20 January2023, AU: Western Australian grain growers are encouraged to register early for next month’s GRDC Farm Business Updates at Esperance, Dowerin and Williams.
The one-day forums are designed to provide growers, advisers and agribusiness professionals with high quality information about farm business management concepts and practices.
This year’s series focuses on ‘Farm to Profit’ and will include presentations on trends shaping agriculture, shifting risk profiles, farm machinery investment and carbon farming.
As part of extended case study sessions, participants will hear from growers who will share their observations and experiences in emissions management, mitigation strategies and carbon projects.
In Esperance and Williams, Great Southern grower and director of North Stirling Downs Pty Ltd Wayne Pech will speak, and in Dowerin, Corrigin grower Simon Wallwork will address the forum.
GRDC Western Region Panel chair Darrin Lee says the events will help drive the innovation and adoption of improved farm business management practices across the grain industry.
“We’ve secured a diverse group of engaging and well qualified speakers for the 2023 events, covering a broad range of issues from risk and decision making to machinery investment and preparing for ‘what’s next’ in agriculture,” Mr Lee says.
“With many farms operating as multi-million-dollar family businesses, best-practice management is a cornerstone for profitable, sustainable and resilient operations.”
Update speakers include consultant and South Australian grower Barry Mudge, who has a background in risk management of highly variable low rainfall farming systems.
Mr Mudge has been involved in practical and technical delivery to agriculture for more than 40 years and has delivered presentations to the Australian Agronomy Conference and GRDC Grains Research Updates on practical methods to manage climate variability.
The speaker line-up also includes Mike Thomas, General Manager of Broking for Aviso WA Insurance Brokers, who has more than 30 years’ experience in general insurance. Mr Thomas is passionate about improving risk management and farm safety.
“Just paying increased premiums doesn’t fix the problem – it just pushes the issues down the road. Farmers must take the first step to identify their risks and then actively work to reduce or remove these risks for the betterment of their farm now and in the future,” Mr Thomas says.
The 2023 GRDC Farm Business Updates will take place at:
Esperance on February 13
Dowerin on February 15
Williams on February 16
Expert speakers and their topics for the 2023 events include:
Michael McQueen – Preparing now for what’s next
Mike Thomas, Aviso – Shifting risk profiles: farm insurance impacts and trends
John Henchy, Farm Machinery and Industry Association of WA – farm machinery, when will supply and price normalise?
Ben White, Kondinin Group – Optimising machinery investment in the current environment
Barry Mudge, farmer/consultant, Upper North SA – Risk and decision making: assessing your options
Dr Richard Eckard, University of Melbourne – Carbon farming in the real world (via livestream)
Wayne Pech, farmer – Carbon farming grower case study (Esperance and Williams program)
Simon Wallwork, farmer – Carbon farming grower case study (Dowerin program).
