Liebe group news · Group to continue to deliver locally relevant research, development and...

Liebe group news

What's Inside

Post Seeding Field Walk Agenda

Cereal Aphids Harbour Unwanted Crop Diseases

Why they want new machinery for Controlled Traffic Farming

Liebe Group Grand Opening Event

July 2018

Volume 21

Issue 5

2

From the Cover

PARTNER UPDATES

EVENTS

MEMBER NEWS

DIAMOND PARTNERS

Post Seeding Field Walk Agenda 17

Farm Finance and Payroll 19

Controlled Traffic Farming Field Day 20Plan, Prepare, Proseper Workshop 20

Main Trial Site Update 4

We have moved! 6

Women's Field Day 2018 a Success 8

Work Experience with Liebe Group Christine Yu

11

The Buzz Around Swarmfarm, Boyd Carter 14

Work Experience with Liebe Group Braden Hayes

16

Peter Waterhouse is the winner of the 2018 Liebe Group Seeding Photo Competition with this image.

Peter has won a $500 fuel card thanks to Refuel Australia

End Of Financial Year and Utilisation of Farm Management Deposits

21

Nominations Open for 2018 Agribusiness Leadership Awards

24

Flexi-N Timing and Potassium Placement 26

INDUSTRY RESEARCH

Yield Loss to Aphids 29

Cereal Aphids Harbour Unwanted Diseases 32

NEWS

Live Sheep Export Suspension 33

Why They Want New Machinery for Controlled Traffic Farming

35

Tech Talks: On-Farm Apps and Software 37

Liebe Group Newsletter | July 2018 3

F r o m t h e E x e c u t i v e O f f i c e rBec McGregor

SyngentaPacer LegalAgrimasterAdama AustraliaGrainGrowersLandmarkAdvanta Seeds

GOLD PARTNERS

W elco m e to the July edition of the Liebe Group Newsletter. With widespread rains throughout the Liebe region we are pleased to see plenty of crops emerging and smiling faces after the dry start to the season.

This month has been a busy one for the Liebe staff with emergence counts taken at all of our trial sites throughout the area and the running of another successful Women’s Field Day. We were fortunate during this time to have two work experience students, Christine and Braden, from UWA and Curtin University join us in the Liebe office. We are very grateful for their assistance and it was great to see the passion and enthusiasm of the next generation joining the agricultural industry. We asked Christine and Braden to share a summary of their experiences which can be found on pages 11 and 16.

The Liebe Group Women’s Field Day which was held on Tuesday 19th June was a great success! Over 130 ladies joined us for the day including some who traveled from as far as Kellerberrin, Kulin and Mingenew. The day showcased a range of inspiring presentations and was rated highly by all who attended. An enormous thanks must go to the Liebe Group Women’s Committee for their efforts and to the Liebe men in the kitchen who donated their time to serve us the beautiful meal catered by Wild Strawberry Catering. See page 8 for the full event debrief.

Our Liebe Group Post Seeding Field Walk is on the horizon, starting at 1.30pm on Wednesday 18th July. The afternoon is your chance to view the abundance of research at the Main Trial Site and share your ideas for the future of research and development in your region. The field walk will be followed by an R&D session and Beer and Burger night at the Kalannie Football Club. See page 17 for the full agenda.

Another important opportunity to share your ideas and help determine research priorities in your region is coming up through GRDC’s Regional Cropping Solutions Network (RCSN) Open meetings. Dates in our region include the 31st July in Goomalling, 7th August in Bencubbin and 23rd August in Morawa. We would like to encourage as many members as possible to attend to ensure our local regions priorities are not missed. Please contact the office if you are interested and we can arrange carpooling to each destination.

And finally, we are excited to share that we have officially moved into our new facility at 17 Johnston Street. It has been a long journey, but we now have a new and modern facility that will help support the Liebe Group to continue to deliver locally relevant research, development and extension activities within the region.

The official Opening Event for the facility will be held on Thursday 9th August. We encourage you all to join us in celebrating this incredible milestone for the group and tour the fantastic facility.

SILVER PARTNERS

Australian Grain TechnologiesScott’s Watheroo DolomiteRefuel AustraliaBASFTek AgNuFarm

Liebe Group Newsletter | July 20184

M A I N T R I A L S I T E U P D AT E

W h at a fantastic and positive sight it is at our 2018 Liebe Group Main Trial Site! With a little over 80mm rainfall since the beginning of April the crops at the Main Trial Site and beyond throughout the Liebe region are in good stead for the months ahead. The satellite NDVI image in Figure 1 shows good progress across each of the trials within the trial site, with some treatments clearly visible already.

This season, the Liebe Main Trial Site is a showcase of trials that have been developed by our research partners that help answer some of the many questions that have emerged from our member’s research priorities.

Our April newsletter listed all the trials that are on show, including NVT’s, deep sowing work, low rainfall zone cropping rotation options, root disease management in wheat, imi herbicide options for Spartacus barley, demonstration of TT and RR canola varieties, pre-emergent herbicide options in wheat, summer herbicide plant back management and crop nutrition packages.

Surrounding these small plot trials from our partners, the Liebe Group have also co-located two large GRDC funded grower scale demonstrations – Demonstrating the benefits of soil amelioration (Ripper Gauge) and, establishment crop establishment demonstration with a comparison of two seeding bars. Furthermore a large scale GRDC funded legume demonstration, located on McCreery road, will also provide our members an opportunity to see how some of the management strategies being researched are put in to practice at a grass roots level.

With this much research covering a wide range of topics, our members are sure to have a number of interesting trials to look at, at our upcoming Post Seeding Field Walk on Wednesday July 18th.

For more information about Post Seeding Field Walk and trial information, please contact the Liebe office 9661 1907 or Research Agronomist and Coordinator, Alana Hartley, 0417 919 299

Figure 1: NDVI of Main Trial Site trials - July 8th 2018 (Source: Data Farming)

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Legend1. Demonstrating the

benefits of soil amelioration (Ripper Gauge) - Liebe Group

2. Rhizoctonia root rot control options - Bayer

3. National Variety Trial - Living Farm

4. Deep sowing long coleoptile wheat trial - DPIRD

5. Profitable break crop rotations - CSIRO

6. Yardstick Demonstrations - Living Farm

7. Canola Variety - Liebe Group, Bayer, Advanta Trial


MEMBER NEWS

Good falls have been received over the growing season, across much of the Liebe Region. This has put crops in a good position to flourish during the winter months, setting up strong yield potential.

With crops actively growing, soil moisture is beginning to slowly decline therefore, consideration of nutrition management must also be at the forefront. To ensure crops are receiving adequate nutrition during the winter months, plant sampling will both quantify and clarify any nutrition concerns, allowing growers to make informed decisions about future of their crops health. For more information on soil water and rainfall, visit: https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/climate-weather/soil-water-tool and https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/climate-weather/rainfall-date

DPIRD Rainfall to date for regional centres in the Liebe region are as follows:


W E H A V E M O V E D !

Th e Liebe Group are excited to announce that we have officially moved into our new purpose built Agricultural Research and Education Facility at 17 Johnston Street Dalwallinu. Our new premises will enable us to continue to deliver locally relevant R, D & E in the Liebe region and build our capacity into the future. The space is envisaged to be a collaborative research hub for the region so we would like to encourage our members, partners and local community to work with us in this fantastic modern facility. Please feel free to drop by for a tour with one of our staff members when you are next in town. We will also have a number of areas available for hire including a boardroom, meeting room and hot desk space which is advertised on our website.

Please note our new contact details below:Address: 17 Johnston Street Dalwallinu WA 6609Phone Number: (08) 9661 1907

The Liebe Group facility sits on the location of the original Dalwallinu Post Office on the land that was kindly donated to the Liebe Group by Elma and Noddy Southcott. This project has been made possible through funding from the National Stronger Regions Fund, Royalties for Regions Regional Grants Scheme, GRDC and through pledges from Liebe Group members and supporters. We thank all of those who have contributed to this fantastic facility and look forward to celebrating with you at the Official Opening Event on Thursday 9th August.


The Liebe Group request the pleasure of your company at the

G r a n d O p e n i n g o f THE LIEBE GROUP

AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION FACILITY

THURSDAY 9TH AUGUST, 2018

2:15 - 4:00PM

17 JOHNSTON ST, DALWALLINU

FRIDAY 27TH [email protected] OR CALL (08) 9661 1907

DATE:

TIME:

LOCATION:

RSVP:

REFRESHMENTS AND CANAPES WILL BE SERVED FROM 4PM

You’re Invited


W O M E N ' S F I E L D D A Y 2 0 1 8 A S U C C E S S

O n Tuesday 19th June over 130 women from Geraldton to Kulin and everywhere in between, gathered together to attend the annual Liebe Group Women’s Field Day. The event is aimed at increasing the management capacity of women to build a sustainable future for their families, farm businesses and the agricultural industry.

A variety of speakers filled the agenda with topics ranging from technology in agriculture and Controlled Traffic Farming (CTF), to succession planning, business diversification and being comfortable with your own body. Comments from the women included “I found the day to be very inspirational” and “I loved hearing from different small businesses in rural locations, and the struggles they have faced”.

The day started with Natalie Browning who shared her journey of travelling the world, to running a continual cropping enterprise, to her most recent achievement; becoming the first female Director on the CBH Group Board. Her words resonated with many women as she shared the struggles and successes of juggling a career with motherhood and running a farm business.

Georgina Day, Rabobank Dalwallinu Rural Manager and member of the Liebe Group Women’s Committee commented that “it was fantastic to hear so many inspiring women speak about their paths to successful careers as rural women. Natalie Browning was an amazing presenter who showed the roles women play both on and off farm and was an asset to the day.”

Tanya Dupagne, a Kulin local and Western Australian Rural Woman of the Year for 2017, shared her story of how she is making a difference to hundreds of thousands of children through the work at Camp Kulin. Tanya uses the camp to provide children from across the state with a chance to learn life skills and increase their self-esteem. She is now expanding to include camps for women which aim to give women the opportunity to try something new in a supportive environment.

Kelsea Pipe, Dalwallinu, and Cate Cail, Dalwallinu

Natalie Browning, CBH, presenting at Women's Field Day

Carmel Ross, Bindoon Estate, and Hannah Budge, Buntine.

Jessica McCartney, CBH, Maree Gooch, SafeFarms WA, and Natalie Browning, CBH


Before morning tea, Kate Tonkin of Real Food Real You spoke about the struggles many women face when it comes to their own bodies. Narelle Dodd, Liebe Group Women's Committee Chair says "listening to Kate talk about the desperation that so many women from all over the world and varying cicumstances live with, not enjoying their lives, or spending time with their children because they loathe their bodies so much, it's heartbreaking." There was passion in Kate's words as she delivered very pointed and guiding advice of how she strives to help these women, giving them the confidence to take the first steps towards loving their bodies.

Following morning tea the attendees heard from guest speaker Natasha Ayers, Co-Founder of AgriStart. Natasha shared how her background growing up on a farm in Cunderdin sparked her passion for sustainable agriculture and technology.

It was this passion for ag-tech that led Natasha to co-found AgriStart, a company which focuses on supporting commercialisation and innovation in the agricultural industry. Natasha shared with the audience some of AgriStart’s recent successes including running a series of regional innovation workshops and WA’s first AgTech Accelerator program. She also provided a summary of what is happening in the ag-tech space including the deluge of drone technology and agricultural robotics such as SwarmFarm Robotics. In Natasha’s closing remarks she shared her belief that diversification means finding the best path will require multiple paths.

A succession planning discussion panel was a highlight for many with Maree Gooch, Belay Consulting facilitating the discussion. Rabobank’s Succession Planning Facilitator, Rosemary Bartle shared with the audience the importance of having a plan in place even though it might not seem like you need one while Mel Adams of Pacer Legal stressed the importance of having a Will. Wendy Sawyer of Wimmera Farm and Ellen Walker of Warranine Farm added a personal touch to the conversation with both women having gone through succession in the past with their own family farms. One comment that stood out for Liebe Group Women’s Committee member Heidi Carlhausen was from Rosemary Bartle – “Q: How do you keep emotions aside in succession? A: You don’t, you accept that they are a part of succession and it’s ok to be emotional but you also concentrate on what needs to be done to move forward and progress”.

Tanya Dupagne, Camp Kulin, Natalie Browning, CBH, Kate Tonkin, Real Food Real You, and Narelle Dodd, Liebe Group Women's Committee Chair

Natasha Ayers, AgriStart, presenting at Women's Field Day

Cathy Northover, Liebe Group Women's Committee, and Nicky Brennan, Rustic Events

Katrina Sasse, Morawa, and Amy Fuchsbichler, CBH

Maree Gooch, SafeFarms WA, Mel Adams, Pacer Legal, Rosemary Bartle, Rabobank, Wendy Saywer, Wimmera Farm, and Ellen Walker, Warranine Farm talking about succession planning at Women's Field Day

MEMBER NEWS


MEMBER NEWS

Other presenters for the day included Kate Tonkin from Real Food Real You on body confidence, Bindi Isbister from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development on CTF, Tracy Lefroy from Cranmore Home on the logistics of an online business and a series of presentations from small business owners Robyn Cousins from Manavi Farm Pasturised Eggs, Cathy Northover from Wheatbelt, and Sharnee Beard from Wild Strawberry Catering.

Narelle Dodd, Liebe Group Women’s Committee Chair says “this year’s Women’s Field Day was a fabulous event; we had so many inspiring speakers that have achieved incredible personal achievements or courageously started businesses all out of self-belief and a passion for what they love or to help others. They were so empowering to listen to, and we had a room of 136 people that now have so many new “tools” to utilise in their lives, families and farming businesses; to have the courage and knowledge to take the brave step forward and follow their ambitions.”

The Liebe Group would like to thank Diamond Partners RSM, Rabobank, CSBP, AFGRI and CBH Group who are also Event Partners. Thanks to Foodworks Dalwallinu, Agrimaster and Bindoon Estate who assisted with additional sponsorship for elements of the event. Thanks to the Liebe Women’s Committee for their efforts in creating this successful day and the Liebe men who assisted in the kitchen to serve the fantastic lunch catered by Wild Strawberry Catering.

Alan Meldrum, GrainGrowers, assisting with lunch at Women's Field Day

Ladies from Mingenew enjoying the Women's Field Day

Lucky door prize donated by Wheatbelt Succulents

Grazing boards by Wild Strawberry Catering

Ross Fitzsimons, Liebe Group President, assisting with lunch at Women's Field Day

Tracy Lefroy, Cranmore Home, presenting on the logistics of an online business


w o r k e x p e r i e n c e w i t h t h e l i e b e g r o u p

Ya-Chun Yu (Christine)Student of UWAMaster Candidate of Agricultural Science

MEMBER NEWS

Th i s is the second year of my Master of Agricultural Science study at the University of Western Australia (UWA), with my first year doing coursework and this year commencing research project in pasture physiology. Not typically from a farming background, and with a fundamentally different farming system back home in Taiwan (mostly intensive and irrigated farming), I realize putting the theory I have learnt at university into hands-on experiences is a must do before I graduate. I was very lucky to get the chance to have my very first work experience with the Liebe Group and I truly learnt a lot during those five days.

UWA student of MSc, Ag. Sc, Ya-Chun Yu (Christine).

Before coming to Dalwallinu, I had a few conversations with people from different fields, mentioning my excitement about the visit. For people not from a farming background or not specialized in the agricultural industry, it is difficult to understand exactly what goes on in rural areas. The truth is, there are numerous activities happening in the region and the people there have great capacity for carrying out multiple roles in their area.

I was very impressed by the prosperity of ‘small’ businesses, the boom of local women’s success in the area and the ability the Liebe Group itself has. Take Robyn Cousins’ Manavi Farm Pastured Eggs business for example (the one session I had time to attend in the afternoon of the Liebe Women’s Field Day). Robyn’s presentation highlighted how she manages her pastured egg business alongside the core business of the farm and at the same time maintains a work-life balance with her family. Robyn’s pastured egg business has become so popular that she keeps receiving new requests for her product, all the way from the wheatbelt to Perth city and even Rockingham. She explained how she would like to expand the flock, but only to a certain scale that she can still have some time off for herself and her family. Her story also showed me the potential for pastured egg businesses in other Wheatbelt areas and essentially other niche markets that could be developed in the Wheatbelt, so more benefits can be created for farming businesses and for farming families.

While participating in the Women’s Field Day, I met three UWA female alumni (Natasha Ayers, AgriStart; Bindi Isbister, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development; and Rebecca Wallis, Insight Agricultural Consulting and the Liebe Group). Their achievements in different agriculture sectors convince me of the various possibilities of my future career.

Perspectives and Realities


MEMBER NEWS

Also, I was totally amazed by the amount of work the Liebe Group team can take on with the limited human resources they have. With only three full time staff and two part time staff members, the team was successful in receiving funding for (and managing) multiple research trials this year as well as fulfilling its many other tasks, which include publishing monthly comprehensive newsletters and running events. Not to mention the Liebe Group’s members are spread across a large area of the Wheatbelt, where their services and consideration need to reach. This emphasized to me the importance of networking, communication and empowerment both with grower members and with project collaborators (which I personally need to learn a lot from). Alana communicating with the grower about what measurements

are needed and the methods we use on a trial site.

Growers and Agronomy

I was lucky to have the chance to meet a few farmers whilst working alongside Alana Hartley, Liebe Group Research and Development Coordinator. On the day I arrived, we visited Gavin Carter for a project survey, focusing on choosing survey paddocks for a GRDC project focused on plant establishment; and on the Thursday, we talked to Scott Bowman and his father Ian, after finishing trial site plant counts at one of the GRDC legume demonstration sites. The communication between Alana and the growers covered a wide range of topics, from rainfall to herbicide application/management to plant development and trial management. This shows me how knowledgeable the farmers are, being the grass-roots agronomists with years of experience in the field. As a field-based research officer, Alana demonstrated a great amount of in-depth knowledge and research capacity during our visits. She was able to answer a wide variety of questions while prompting information exchange and recording growers’ on-site activities. She also showed me how multitasking her role can and needs to be, with great time management, communication and coordination skills and the courage to omit and compensate (to make the ‘right’ decision on time to achieve objectives).

I was able to gain some insight into field trials, especially:• How local trials are decided – the needs emerge among grower members, in daily tasks, communication,

meetings and workshops, that are prioritized after consultation and discussion (within the Liebe Group R&D committee).

• How local trials are proposed and run – the chosen trials are proposed to current or potential partners of the Group; and trials are often hosted and facilitated (such as sowing, spraying etc.) by Liebe Group members or implemented through industry partnerships.

• What measurements and information are needed – it depends heavily on the project objectives, but generally includes sowing rate, plant development stage, plant and weed numbers, rainfall records, soil tests, yield data and more; knowledge of chemicals (e.g. herbicides, fungicides) are essential.


Lastly, I observed a wide spread of technology usage among growers. Like we all know and as discussed at the Women’s Field Day, adoption of new practices and equipment updates takes time. Yet I saw growers using multiple technologies in the field, including using apps to record farm activities and to get some real-time information; applying mouldboard ploughing to overcome non-wetting soil issue in the country; and running modern seeding and spraying equipment.

High crop density of Canola shows less weed competition, especially on the row, noticed during plant counts on one trial site.

Acknowledgment

I would like to take this chance to send my special thanks to Bec for facilitating my work experience with the Liebe Group, to Alana for answering my millions of stupid questions and to all the staff, members and professionals I met during this journey. You have all helped me to have a better understanding of the reality in the industry.

The mouldboard plough (red). The soil condition before (white, non-wetting) and after (brown, red loamy) mouldboard ploughed in the field (Bowman's famr).

The John Deere steered head air seeder.

The seeder in action (steered seeding).

MEMBER NEWS


t h e b u z z a r o u n d s wa r m fa r m

Boyd CarterLiebe Group Member and Nuffield Scholar

MEMBER NEWS

O n the fifth of March I had the privilege of visiting SwarmFarm. This was one of my top places to visit after hearing Andrew Bates speak at GrainGrowers Innovation Generation in 2014. It really perked my interest for robotic farming.

As I pulled into the property, with my tech hat on, I got my first glimpse of the Swambot using weedseeker technology moving on a slightly undulating black soil. After five minutes of meeting and talking with Andrew, I realised I should have been wearing my farmers hat. So, we proceeded to jump in his Ute and follow the Swarmbot up and down the paddock. As all farmers know, the best exchange of information happens when driving around.


SwarmFarm employs 13 workers. All software is designed on farm as hardware development. As we watched the SwarmFarm vehicle go through the motions of spraying, I took note of how stable the machine was. Coming to the realisation that if you took the boom out to 12m rather than 8m you would lose that stability. Discussing this with Andrew he said, “there are many people asking for a 12m boom but I’m reluctant to do it for that exact reason.”

This lead into what type of guidance systems where being use. The machine has three cameras at the front which can be 2D or 3D for detecting obstacles. “The industry is bringing out new sensors every day,” Andrew said. “We stuck with the cameras because if we kept changing we would still be trying to get a working product.”

The next step is incorporating radar. This will determine the density of objects allowing the difference between high growing weeds, rocks and power poles. The last thing a farmer want to see is the biggest radish plants on the paddock getting missed! This prompted me to ask “what about crab holes? Can it see a hole below the ground surface? Which Andrew replied “No, but we will have to look into that.”

Some of the attachment technology SwarmFarm has been looking into are weed seeking technology, which they have up and running. They have also looked into microwave technology and are continuing to watch this technology as it develops, but noted it has a high energy demand. This technology has the ability to reduce chemical but what is the pay off, what do you think? For all those asking what the effect is on the microbes by the microwaves? Well yes it does kill off the microbes but within a few hours they back in higher numbers.

Green seeking technology I think will change the game of crop growing. Just think, if you’re a patient in a hospital and you’re getting the same treatment as the five people next to you, this is not ideal. Yet, this is how we treat crops at the present time. Where I see green seeking technology going is each plant (like a hospital patient) would get an individual tailored treatment.

MEMBER NEWS


w o r k e x p e r i e n c e w i t h t h e l i e b e g r o u p

Braden HayesCurtin University Agribusiness student

A fter two very busy weeks of work with the Liebe Group, it’s fair to say I have a new realized respect and admiration for grower groups and Not For Profit’s. Over the last three years of my study I have undertaken work placements in a broad range of areas and often been disappointed by the lack of experienced gained. The Liebe Group has been anything but, the professionalism and organization has been second to none with a structured plan set out for my time spent here. It’s been great to get out in to the field completing a number of plant counts in Liebe run and co-operative trials, spend time meeting with growers and talking to many members over the phone as well as doing a variety of tasks in the office. Most notably, examining every forecast site and radar we can find to try and find a window to get out into the paddock.

A massive thanks to Bec, Danielle and Alana who have been so welcoming and helpful, and running a tight ship during my time. Particular thanks to Bec for her efforts in organizing my time here so well and giving me freedom to complete tasks in areas of interest, which has allowed me to get the most out of this experience.

Finally, thanks to all the members I met and spoke to and good luck to everyone for season 2018!

MEMBER NEWS


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EVENTS


EVENTS


EVENTS

The Department of Regional Development and Primary Industries is offering free business management training to primary producer and food processing businesses. Known as the Plan, Prepare, Prosper suite, these workshops assist businesses to develop strategies to manage risk and maximise opportunities for profit.

These workshops are being offered as a one day training opportunity or as part of a five or six day program that will help you build a comprehensive strategic plan for your business.

‘Introduction to strategic planning’ will help you examine how and why successful businesses make a point of planning and you will be introduced to tools that will help you analyse your own business and the factors that influence its success or failure.

Department ofPrimary Industries andRegional Development

Introduction to strategic planningPlan, Prepare, Prosper

Who’s the workshop for?If you’re working in a primary producer or food processing business and want to improve your understanding of your businesses, unique strengths, opportunities and challenges to best position yourself for a profitable future, Introduction to Strategic planning is a great starting point.

By the end of this workshop you will have:• Explored what your business really needs

to do for you and your family.• Discussed strategies for improving

communication• Examined the key elements of a strategic

plan for your business• Applied two business analysis tools to your

business• Reviewed risks unique to your business.

Date: 19 July 2018

Venue: New Norcia

Contact: Ann Maree O'Callaghan 0408 603 126 or [email protected]

This workshop is free! Register today


e n d o f f i n a n c i a l y e a r a n d u t i l i s at i o n o f fa r m m a n a g e m e n t d e p o s i t s

Glynn JuddSenior ManagerRSM

PARTNER UPDATES

Th e end of the financial year (EOFY) provides an opportunity to reflect on successes and potential areas for improvement, as well as the burden of tax time. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has again put small businesses on notice that they’ll be paying special attention to work-related deductions. It’s essential for accountants to know what their clients can rightfully claim. Getting it wrong, either by accident or overclaiming more than the business is entitled to, can open you up to being audited and, potentially, prosecuted.

In the 2016/2017 financial year, the ATO changed its threshold for small businesses from an annual turnover of $2 million to an annual turnover of $10 million. This means many more businesses fall under the SME banner, making them potentially eligible for more tax deductions but also putting them directly in the ATO’s sights.

SME’s should work more closely with their accountants throughout the year, not just at tax time, to provide the right advice based on a thorough understanding of the business and its issues and opportunities as they present themselves.

That understanding is more important than ever now that the ATO is using data analytics to sniff out cases of tax fraud. These systems can identify unusual claims or discrepancies in returns, and red flag certain businesses for further investigation.

Too often, a business isn’t even aware that there is an issue until it receives an audit notification. This can create significant stress for the business owners and can also put a strain on their relationship with their accountant.

Advice from accountants doesn’t have to be limited to tax: good accountants will help businesses identify and set their strategic goals for the next financial year so that they hit the ground running, as well as mapping out a path towards achieving those goals.

When it comes to avoiding trouble at tax time this year, there are four key things businesses should consider:

Accountants can perform a tax health check to confirm their clients are compliant with all relevant taxation requirements and legislation, as well as identify the best tax minimisation strategies for the client. It’s crucial to balance the business’s need to minimise tax with the risk of being audited or potentially facing prosecution

Get a tax health check


PARTNER UPDATES

Some business structures are set up in the early days of the business and then never reviewed again, even though circumstances may have change. In other cases, structures are set up for other reasons such as to streamline succession or estate planning or provide an income stream for family members. As different business structures are taxed differently, it’s essential to review the structure to ensure it still reflects the current and future needs of the business and to ensure it’s optimised for tax purposes.

Review the business structure

Accountants have a responsibility to review all client records before accepting clients’ tax deduction claims at face value. Payroll tax, land tax, and fringe benefits tax (FBT) are just three examples of areas that can be tricky.

Determine the circumstances of claims

Accounting in many cases no longer include a heavy burden of manual work. Clients can access cloud-based tools such as payroll and accounting systems that make it simple to get the numbers right. This can help minimise errors when it comes to claiming expenses, and it can make it easier for accountants to automatically apply tax policies as applicable.

Automate systems where possible

Farm Management Deposits (FMD’s) continue to be a valuable option to assist Primary Producers average their taxable incomes between good and bad years, by allowing Primary Producers to claim a tax deduction for an FMD in an income year in which it is deposited.

As a boost to Primary Producers, 2 years ago on the 1 July 2016, the Government announced measures to improve the FMD Scheme to:

Farm Management Deposits

The eligibility test to allow access to the FMD scheme, were also updated. To be eligible for the FMD scheme you must:

• Increase the maximum deposit amount for FMD’s held by an individual from $400,000 to $800,000;• Allow FMD’s to be used as an offset account against primary production business debt, potentially

increasing an FMD’s total return to the business; there has been minimal update of this with banks to date and;

• Re-establish early access to FMD’s for Primary Producers being affected by drought.

• Be carrying on a primary production business at the time you make a deposit; and retention of the primary production status

• Be an individual (including as a partner in a partnership or beneficiary of a trust; a shareholder in a company is not eligible), and;

• Have taxable non-primary production income that does not exceed $100,000 in the year the deposit is made


PARTNER UPDATES

There are also several basic rules governing the use of the FMD scheme. Failure to comply with any of these rules will result in a deposit not satisfying the requirement to be considered as an FMD. These basic rules are:

• You must make the deposit with an FMD provider;• The deposit can only be on behalf of one individual. Deposits held in the name of two or more people

are not recognised as FMDs;• The minimum deposit or repayment is $1,000;• The maximum deposit or repayment is $800,000, and;• The tax deduction allowable in an income year is limited to the taxable income derived from a primary

production income in that year.

In addition to the above rules, there are also rules which govern the ability to claim a tax deduction for an FMD deposited during an income year. A tax deduction will be denied if:

• You die during the year, or;• You become bankrupt during the year, or;• Before the end of the year you stop carrying on a primary production business for 120 days or more.

If you have any queries regarding the FMD scheme, please contact Glynn, Keiran or Judy at our office on (08) 9651 1606.


n o m i n at i o n s o p e n f o r 2 0 1 8 a g r i b u s i n e s s l e a d e r s h i p awa r d s

Denise ShawHead of Media RelationsRabobank

N o m i n ati o n s have opened for this year’s Rabobank Leadership Awards recognising outstanding individual achievement, and contribution to, Australia and New Zealand’s food, beverage and agribusiness industries.

The two industry accolades – the Rabobank Leadership Award and the Rabobank Emerging Leader Award – are awarded annually to an accomplished leader in the agricultural sector and to an up-and-coming leader.

Last year’s Rabobank Leadership Award went to agricultural industry luminary David Crombie AM for his outstanding contribution to the food, beverage and agribusiness sectors. Now in its thirteenth year, the award is presented to individual who has built an expansive career in management and leadership in Australian or New Zealand agriculture and has, as a senior executive, led sustained growth and commercial success while demonstrating a wider commitment to the broader community.

The Rabobank Emerging Leader Award, introduced in 2013, acknowledges the contribution and role of up-and-coming farmers, and those in the wider agribusiness sector, who demonstrate strong leadership potential. Winner of the 2017 award was Nathan Free, managing director of Victoria’s largest organic farming operation Duralgai Horticultural.

Announcing the opening of nominations for the 2018 awards, Rabobank Australia CEO Peter Knoblanche urged those involved in the agricultural sector to nominate peers and, in doing so, recognise their leadership and positive contribution to the future growth and prosperity of the sector.

PARTNER UPDATES

Mr Knoblanche encouraged those involved in agricultural industry groups to, in particular, foster up-and-coming young leaders in their sector by nominating them for the Rabobank Emerging Leader Award.

“The leadership awards are not only an opportunity to shine a light on those who already make a significant contribution to Australia and New Zealand’s food and agribusiness industries, but to foster the next generation of industry leaders who will take the sector forward in the future,” he said.


PARTNER UPDATES

Past winners of the Emerging Leader Award were fresh leaf herb producer Jan Vydra, South Australian viticulturist Zachary Caudo, Queensland beef producer Bryce Camm (from Camm Agricultural Group) and Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology CEO Georgie Aley.

Previous recipients of the Rabobank Leadership Award included Australian and New Zealand food and agri corporate leaders Sir Graeme Harrison, John Watson, Max Ould, John McLean, Nick Burton-Taylor, Robert Hill-Smith, Barry Irvin and Sir George Fistonich, as well as leading food scientists Dr Bruce Lee and Dr Jim Peacock, and Australian industry representative Mick Keogh.

Nominations for this year’s awards close on August 10, 2018, with the winner to be announced at the annual Rabobank Leadership Awards dinner, to be held in Sydney on Thursday, October 11, 2018.

The winner of the Emerging Leader Award will receive a place on the Rabobank Executive Development Program, a leading farm business management program designed to equip primary producers to take their businesses to the next level.

2017 Rabobank Leadership Award recipient David Crombie

2017 Rabobank Emerging Leader Nathan Free

Nominations for both awards, together with the judging criteria, can be made on the Rabobank Leadership Awards website at www.rabobankleadershipawards.com


f l e x i - n t i m i n g a n d p o ta s s i u m p l a c e m e n t

Angus McAlpineDalwallinu Area ManagerCSBP

PARTNER UPDATES

K ey Messages• Improved nitrogen uptake from Flexi-N (FN) banded at seeding

compared to applying nitrogen before seeding.• Additional nitrogen in June was very profitable.• There was no response to potassium.

AimTo compare the effectiveness of Flexi-N applied before seeding, banded below the seed and applied post seeding, and to determine the benefits of banded potassium.

BackgroundIntensive cropping rotations and the movement (e.g. windowing), removal (e.g. hay) and burning of stubbles within paddocks has increased the occurrence of potassium (K) deficiencies. Furthermore the increased incidence of drought stress conditions in season limits the effectiveness of topdressed fertilisers (and availability of soil nutrient reserves), and increases the dependence upon banded fertiliser inputs. Adequate K nutrition is important to maximise water and nutrient use efficiency.

Trial Details Property Ardoch, East BalliduPlot size & replication 20m x 2.5m x 3 replicationsSoil type Grey yellow sandSoil pH (CaCl2) See soil test results belowEC (dS/m) See soil test results belowSowing date 20/05/2015Seeding rate 60 kg/ha Mace wheatPaddock rotation 2012 pasture, 2013 wheat, 2014 canola

Fertiliser01/04/2015: 40 kg/ha Muriate of Potash20/05/2015: treatments as below29/06/2015: 50 L/ha Flexi-N (treatments 5,6,7,8 only)

Herbicides20/05/2015: 1.8 L/ha Roundup Powermax, 118 g/ha Sakura, 300 mL/ha Lontrel 29/06/2015: 800 mL/ha Velocity + oil

Growing season rainfall 237mm (April-September)


Soil Test Results

Depth (cm)

pH(CaCl2)

EC(dS/m)

OC(%)

Nit N(mg/kg)

Amm N(mg/kg)

P(mg/kg)

PBIK

(mg/kg)

S(mg/kg)

0-10 6.2 0.17 0.6 16 2 26 22 45 7210-20 4.8 0.04 0.2 1 2 34 18 30 1220-30 5.1 0.02 0.1 1 1 3 27 43 1830-40 5.8 0.02 0.1 1 1 3 28 49 1440-50 6.3 0.02 0.2 1 1 6 32 32 9

PARTNER UPDATES

Results

Table 1: The effect of fertiliser on yield and quality at Ballidu in 2015. Treatment Harvest

April IBS* Band Banded Z23 Yield Prot. HL Wt Scr.Trt (kg/ha) (L/ha) (L/ha) (kg/ha) (L/ha) N P K (t/ha) (%) (kg/hL) (%)1 - - - - - 0 0 0 1.22d 8.3c 76 52 - - 80 K-Till Extra Plus - 8 8 11 1.53c 8.2c 76 43 - 50 FN** - 80 K-Till Extra Plus - 29 8 11 1.80b 8.5bc 77 44 - - 50 FN 80 K-Till Extra Plus - 29 8 11 1.91b 8.7b 77 55 - - - 80 K-Till Extra Plus 50 FN 29 8 11 1.90b 8.2c 76 46 - - 50 FN 58 Agstar Extra 50 FN 50 8 0 2.20a 9.5a 77 47 - - 50 FN 80 K-Till Extra Plus 50 FN 50 8 11 2.14a 9.4a 78 48 40 MoP - 50 FN 58 Agstar Extra 50 FN 50 8 20 2.12a 8.9b 76 3 P value <0.001 <0.001 0.13 0.55 LSD 0.20 0.47 NS NS

*IBS = Incorporated by sowing, **FN = Flexi N

.Figure 1: Nitrogen (N) uptake to 14 July at Ardoch, east Ballidu.


Economic Analysis

Table 2: Economic analysis of fertiliser treatments ($/ha) at Ballidu, 2015.Treatment Harvest Fertiliser Economics

April IBS* Band Banded Z23 Yield Response Cost ProfitTrt (kg/ha) (L/ha) (L/ha) (kg/ha) (L/ha) (t/ha) ($/ha) ($/ha) ($/ha)1 - - - - - 1.22d - - -2 - - 80 K-Till Extra Plus - 1.53c 76 67 83 - 50 FN** - 80 K-Till Extra Plus - 1.80b 140 105 354 - - 50 FN 80 K-Till Extra Plus - 1.91b 168 100 675 - - - 80 K-Till Extra Plus 50 FN 1.90b 164 105 596 - - 50 FN 58 Agstar Extra 50 FN 2.20a 236 117 1197 - - 50 FN 80 K-Till Extra Plus 50 FN 2.14a 222 139 838 40 MoP - 50 FN 58 Agstar Extra 50 FN 2.12a 218 150 68 P value <0.001 LSD 0.20

Economics based on current fertiliser list prices including freight, $250/t for wheat.*IBS = Incorporated by sowing, **FN = Flexi N

CommentsPlant tests showed that banding Flexi-N at seeding improved the plant uptake of nitrogen (N) compared to the IBS treatment (Figure 1). Harvest results also indicated increased effectiveness from banded Flexi-N but differences were not statistically significant.

The most profitable treatments had a 50 L/ha Flexi-N top up in June. Low grain protein indicated that yield potential was not achieved and that the crop may have responded to more N.

The site was not K responsive. Soil tests only indicated marginal K and plant tests confirmed that K was not limiting.

CSBP trials have shown that soil sampling to 30cm gives a better prediction of K requirements than just sampling the surface 10cm.

AcknowledgementsCSBP Field Research.The Hood family.

Paper reviewed by: James Easton, Field Research Manager, CSBP.

Contact:Angus McAlpine, [email protected] 222 419

PARTNER UPDATES


INDUSTRY RESEARCH

y i e l d l o s s t o a p h i d s

Marty HarriesResearch OfficerDPIRD

Svetlana MicicResearch OfficerDPIRD

K ey messages 1. Feeding damage from cabbage aphids caused 10% yield loss for

every 1cm of spikelet colonised (trial1)

2. Green peach aphids (GPA) caused little yield loss from feeding damage (trial 2)

3. Beet western yellows virus (BWYV) is transmitted by GPA and can cause up to 40% yield loss.

IntroductionThere have been concerns that the yield loss of canola to aphids is underestimated. There are two main mechanisms whereby aphids cause yield loss;1. Feeding damage, by species such as cabbage or turnip aphid, which

colonise flowering and podding spikelets.2. Infection with virus; of particular concern is green peach aphid

(GPA) transmitting beet western yellows virus (BWYV). In 2014 this virus caused widespread damage to South Australian canola crops.

Two trials were run at the DPIRD Geraldton research facility to assess the feeding damage by cabbage aphid (trial 1) and green peach aphid (trial 2).

Significant feeding damage by cabbage aphid (trial 1)

Feeding damage of cabbage aphid on canola was assessed in a 2015 trial at Geraldton.

Treatments included four insecticide spray regimes;1. Unsprayed (no insecticide) 2. One spray: applied at six leaf stage3. Two sprays: at six leaf stage and big bud stage4. Three sprays: control treatment, low aphid numbers.

Aphids were found at the site from 28 May and built up to very high numbers by the end of July (Figure 2). The length of the flowering canola spikelet colonised was measured on three dates and showed that the aphid infestation varied with less aphids for each additional insecticide spray (Table 1).

Date of inspection (days after sowing)

Insecticide treatment 16 July (79) 23 July (86) 30 July (93)

Unsprayed 3.2 4.7 5.5

1 spray: 6 leaf 2.6 3.8 4.6

2 spray: 6 leaf + big bud stage

1.7 2.4 3.1

3 spray: Control (low aphids) timing

2.1 1.9 1.8

Lsd 1.1 0.8 1.2

NS P<0.00 1

P<0.00 1

Table 1: Length of stem infested with aphids (cm).


Biomass cuts confirmed visual observations of significant reduction in plant growth with increasing aphid numbers (Figure 1).

Figure 1: DPIRD research officer Marty Harries between an untreated plot infested with cabbage aphids (left), and a plot sprayed with insecticide (right), on 4 August 2015.

Yield and seed oil (%) were also significantly reduced with increasing aphid pressure (Table 2). In this trial, approximately 10% of yield was lost for every 1cm of spikelet covered in cabbage aphids, at the end of July (Figure 3).

Table 2 Seed yield (kg/ha) and oil concentration in seed (%) increased with insecticide treatments.

Yield (kg/ha) Oil (%)

Unsprayed 347 38.8

1 spray (6 leaf) 464 39.3

2 spray (6 leaf/big bud) 643 41.8

3 spray (Control - nil aphids) 888 43.7

Lsd 294 2.2

F Prob P<0.05 P<0.05

Figure 2: Relationship between average length of cabbage aphid colony on spikelet and yield loss.

The second trial to investigate feeding damage of GPA was sown on 12 April 2016 at Geraldton. Aphids free of virus were introduced at staggered times during the season (Table 3). The trial was located inside insect proof tents (Figure 3).

Table 3: Timing of GPA introductions.

No significant feeding damage from green peach aphid (trial 2)

Treatments1. Control (no aphids)2. Early (27 May) aphid introduction3. Mid (21 June) aphid introduction4. Late (19 July) aphid introduction

Figure 3: Insect proof tents for trials determining feeding damage of GPA without virus effects.

Aphid populations responded as expected and numbers were highest in the tents with the earliest introduction of aphids (Figure 4).

Figure 4: Aphid population dynamics from different dates of introduction; Early = 27 May, Mid = 21 June, Late = 19 July, control = Nil.

INDUSTRY RESEARCH


INDUSTRY RESEARCH

Yield was not significantly affected by the timing of aphid introduction (Figure 5); however, yield and grain weight were lowest in the treatment with the earliest introduction of aphids (and the largest aphid population).

Figure 5: Average single plant yield at each aphid introduction time.

It is important to determine the species of aphid colonising the plant and likelihood of virus infection to manage aphids effectively.

Insecticide application is warranted if cabbage or turnip aphids colonise plants early. The current threshold for insecticide application is more than 20% of plants infested with colonies of cabbage or turnip aphids. The additional information of 10% yield loss from each cm of spikelet colonised can be used as a rough estimate of yield that will be protected by insecticide application.

Green peach aphids transmit beet western yellows virus and yield losses to BWYV are greater if they infect plants at young growth stages Insecticide seed dressings will decrease likelihood of colonisation of GPA in higher risk situations, where there was a green bridge over summer.

Consider controlling GPA up to the early reproductive plant stage only if crops are not outgrowing feeding damage. GPA readily develop resistance to insecticides.

Management conclusions

• Aphid management in canola crops Agric.wa.gov.au/n/2728

• Cabbage aphid feeding damage trial 2015 agric.wa.gov.au/n/5267

• Green peach aphid feeding damage trial 2016 agric.wa.gov.au/n/6120

Further information


INDUSTRY RESEARCH

c e r e a l a p h i d s h a r b o u r u n wa n t e d c r o p d i s e a s e s

Svetlana MicicResearch OfficerDPIRD

Risk of yellow dwarf viruses (YDV) being vectored by aphids into cereal crops is dependent on a green bridge. If there was a green bridge in your area and you did not use an insecticide seed dressing then this increases the risk of BYDV infection. Tolerant varieties are the most effective way of combating the viruses. The effect of the disease on yield depends on the viral species or strain, time of infection and rate of spread, severe losses approaching 80% occur when cereals are infected early and this usually coincides with a green bridge consisting of volunteer cereals and grasses is present in proximity to a germinating crop. BYDV symptoms can be similar to nutritional deficiencies such as zinc.

Direct feeding damage from aphids occurs when colonies of aphids develop on stems, leaves and heads, usually in the tillering and later stages of crop growth through to head filling. The degree of damage depends particularly on the percentage of tillers infested, the number of aphids per tiller and the duration of the infestation. If low numbers of aphids are observed, wait until threshold levels are reached before considering control options.

Barley crops are most at risk from aphids due to the possibility of downgrading from malt to feed quality, as aphid feeding damage can cause grain shrivelling. If 50 per cent of tillers have 15 or more aphids then the feeding damage may cause reductions in yields by up to 10 per cent and also reduce grain size.The Winter/Spring insecticide guide can be found under the documents listed at:https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/crop-diseases/pestfax-newsletter

Cereal crops

Role of beneficial organisms

Predators such as parasitic wasps, hover flies and ladybirds will also increase with warming weather. If on close inspection the aphids look shiny and bloated, it means they have been parasitised by wasps. These predators can keep aphid populations below threshold levels.

Dense aphid colonies are prone to fungal pathogens. Aphids infected by fungi are sluggish and have white to yellow ‘fur’ covering their bodies. The fungus can readily spread throughout aphid colonies. The fungus especially is more effective in decreasing aphid populations than chemical control.

Figure 1: Adult cereal aphids and nimphs

Figure 2: Barley Yellow Dwarfy Virus (BYDV) in wheat - can be easily misdiagnosed for nutrient deficiencies if not identified correctly


l i v e s h e e p e x p o r t s u s p e n s i o n

Bruce MullanDirector, Sheep Industry DevelopmentDPIRD

3rd July 2018

NEWS

Th e Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is working to support Western Australia’s sheep industry following the recent suspension of Emanuel Exports’ live export licence and the decision of Livestock Shipping Services to halt shipments for the northern summer.

The Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) suspended the live export licence of Emanuel Exports on 22 June, leaving about 55,000 sheep in the supply chain, held at feedlots in Baldivis. The sheep were scheduled for export to the Middle East last Sunday, 24 June. There is sufficient feed for these sheep and there are no immediate animal welfare concerns.

These sheep have been sourced from more than 200 properties across the State and will not be returned to farms due to the unacceptable biosecurity risk from keeping animals of varying health risk status together (eg. virulent footrot, ovine Johne’s disease, scabby mouth and lice).

WA Government response

The WA Government is working with processors to facilitate options for the sheep currently being held at Baldivis. It is understood key processors are open to processing the sheep, although this would be a commercial arrangement between the parties.

The department recognises the importance of the live export trade to producers’ businesses and has put together a dedicated team to coordinate an effective response. The department continues to liaise with the Federal regulator to stay informed of the latest developments, as they occur.

This week, the department is holding a follow-up meeting with representative producers who first met in May to update and discuss the impact of the current situation. The meeting will include DPIRD Director General Ralph Addis and the Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture and Water Resources Daryl Quinlivan. The meeting will provide a detailed update on the regulatory changes and discussion of industry implications in both the immediate and medium term.


NEWS

The department estimates up to 300,000 WA sheep had been destined for live export over coming months and producers may need to pursue other market avenues for their animals. In the medium and longer term, producers will be considering other options as the regulatory and market environment changes.

DPIRD will provide regular information updates to assist the sector to understand these changing conditions, reduce uncertainties and support producers’ decision-making. The department will focus its immediate efforts in modelling feed requirements and feed reserves to satisfy alternate market and processing specifications. The department will work with industry to model the financial impact and options for producers and longer term possible changes to the structure of the WA flock. Other work will focus on opportunities to develop alternative value chains in the WA sheep meat industry, as well as to continue research to increase the value of sheep meat.

Seasonal impact

Sheep producers in eastern areas of the Great Southern and South Coast have been supplementary feeding sheep for several months, adding a complexity to the situation. Feed availability has become tight and expensive. The next four to six weeks will be crucial, as most shires in the south west land division have no areas with more than 500 kilograms per hectare of food on offer (FOO).

A DPIRD seasonal response group has been monitoring the impact of the season and liaising with industry for several weeks to ensure rural businesses are best equipped to navigate the season. A Season 2018 webpage has been set up with a range of technical information including feed budgeting, condition scoring, climate and weather forecasts. For the first time, producers will also have access to free food on offer (FOO) maps, which are updated weekly. There are also links to the CBH Feed Register and health and wellbeing websites.

The department will also be running a suite of Dry Season workshops in affected areas over coming weeks to discuss the latest modelling, information and tools to help producers make informed decisions about how best to manage their flock and their business.


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w h y t h e y wa n t n e w m a c h i n e ry f o r c o n t r o l l e d t r a f f i c fa r m i n g

K ey Messages• Controlled traffic farming (CTF) matches the operating width and

wheel tracks of farm machinery minimsing the percentage of the paddock driven on that reduces the impact of compaction on plant growth.

• It can require modifying or purchasing of new machinery to develop a fully matched CTF system.

• If the current farm machinery fleet is not well matched planning to upgrade to suitable machinery that will match in line with the farm business machinery investment plan is a good approach. Many successful CTF farms have taken 8-10 years to be fully matched.

Bindi IsbisterResearch OfficerDepartment of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Background

Controlled traffic farming matches the wheels and tracks of all farm machinery to create roads for running machinery. This leaves root beds for crops to grow and access moisture and nutrients increasing yield and quality.

Soil strengths of 2.5mPa that reduce root growth and more than 3.5mPa which restrict root growth only to old plant root channels, are frequently being observed in a range of soil types in WA. In a drying environment where more moisture equals more grain and profit, plant root access to deeper moisture is vital.

Subsoil compaction can be an inherent quality of the soil or induced by machinery. Over the past 10 years in our quest to be more efficient machinery has got heavier; a class 9 header can weigh 30t fully loaded or a new airseeder box 48 t fully loaded. As a result subsoil compaction is getting deeper, often 20-40cm.

All soils compact however the degree to which they compact and how it effects plant growth will vary. In clay soils just confining traffic to permanent wheeltracks allows the natural shrink and swell characteristics of the soil to remove compaction. Soils in WA predominantly have <35% clay and have little capacity to naturally swell and crack to remove compaction. Therefore some form of renovation such as deep ripping is required to remove the hard pan. Other renovation methods such as mould board ploughing or spading to treat nonwetting or incorporate lime will remove shallow compaction to 20-30cm.

Other benefits of CTF include less over lap, less fuel use running on firm tracks, better in crop access in wet conditions, less green house gas emissions and other agronomic opportunities such as inter-row seeding and diverting chaff onto the wheeltracks

Matching machinery for CTF

The aim of controlled traffic farming is to reduce the area of the paddock wheeled. If all wheels match this can be 10-13% of the paddock, compared to a standard notill system that wheels about 45% of the paddock or more.


The ideal machinery matching ratio is 3:1 which works well for smaller widths such as 12.2m seeder and header and a 36.6m sprayer. Wider seeding widths greater than 15m are challenging to match in the header. For larger machinery there is a trade-off between efficiency and compaction management. It is possible to match an 18m seeder with 12.2m header and 36.6m sprayer. In this scenario 18% of the paddock is wheeled and there is some overlap required on the edge of the paddock to line up as many wheels as possible. Now even wider machinery is becoming available such as a 45m sprayer, 24.4m seeder and 18m header front.

The most common wheel track spacing used in CTF is about 3m.The measure of wheel track spacing is between the centres of the right and left hand tyres on a machine. In a fully matched system the front and rear tyre wheel spacings should be the same. Three metres or slightly wider is the header wheel track spacing that is the hardest to modify due to the header being so large a wider wheel based is required to carry the load. The wheel track spacing of other machines is usually about 2m however these can be modified to 3m. It is possible to modify existing machinery relatively cheaply. For example take off a couple of tines on the seeder or put on boomspray extensions to change the operating width or extend axles out to three metres. Care does need to be taken not to void warranties. There is increasingly more new machinery now available from the factory designed to fit a CTF system hence the request to purchase a new machine may be surfacing more frequently than in the past.

Expense of matching machinery is frequently raised as a barrier to adoption but case studies have shown initial costs are about $50 000 to match machinery widths for CTF.

Moving to a fully matched CTF system can be challenging if the farm machinery fleet is not well matched. It may not be economically possible to replace a whole machinery fleet in a short-time . It is recommended changing machinery over in line with than farm machinery replacement schedule. There are many examples of successful CTF farms who have taken 8-10 years to be fully matched.

Guidance system

Another significant purchase for CTF is a guidance system so machines run in the same place each time, this reduces overlap. GPS guidance systems are standard on most machines although generally only sub metre accuracy. A two centimetre Real Time Kinematic system is ideal, although of course is the most expensive, as a base station is required at a fixed location. Machinery dealers are installing their own base station networks making this technology more affordable and also new GPS signals that are about 5cm accuracy are showing good potential.

Planning is essential as the implementation of a CTF does affect every operation on the farm. Layout planning is very important to maximise efficiency of machinery operations and minimise erosion risk. The wheel tracks can act like mini drains and run water therefore its important to think about surface water control measures and maintain the wheel tracks so they don’t get deeper over time. CTF is not a set and forget system, it can evolve overtime as farming practices change and new machinery options become available.

AcknowledgementDPIRD and GRDC project DAW00243 “Minimising the impact of compaction on Crop Yield”Reviewed by: Wayne Parker, DPIRD

Conclusion

DPIRD officer Bindi Isbister presenting on controlled traffic farming system at Liebe Group Women's Field Day.

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T e c h Ta l ks : o n - fa r m a p p s a n d s o f t wa r e

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The DataFarming application allows you to access technology targeting the 5 key pillars of farm productivity - crop/pasture growth, yield, waterlogging, soil variation, and weather impacts.

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Graincast was developed by CSIRO scientists in response to feedback from grain growers about what they needed, and what they liked about their job. It draws on information from satellites, climate forecasts and sensors to eliminate historical crop yields, yield potential and crop species.

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The app is free and available by emailing [email protected]. More information about the app and crop yield forecasts can be found at https://research.csiro.au/graincast


Liebe Group TeamExecutive Officer

Bec McGregor(08) 9661 [email protected]

Administration & Communications Officer

Danielle Hipwell(08) 9661 [email protected]

Research Agronomist & Coordinator

Alana Hartley(08) 9661 [email protected]

Finance Manager

Sophie [email protected]

Development & Support Officer Rebecca Wallis [email protected]

Liebe GroupPO Box 340, Dalwallinu WA 6609Phone: (08) 9661 1907

www.liebegroup.org.au

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Disclaimer: Any recommendations, suggestions or opinions in this publication do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Liebe Group. No person should act on the basis of the contents of this publication without first obtaining specific independent professional advice. The Liebe Group will not be liable for any loss, damage, cost or expense incurred or arising by reason of any person using or relying on the information in this publication. Reproduction of articles is generally permitted, however, please seek approval from the Liebe Group before doing so.

calendar of eventsEvent Date LocationPost Seeding Field Walk

18th July McCreery's Property, Kalannie

Liebe Group Agricultural Education & Research Facility Official Opening

9th August Liebe Office

Spring Field Day

13th September

McCreery's Property, Kalannie

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