Understanding the issues that are keeping grain growers and farm advisers awake at night will be a key part of the Grains Research and Development Corporation’s (GRDC) annual regional panel tour through northern, central and western New South Wales this week.

Growers, advisers, agronomists, researchers and industry stakeholders are invited to meet with the GRDC Northern Region Panel as part of ‘listening and connecting’ tour through Narrabri, Walgett, Coonamble, Gilgandra, Trangie, Narromine, Lake Cargelligo and Griffith regions from today until Friday.

The tour starts at the University of Sydney’s Plant Breeding Institute in Narrabri, where the panel will inspect the recently opened $15.2 million International Crop and Digital Agricultural Research Centre, which was supported by GRDC investment.

GRDC Northern Panel Chair and grain grower Arthur Gearon says the week-long tour was an important opportunity for the organisation to engage with and hear directly from industry.

“Each year, the GRDC northern panel and staff visit a different area of Queensland and NSW to hear directly from growers, which helps to inform and prioritise the research, development and extension (RD&E) GRDC invests in,” Mr Gearon says.

“GRDC essentially operates as the research and development arm of grain growers’ businesses. Through the levy system the organisation has the responsibility of investing on behalf of grain growers, so it is vital we genuinely understand the challenges and opportunities different regions are facing.”

This year’s tour will include ‘shed meetings’ hosted by growers as well as engagement sessions with key RD&E partners including Outlook Ag, AgGrow Agronomy and Research, the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Grain Orana Alliance (GOA).

Mungindi agronomist and incoming GRDC northern panel member, Jo Weier, says she was looking forward to meeting with growers, advisers and key stakeholders from a relatively large area of the state.

"The season has already been reasonably challenging for many growers, particularly across north-western and parts of central-western NSW, so we’re keen to explore what further RD&E might potentially assist them in manage in predominantly low rainfall areas,” Ms Weier says.

“This will be my first tour as a panel member and I am really looking forward to engaging one-to-one with different growers and advisers to gain a deeper understanding of the individual challenges and opportunities facing grain businesses in different regions.”

If you are interested in meeting with the GRDC Northern Region Panel, please email northern@grdc.com.au or call to join us at one of the locations below:

Tuesday, 12 September:

• 9.30–11.30am: John and Heidi Stump ‘Windella’ Rowena.
  Contact Bob Ford 0428 950 015 or Greg Rummery 0428 259 535.
• 2–3.30pm: Ed & Robyn Colless, ‘Ashantee’ grain storage sheds, Walgett.
  Contact Bob Ford 0428 950 015 or Greg Rummery 0428 259 535.

Wednesday, 13 September:

• 7.30–10.30am: Trangie ARC.
  Contact: Matt Whiting matt.whiting@dpi.nsw.gov.au.
• 12–1.30pm: GOA Pulse Field Day, Stuart & Jock Crawford ‘Glen Iris’, Mungeribar.
  Contact Ben O'Brien GOA 0409 697 860 or Bec Raymond (GRDC) 0484 356 383.

Thursday, 14 September:

• 9–10.15am: Liberty Park, Lake Cargelligo.
  Contact Andrew McFadyen 0436 191 186 or Graeme Sandral 0409 226 235.
• 10.30–11.30am: Lake Cargelligo NVT site.
  Contact Andrew McFadyen 0436 191 186 or Graeme Sandral 0409 226 235.
• TBC: Michael & Drew Pfitzner.
  Contact Barry Haskins 0427 007 418 or Graeme Sandral 0409 226 235.
• 2–4.30pm: AgGrow Agronomy and Research.
  Contact Barry Haskins 0427 007 418 or Graeme Sandral 0409 226 235.