For the second time this year, the Grains Research and Development Corporation’s (GRDC) Northern Region Panel are embarking on a listening tour to identify regional opportunities and constraints in the grains industry, this time in the Riverina.

This will be the first listening tour headed by the newly elected chair of the GRDC Northern Panel, Arthur Gearon, who is looking forward to leading the Northern Panel members as they engage with growers to discuss what’s hitting the mark in terms of grains research, development and extension (RD&E) and consideration for future research investment.

Mr Gearon says GRDC’s panel tours are about taking the time to hear from growers and advisers firsthand about local industry constraints and how they could be improved.

“We want to identify what is and isn’t working well across local grains industries and feed that information back to GRDC to help inform RD&E investments,” he says.

“The men and women who work on farm to produce Australia’s grain crop are our most reliable stakeholders in terms of identifying opportunity to progress the grains industry, so we’re hoping to have firsthand conversations about how RD&E could improve productivity and increase farm profitability.

“For myself and the rest of the Northern Panel, getting out to farms that are different from the areas we live and work in is also valuable, to better understand the vast diversity across the Northern region and the varying needs of industry so we can target RD&E to suit different systems and social and environmental considerations.

“This tour will allow us to have open communication with southern NSW growers about how GRDC investments could help them become more efficient and profitable and show us how they’re applying research findings to their businesses.”

Throughout this listening tour, the Northern Panel will be travelling across southern NSW’s Riverina Region, visiting farms and businesses in towns such as Wagga Wagga, Barellan, Grogan, Henty and Culcairn.

Opportunities for growers and advisers to join the tour and network with the Panel include:

Wednesday, 21 September

• “Warrawong” farm visit, Intersection of Trembaths Rd & Bourkes Rd Colinroobie, 10:00am
• Lunch at the Barellan Pub, 11:45pm
• “Carumbi” farm visit, 1106 Grogan Rd, Grogan, 2:40pm

Thursday, 22 September

• Henty Field Days NSW DPI/GRDC grower brunch event, site 696 Block P, 10.00am
• “Dunoon” farm visit, 206 Mitchell’s Rd, Culcairn, 12:45pm
• “Claverton” farm visit , Pietches Lane Urangeline East, 3:00pm

Mr Gearon says anyone working in the grains industry directly or indirectly should feel welcomed and encouraged to attend the tour stopovers and talk with Northern Panel members about local grains production.

“We want to speak with as many people as possible about how we can help inform RD&E to make more of an impact on grains farms and businesses,” he says.

“If you want to provide feedback on current investments in the area, or talk about gaps in research, please take the time to come and talk with us about how we can address any concerns or opportunities.”

For more information on the itinerary, and to express your interest in attending any of the grower engagement opportunities listed in the agenda, please contact GRDC Senior Regional Manager – North, Gillian Meppem on 0460 306 003, or email northern@grdc.com.au.

On tour

On the tour will be GRDC Northern Panel members:

• Arthur Gearon
• Bruce Watson
• Roy Hamilton
• Graham Spackman
• Peter McKenzie
• Adam Tomlinson
• Georgie Pengilley.