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Author: Andrew Cooke

37 results found:
  • Clarity and communication key to keeping quality staff
    Clarity and communication key to keeping quality staff
    Author: Andrew Cooke and Claire Crawford, 2023-10-09T09:00:00+11:00

    Farm enterprises that want to attract and retain high-quality employees must adapt to the times and think carefully about their recruitment processes, experts and growers say. They say that farming businesses that focus on team engagement will perform better and be more productive and profitable.

  • Skin in the game helps to retain quality farm staff
    Skin in the game helps to retain quality farm staff
    Author: Andrew Cooke, 2023-10-03T09:00:00+11:00

    Most of the 11 full-time employees who work on Beau Longmire's 1700-hectare southern NSW grain growing property have some personal investment in parts of the business, and it is this “skin in the game” that he believes helps him to retain quality staff. The approach is currently based on machinery ownership, although Beau sees opportunities for different strategies in the future.

  • New technique provides insights on liming requirements
    New technique provides insights on liming requirements
    Author: Andrew Cooke, 2023-09-04T09:00:00+10:00

    Southern region growers who are battling acidic soils have been given the latest insights into remediation techniques and technology at a workshop in South Australia. The workshop presented trial results and research findings from the ‘Acid Soils SA’ project that is funded by GRDC and led by the South Australian Research and Development Institute.

  • Precision liming takes variability out of the equation
    Precision liming takes variability out of the equation
    Author: Andrew Cooke, 2023-09-01T09:00:00+10:00

    South Australian Wimmera grower David Kuchel, whose properties on either side of the SA–Victorian border experience reliable rainfall of about 450 millimetres per year, has long struggled with extremely variable pH.In recent years, paddock mapping of soil acidity levels has proved a game changer. David is now able to grow crops in paddocks where he previously could not, and enjoys increased yields due to much-reduced soil pH variability.

  • EU changes residue limit for haloxyfop on canola
    EU changes residue limit for haloxyfop on canola
    Author: Andrew Cooke, 2023-06-22T09:00:00+10:00

    The EU has announced it intends to reduce the MRL for haloxyfop on canola from 0.2 milligrams per kilogram to 0.005mg/kg. As a result, Australian canola growers should not use the product in 2023 and beyond.

  • APVMA releases minor use permits for fungus, weeds
    APVMA releases minor use permits for fungus, weeds
    Author: Andrew Cooke, 2023-04-21T09:00:00+10:00

    The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority has issued a number of minor use permits of relevance to grain growers. Minor use permits are issued by the APVMA to legalise the use of a crop protection product in situations where there is insufficient market size or economic return to attract product registrations.

  • Growers urged to be on the look-out for mice
    Growers urged to be on the look-out for mice
    Author: Andrew Cooke, 2023-04-11T09:00:00+10:00

    Likely outbreaks of mice in Australian grain growing regions in 2023 mean that each bait grain needs to carry a lethal dose of zinc phosphide in order to ensure effective control, leading mouse researcher Steve Henry says. Mr Henry says conservation tillage systems are creating an environment that is favourable for mice.

  • Crop growth stage the key to effects of waterlogging
    Crop growth stage the key to effects of waterlogging
    Author: Andrew Cooke, 2023-04-06T09:00:00+10:00

    Researchers have been testing if nutrient applications can help mitigate the effects of waterlogging on grain yields. It is critical to understand the crop growth stage during waterlogging to determine potential yield impacts, they say.

  • Innovation and improvements the way ahead for growers
    Innovation and improvements the way ahead for growers
    Author: Andrew Cooke, Sue Knights, Nicole Baxter, Rebecca Thyer, 2023-03-21T09:00:00+11:00

    Each year, GroundCover™ follows a group of growers from across Australia as they manage the cropping season. In this first instalment for 2022, staff writers introduce this year’s participants.

  • Peer learning puts growers ahead of financial management curve
    Peer learning puts growers ahead of financial management curve
    Author: Andrew Cooke, 2022-12-15T09:00:00+11:00

    A group of Victorian Mallee growers are putting their heads together to boost their financial planning performance and learn from each other’s business approach. The growers, who were encouraged to form a peer learning group by former consultant agronomist and Annuello grower Peter Aikman, collaborate using business management software called P2PAgri, which automates budgeting processes.

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