GRDC Podcast

When a new variety of lentil came out that was a bit more boron tolerant, Scott Wandel thought it was time to give the legume another go. Farming at Mount Ridley, near Grass Patch in WA, Scott increased the hectares planted to lentils quickly after their introduction.  As a member of SEPWA, the South East Premium Wheatgrowers Association, Scott is a part of the cohort of 'Legume Leaders' that has been established by the Grower Group Alliance, with investment from GRDC.  In this episode, Scott tells us how a trip to Horsham in Victoria inspired him to give lentils a go.  Download the transcript for this episode. Contact:  Scott Wandel  Grower  [email protected]  More information:  Closing the economic yield gap of grain legumes in WA  Legume Leader bios and contact details  Project Code:  GGA2110-002SAX  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More about this podcast  In this episode, we sit down with Bec Kelly, a third-generation farmer from Mingenew, WA, who shares her journey from global adventurer to dedicated farmer. After traveling through America, South America, and Europe, Bec returned to the family farm in 2018, where she has since embraced the highs and lows of agriculture.   She talks about the unpredictability of farming, her passion for wheat, canola, and lupin production, and the importance of surrounding herself with the right team of advisors. As a recent Nuffield Scholar, Bec has also explored how farmers can better negotiate with energy companies, and she offers insights from her global research on the subject. If you're curious about what it’s like to take over a family farm and the role of innovation in modern agriculture, this episode will inspire and inform.  Download the transcript for this episode  Watch this episode as a video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IhKiHATX7DY  More information  Nuffield Australia  Grains Research & Development Corporation  Mingenew Irwin Group GRDC in Conversation is a limited series GRDC Podcast. It features in-depth interviews with growers and other experts in the grains industry who share their expertise, knowledge and experiences by exploring their personal stories, history, influences and motivations. The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views of GRDC, the interviewees’ employer, institution or other associated parties.  GRDC Project Code: HAG2308-001SAX  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While new innovations in farming technology and machinery offer growers incredible increases to productivity and profitability, many of these innovations are released without growers having any hands-on experience with how they work or understanding how they can add value to their farming systems.  That’s why a GRDC National Grower Network investment for Live Machinery Demo Days was created. The first event was hosted the Western Australian No-Tillage Farmers Association (WANTFA) at Cunderdin, with a focus on precision agriculture and variable rate technology.  In this episode, we’re joined by David Minkey from WANTFA and Frankland River grower Ben Beech to find out more about the benefits of hands-on opportunities and practical demonstrations for growers.  Download the transcript for this episode. Contact:  David Minkey  Executive Director, WANTFA  [email protected]  More information:  WANTFA and GRDC's Cunderdin demo day a huge hit with Wheatbelt growers Hands-on with the latest farm machinery innovations Project Code:  WAN2310-001SAX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More about this podcast  In this episode of the GRDC In Conversation podcast, Oli Le Lievre sits down with Ben White, a highly respected agricultural engineer, researcher, and extension specialist. Ben is known for his work at the Kondinin Group, where he has spent over 20 years testing agricultural machinery, developing cutting-edge research, and providing farmers with practical solutions to improve their operations. The conversation delves into Ben's early life growing up on a sheep and cattle farm, his passion for machinery, and how he transitioned into the grains industry.  Ben talks about his work across a variety of fields, including grain storage, harvester setup, and mobile communications testing. He also shares stories about hands-on research, such as developing glow-in-the-dark bait for mouse baiting trials and reflects on the importance of communication and collaboration in translating complex research into practical advice for farmers. From mobile phone testing to preventing harvester fires, Ben’s work has had a broad and lasting impact on Australian agriculture.  Download the transcript for this episode  Watch this episode as a video on YouTube  More information  Kondinin Group – Farming Ahead GRDC Harvester Setup Guide GRDC Stored Grain Information Hub or call 1800 WEEVIL GRDC in Conversation is a limited series GRDC Podcast. It features in-depth interviews with growers and other experts in the grains industry who share their expertise, knowledge and experiences by exploring their personal stories, history, influences and motivations. The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views of GRDC, the interviewees’ employer, institution or other associated parties.  GRDC Project Code: HAG2308-001SAX  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices