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Author: Andrew Cooke

38 results found:
  • 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.

  • Peer learning helps growers plan for profit
    Peer learning helps growers plan for profit
    Author: Andrew Cooke, 2022-12-14T09:00:00+11:00

    Peter contacted five growers he had previously worked with when he was a consulting agronomist. They agreed to collaborate and have since been workshopping their business approach for four years.

  • Rain sets up season well, but poses challenges
    Rain sets up season well, but poses challenges
    Author: Nicole Baxter, Melissa Marino, Andrew Cooke, 2022-11-08T09:00:00+11:00

    Each year, GroundCover™ follows a group of growers from across Australia as they manage the cropping season. In this fifth instalment for 2022, they tell Nicole Baxter, Melissa Marino and Andrew Cooke how their winter crops are tracking.

  • Frost and heat risks quantified with new major project
    Frost and heat risks quantified with new major project
    Author: Andrew Cooke, 2022-11-05T09:00:00+11:00

    GRDC is investing in major, new, four-year projects with CSIRO and the University of Sydney to make this happen. The projects will link researchers with agricultural technology companies to deliver next-generation decision-support tools. The new digital products will make decision-making simpler for growers with paddock planning and tactical responses during the growing season following a frost or damaging hot weather.

  • New initiative to challenge growers
    New initiative to challenge growers
    Author: Andrew Cooke, 2022-11-04T09:00:00+11:00

    GRDC will soon be investing in five-year projects as part of the new National Risk Management Initiative. The initiative aims to better understand and improve the relative risk and reward outcomes for growers – a concept that emerged through various forums, including the National Grower Network. The NRMI will have a different approach from most other GRDC projects, using a format called ‘participatory action research’, or PAR.

  • Key ‘megatrends’ present challenges and opportunities
    Key ‘megatrends’ present challenges and opportunities
    Author: Andrew Cooke, 2022-10-08T09:00:00+11:00

    Broad 'megatrends' that are influencing Australian and global agriculture will become increasingly important in the future, a leading agricultural economist believes. Dr Jared Greenville, who is executive director of the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences, says an expected decline in agricultural production and value in coming years – due to the return of “more usual” seasonal conditions – will be part of a broader set of trends affecting the industry.

  • Australians hold grains industry in high esteem
    Australians hold grains industry in high esteem
    Author: Andrew Cooke, 2022-08-29T09:00:00+10:00

    Australians have a high level of trust and acceptance towards the grains industry, according to a recent survey commissioned by GRDC. The Grains Focus Study was part of a larger three-year cross-commodity study called Community Trust in Rural Industries. As well as finding strong trust levels, it identified opportunities to strengthen the broader community’s trust in the grains industry.

  • Record exports push grain farm incomes to average $620,000
    Record exports push grain farm incomes to average $620,000
    Author: Andrew Cooke, 2022-08-22T09:00:00+10:00

    Cropping farm incomes climbed 28 per cent to an average $620,000 in 2021-22, on the back of a record $64 billion in exports, according to a leading agricultural economist. Speaking at the recent Australian Grains Industry Conference in Melbourne, Dr Jared Greenville said the export record was expected to be broken again in 2022-23, with a new benchmark of just over $65 billion.

  • CRC invests in new soil research projects
    CRC invests in new soil research projects
    Author: Andrew Cooke, 2022-08-12T09:00:00+10:00

    The Soil Cooperative Research Centre has announced funding for six new research projects, with a cash investment of $3.2 million and $6.7 million of in-kind contributions. The investment brings the number of active Soil CRC projects to 44 and the spending on projects to more than $30 million since it launched in 2017.

  • Favourable conditions set up season 2022
    Favourable conditions set up season 2022
    Author: Nicole Baxter, Clarisa Collis and Andrew Cooke, 2022-06-28T09:00:00+10:00

    Each year, GroundCover™ follows a group of growers from across Australia as they manage the cropping season. In this third instalment for 2022, they discuss how they fared with planting their winter crops.

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