owen Catto from the Regional Men’s Health Initiative.  They discuss grassroots approaches to support men’s and whole of community mental health and wellbeing that operate across regional WA. Are You Bogged Mate? - Are you bogged mate? aims to boost awareness and start a...

In this episode of the South-West WA Drought Hub's Dry Season Resources podcast, Shannon Beattie interviews Congellin farmer, Sandra Fowler, and Senior Field Veterinary Officer at the Department of Primary Industries & Regional Development, Anna Erikson. They discuss the benefits of confinement feeding and deferred grazing during a dry season and things to consider when implementing this type of system. A guide to confinement feeding sheep and cattle in NSW (PDF) - NSW Government Local...

In this episode of the South-West WA Drought Hub's Dry Season Resources podcast, Shannon Beattie interviews spray application specialist Bill Campbell, from Campbell Ag, and Jemma Sadler, a Goomalling farmer. They talk about managing large spray programs with the hot, dry and dusty conditions experienced this summer.  Water Smart farming manual (PDF) - GRDCConserving and managing soil moisture - GRDCSummer weed control in a high input cost year - WeedSmartSustainable weed management and the...

In the first episode of Season 2 of the South-West WA Hub's Dry Season Resources podcast, host Shannon Beattie chats with Cameron Weeks from Planfarm and Cam Nicholson from Nicon Rural Services about making risky decisions. They discuss knowing about the extremes, and then managing the risks (both good and bad) around those extremes - using head, heart and gut. myFARMSMART: Smart decision making with intuitive agritech - evokeAGWaterSmart Farming Manual - GRDCSeason 2024: information for WA...

Episode four of the South-West WA Drought Hub's Dry Season Resources podcast series takes listeners back in time to the drought of 2006-07. DPIRD research scientists Chad Reynolds and Wayne Parker explore the challenges facing growers in the northern-ag region and share some key dry season learnings. The pair talk about their respective families’ experiences in the 2006-07 dry season.  They explore the region’s key learnings from the challenges faced at the time and share how farmers adapted...

In episode five of the South-West WA Drought Hub's Dry Season Resources podcast series Host Shannon Beattie and CSBP senior agronomist James Easton discuss considerations for growers when it comes to nitrogen bank and the possibility of retained nutrition after a low crop year. James discusses a range of considerations, highlighting the need to soil test to know your N bank balance after a dry year; and some interesting trial results from Mullewa in 2023 where banded N up front was a clear...

In episode six, the final instalment of Season 1 the South-West WA Drought Hub's Dry Season Resources podcast, host Shannon Beattie turns listeners' attention toward livestock. Guests Dean Hubbard, Michael Longford and Ashley Herbert talk about the impact of the dry season on livestock operations on WA farms. The three experts talk at depth on current markets for sheep and cattle, the seasonal conditions farmers and pastoralists are facing right now and the decision making around managing...

In episode three of the South-West WA Hub's Dry Season Resources podcast series host Shannon Beattie delves into the challenges facing growers in the northern agricultural region and explores some key dry season learning with local agronomy consultant Grant Thompson.  Grant talks about the Impact that the low decile season has had on growers in the north. He explores the challenges of crop health, the opportunity to incorporate N up against low, infrequent rainfall, and unseasonably hot...

In episode one of the South-West WA Hub's Dry Season Resources podcast series Hub adoption manager Julianne Hill gives a preview of the line-up of guests and topics covered in the limited podcast series.  Host Shannon Beattie and Farmanco farm management consultant Greg Easton discuss tips for making sound financial decisions and ways to manage risk after a dry year.  Greg delves into his learnings from previous dry seasons, with emphasis on the importance of planning ahead, talking to the...

In episode two of the South-West WA Hub's Dry Season Resources podcast series host Shannon Beattie interviews the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's (DPIRD's) senior soils research scientist Dr Stephen Davies.  Through the conversation, they weigh the cost-benefit of soil amelioration in a dry season through evaporation, water demand, and other drought stress damage. Dr Davies shares his risk mitigation tips including shorter season crops, managing inputs, and chasing...