In this episode, we explore how changing rainfall patterns are reshaping seeding strategies and risk management across Australia.

Our guests are:

• Rachel May, Farming Systems Adoption Officer for the South Australian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub, who leads the “De-risking the Seeding Program.” This initiative supports 14 farming groups in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia (including Facey Group and Corrigin Farm Improvement Group) to improve dry seeding practices.
• Peter Newman, a farm business consultant with Planfarm, is based in Geraldton, WA. As WeedSmart’s Western Extension Agronomist, he shares valuable insights on weed management during dry seeding.

We discuss whether it’s time to rethink approaches to the opening rainfall, and if less risky crops like wheat should be sown before canola. Peter also reflects on lessons from the dry seasons of 2006 and 2007 in the Northern Agricultural region.

The “De-risking the Seeding Program”, funded through the Future Drought Fund, is in its early stages, with a recent survey highlighting the main drivers and knowledge gaps around early sowing.

This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.

• De-Risking the Seeding Program – AG Excellence Alliance
• Benchmarking resources - Planfarm
• WeedSmart Australia - Industry Voice On Weed Control
• RiskWi$e - GRDC
• RiskWi$e - The National Risk Management Initiative - Grower Group Alliance
• De-risking seeding program – Adoption of key management practices for the success of dry and early sown crops – Baseline Survey Report (PDF)
• Hub news - Drought Hub

In this episode, Mullewa farmer John Flannagan and Tom Holcombe, Field Operations Lead at SwarmFarm Robotics, discuss the benefits of using SwarmFarm robots in WA's northern wheatbelt.

John shares how the addition of two SwarmFarm robots, alongside a WEED-IT precision sprayer, has significantly reduced labour, chemical, and fuel costs on his family’s farm. The conversation highlights how these technologies have not only boosted operational efficiency but also helped conserve valuable soil moisture.

This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.

• Clocking up a week's work in just one day - Groundcover (GRDC)
• Fallow tool for the low-rainfall zone - Groundcover (GRDC)
• Adaptation to climate change through strategic integration of long fallow into cropping system in a dryland Mediterranean-type environment - ScienceDirect
• Integrating long fallow into wheat-based cropping systems in Western Australia: Spatial pattern of yield and economic responses - ScienceDirect
• Bots on the ground: farming's new army - Groundcover (GRDC)
• Hub news - Drought Hub

In this episode, we explore strategies to navigate the evolving challenges of livestock management while boosting productivity and system resilience.

Chapman Valley farmer Jason Stokes shares his approach to managing seasonal variability, including break conservation, confinement feeding, and diverse pasture use.

Daniel Real from DPIRD delves into the Feed365 and Pasture365 projects, highlighting innovative solutions to provide year-round feed and minimise reliance on supplementary feeding during critical feed gaps.

The Pasture365 project received funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.

• Drought resilient landscapes with profitable native shrub and legume systems across southern Australia — Fitzgerald Biosphere Group
• Feedbase planning and budgeting tool - Meat & Livestock Australia
• Confinement feeding - Meat & Livestock Australia
• Pastures365 - Victoria Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub
• FEED365 - DPIRD
• FEED365 - Grower Group Alliance
• Hub news - Drought Hub