Dry Season Resources

Nic McGregor from AgVise Merredin and Ben Whisson from ConsultAg Kulin discuss the realities of farming in WA’s eastern Wheatbelt, highlighting the importance of getting the basics right: planning, execution, and cost control.Nic and Ben share strategies for adapting to tough seasons, including building cash reserves in good years, knowing your numbers, and investing in areas like water supplies and crop diversity. Both stress the need for informed decisions, consistent operations, and self-care - because the biggest risk to any farm business is its people (their advice? Book a holiday!).This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.Mitigating risk in a dry and variable climate - GRDCRiskWi$e – GRDCRiskWi$e – The National Risk Management Initiative – Grower Group AllianceDe-risking seeding program – Adoption of key management practices for the success of dry and early sown crops – Baseline Survey Report (PDF)De-Risking the Seeding Program – AG ExcellenceHub news - Drought Hub

In this episode, Dave Stead from Anasazi Consulting and Phil Smyth from Nutrien Coorow explore the growing array of weather tools and apps available to farmers. With advancements like smartphones and subscription-based services, farmers now have unprecedented access to weather data - but navigating the sheer volume of information can be overwhelming.Dave and Phil share insights on how to leverage these tools effectively to make informed decisions on-farm. They discuss the rise of localised weather stations, the benefits and limitations of popular apps like CliMate and Meteorlogix, and the importance of understanding trends in weather models.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.Meteologix: Weather for Australia - Swiss Quality Weather ForecastingBureau of Meteorology developments in long-term forecasting accuracy – the implications for autumn sowing - GRDCFarming Forecaster: helping farmers make decisions on livestock production - CSIROMy Climate View: Innovative climate tool expands to support more farmers - CSIROFive forecast tools to help you make better decisions - Meat & Livestock AustraliaMyClimateView: how past and projected climate data can support on-farm decision making - SW WA HubYour weather questions answered - SW WA HubAustralian Bureau of MeteorologyYr - Served by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute and NRKWindy: Wind map & weather forecastDPIRD weather stationsCliMateHub news - Drought Hub

Join Carly Veitch, farm management consultant at AgAsset and President of the Australian Association of Agricultural Consultants (AAAC), along with Ian Donaldson, senior manager of rural valuations at Rabobank, as they delve into the dynamics behind soaring land prices.In recent years, land values have surged, and with increasingly variable seasons, buying land is becoming a tougher choice for many. Carly and Ian discuss the factors driving these price hikes, the challenges this poses for farmers, and the various options for expanding land access. Ian also shares insights into how pricing differs across regions, particularly in mixed farming areas in the eastern states.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.Hub news - Drought Hub

In this episode, Coorow farmer Rod Birch and Yuna farmer Jess Grove share their experiences managing extreme seasonal variability in Western Australia’s northern wheatbelt. With 2023 marking the lowest rainfall on record, and 2021, 2022, and 2024 presenting vastly different conditions, Jess and Rod discuss their strategies for adapting to these challenges, capturing gains in productive years, and building resilience for drier ones.Jess explains how her 2023 experience led to important adjustments, such as avoiding high-risk crops like canola and lupins in the absence of summer rain and switching to shorter-season varieties when rains finally arrived. Meanwhile, Rod shares how past good seasons allowed him to strengthen his business through strategic investments, and how thorough planning helps him make well-ranked decisions, even under adverse conditions. His approach, grounded in “optimistic realism,” emphasizes balancing risk, reducing costs, and prioritising long-term resilience.Jess and Rod also delve into practical measures like improved water-use efficiency, addressing soil constraints, and enhancing technology to keep input costs low during lean years. Both Jess and Rod highlight the value of community connection, with initiatives like the “barefoot bowls day” that Jess organised to relieve stress and foster support.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.Reducing costs and forward planning during a dry year (Video) - Rod BirchDe-Risking the Seeding Program – AG Excellence AllianceRiskWi$e - GRDCRiskWi$e - The National Risk Management Initiative - Grower Group AllianceDe-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, 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 AllianceBenchmarking resources - PlanfarmWeedSmart Australia - Industry Voice On Weed ControlRiskWi$e - GRDCRiskWi$e - The National Risk Management Initiative - Grower Group AllianceDe-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 - ScienceDirectIntegrating long fallow into wheat-based cropping systems in Western Australia: Spatial pattern of yield and economic responses - ScienceDirectBots 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 GroupFeedbase planning and budgeting tool - Meat & Livestock AustraliaConfinement feeding - Meat & Livestock AustraliaPastures365 - Victoria Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation HubFEED365 - DPIRDFEED365 - Grower Group AllianceHub news - Drought Hub

Join Ben White from Kondinin Group and Kelly Cussons from Cussons Media as they dive into four compelling case studies showcasing innovative drought resilience strategies employed by farmers across Australia.These case studies are part of a comprehensive, farmer-focused extension and adoption program designed to uncover and share the most effective drought resilience techniques, strategies, and technologies in use today.Funded by the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, this project produced 24 insightful reports, all available at Droughtinfo.com.au.This episode is particularly valuable for farmers in Western Australia, offering fresh perspectives and practical solutions to enhance resilience during dry seasons.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.

Join us as we dive into how MyClimateView is empowering growers to make informed decisions in the face of a changing climate. In this episode, Stephanie Dickson from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) and Jen Riseley from Pomewest share insights on leveraging historical and predicted climate data tailored to specific regions and crop types.Stephanie walks us through the key features of MyClimateView, highlighting how users can customise thresholds and growing seasons, and utilise historical data to draw meaningful comparisons between the current season and similar past seasons. She emphasises the importance of personalising the platform to maximise its utility in your farming operations.Jen brings her expertise from the orchard industry, explaining how MyClimateView serves as a vital tool in her work. She discusses how the platform aids in strategic decision-making for long-term planning, such as orchard upgrades and varietal selections. Although it might be a resource you consult annually, Jen explains how MyClimateView can play a crucial role in shaping your farming future.MyClimateView was developed as part of a Future Drought Fund project called ‘Climate Services for Agriculture’.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.

In this episode, we talk about virtual fencing and its applications in farming.Virtual fencing enables farmers to remotely manage and contain livestock without the need for physical fences. Livestock wear GPS-enabled collars that communicate with reception towers, creating a virtual boundary set by the farmer.Our guests today are Esperance farmer Scott Wandel and Andrew Zipsin from Gallagher. Scott is currently trialling the Gallagher eShepherd neck bands on his farm and has observed numerous benefits, including improved pasture management and reduced labour. He also envisions the technology’s long-term potential in enhancing calf growth and supporting cropping activities, especially during dry periods when grazing on barley stubbles.Andrew provides insights into the development of this innovative technology, explaining how it works and its future applications for farmers.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.

In this episode of the South-West WA Drought Hub's Dry Season Resources podcast, host Shannon Beattie interviews Farmanco consultant Ben Curtis, and West River farmer Joel Ebert. They discuss key agronomic decision-making times of the year such as deciding on top up nitrogen, when to sell grain, and if fungicides are needed. They also discuss some of the emotional choices that farmers are making on that journey, such as buying land and succession planning.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.

Farmers Tony White, from Miling, and Peter Daw, from Ravensthorpe, participated in the Western Australia Drought Pilot program over a decade ago. This initiative, spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), aimed to help farmers better prepare for and manage dry seasons.In this episode, Tony and Peter share the strategies they have incorporated into their farm businesses since completing the program. They discuss how the program’s support, which included a $40,000 grant for capital improvements and an additional $20,000 for other expenditures, has made a lasting impact on their operations and preparedness against drought.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.

In this episode, we catch up with Dan Parnell, Regional Extension Officer at Western Dairy, and Borden farmer Paul O’Meehan to delve into the world of silage.Silage isn't widely used in the wheatbelt, but Paul has been growing and utilising it near Borden for many years, and opened one pit after 5 years.Dan, a consultant, delivers TopFodder workshops, which focus on producing high-quality silage and hay. Recently, he has been doing this work through a project funded by the Future Drought Fund titled "Better Making and Use of Hay and Silage - Mitigating drought and season variability effects for WA's livestock industry".Through this project, the TopFodder program is used to upskill dairy, beef and sheep producers in WA on successfully making, storing and feeding silage. The project enables these producers to improve the quality of traditionally produced hay, which will further improve the quality feed for their stock in times of drought.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.TopFodder Workshops – contact Western Beef - Western Beef website: westernbeef.org.au Jeisane Accioly: 0403 327 216 or jeisane.alis@gmail.com Dan Parnell: dan.parnell@westerndairy.com.auSuccessful Silage (TopFodder) Manual - Dairy AustraliaHub news - Drought Hub

In this episode, we talk with Brad Plunkett and Christophe D’Abbadie about profitable and drought-resilient grazing systems for the Southern Rangelands.Brad and Christophe, both economists at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), have conducted extensive research on profitable and sustainable rangeland management systems in Western Australia and the Northern Territory.Their work is particularly notable for its focus on strategies that allow pastoralists to manage consecutive drought years effectively.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.Modelling shows optimal beef system for Southern Rangelands - WA GovernmentSouthern Rangelands Revitalisation Program - DPIRDC. d'Abbadie, R. Kingwell, P. Vercoe, B. Plunkett, A. Peggs, Heavy steers and heifers run at low stocking rates enhance drought resilience in a pastoral region of Australia, Agricultural Systems, Volume 218, 2024Cunyu Station Visit: An example of profitable, sustainable pastoralism (PDF) - Rangelands WARangeland heavy steers and heifers run at low stocking rates provide resilience to drought (YouTube) - Christophe D’AbbadieHub news - Drought Hub

On this episode, we are joined by Meredith Guthrie from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and Michaela Alexander from the Bureau of Meteorology. Together, they discuss various weather tools that can help us gain deeper insights into our forecasts.Meredith and Michaela highlight several tools that farmers can use to better understand weather forecasts, explaining their strengths and practical applications.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.Weather predictions, risk and decision making. Perspectives on making better decisions on risk management from weather and seasonal forecasts - GRDCGIWA Crop Report - April 2024 - Grain Industry Association of Western AustraliaThe Australian water outlook - Bureau of MeteorologySheepLinks - FutureSheep - DPIRDWeather station network - DPIRDRainfall to date tools - DPIRDExtreme weather events tool - DPIRDSoil water tool - DPIRDThe BOM Weather appMetEye - Bureau of MeteorologyClimate outlooks—weeks, months and seasons - Bureau of MeteorologyAbout the Bureau's climate model: ACCESS–SDR.SAT - Drought Resilience Self-Assessment ToolMy Climate ViewHub news - Drought Hub

In this episode, we explore different livestock feed options for dry seasons.Joining us are Hayley Norman, a pasture researcher from CSIRO, and Emily Stretch, a farmer from Kojonup. They talk about the impact of the current dry season on livestock operations on WA farms and share alternative feed options farmers can consider.A key topic is the use of saltbush as a feed alternative in dry years. Hayley and Emily explain how farmers can make use of less productive land for growing shrubs and other feed options. They also discuss the health considerations for livestock when switching to these alternatives.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.Case Study: Weaning Management - DPIRDInformation about perennials, case studies, establishment, feeding and shrub spacing calculator - Saltland GenieSaltbush systems video featuring WA farmer, Rod Stokes - CSIROMaking Silage - Dairy AustraliaSaltbushes for dryland salinity management in Western Australia - DPIRDSaltbush: A grazing option? - FutureBeefGrain and Graze 2 program — FarmLinkThe spread of kikuyu - Meat & Livestock AustraliaPDS Spotlight on Productive saltland pastures for southern WA - Meat & Livestock AustraliaDrought resilient landscapes with profitable native shrub and legume systems across southern Australia — Fitzgerald Biosphere GroupHub news - Drought Hub

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 discuss the importance for business owners to have a clear understanding of where they sit financially, particularly around cash flow.They also highlight the importance of having a plan with trigger points throughout the season. This plan should be built on evidence-based information and scenarios farm businesses have experienced in the last five years or more. Some useful tools and rules of thumb are also discussed. The Dry Season Resources podcast is produced by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and hosted by Shannon Beattie.Cultivating Profit workshop with Renae Piggott (PDF)Season 2024: information for WA farmers - DPIRDFarm decision making - GRDCProcesses help to guide good farm decision-making - GRDCFarm decision making - how does your risk profile affect your business decision making? - GRDCDrought budgeting and banking - Drought InfoAustralian Grain Leaders Program 2024 participants - Grain GrowersRainfall to date tool for Western Australia - DPIRDHub news - Drought Hub

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 critical growth stages and haying-off in a dry finish. Glen and Stuart give their tips for getting good crop establishment when sowing early. The Dry Season Resources podcast is produced by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and hosted by Shannon Beattie.Livestock management in 2023-2024 (PDF) - DPIRDClimate outlooks - Bureau of MeteorologyMaximising sowing opportunities under dry soil conditions in the high-rainfall zone - GRDC$8.2M national project to boost canola establishment - CSIRO2024 WA Crop Sowing Guide - DPIRDTen tips for early sown wheat (PDF) - GRDCCrop establishment and precision planting (PDF) - GRDCHub news - Drought Hub

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 improve efficiencies and productivity. However, these technologies often have limitations and farmers often lack the time, tools and skills to process data from multiple different sources to effectively utilise them. Phil, Roger and Dylan took part in a SW WA Hub project funded through a Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Innovation grant aimed at understanding growers’ attitude to digital technology. They assisted growers to better understand the opportunities presented by the latest digital technologies and how they can address farming system challenges and improve in-season decision making when faced with a variable climate. Emerging technologies in agriculture (PDF) - AgriFuturesAgtech Decoded: growers critically analysing the role of new technology in on-farm decision making – what are the possibilities? - SW WA HubTechnology supporting SA agriculture - PIRSAHub news - Drought Hub

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 Bullshit) 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 conversation with the broader community about the rising issue of depression and suicide rates among men in rural areas. 10 wellbeing Tips - What are our Shock Absorbers?The Regional Mens Health Initiative6Bs websiteLifeline 13 11 14Hub newsletter subscription