Fresh focus to WA veg production

Young growers

bring a fresh focus to WA veg production

BY SOIL WEALTH ICP TEAM AND RACHEL LANCASTER

The Soil Wealth and Integrated Crop Protection (ICP) project works with growers nationally to put soil management and plant health research into practice.

The project team is currently working with an innovative grower group in Manjimup, Western Australia (WA), where an influx of young grower members has produced positive results on-farm. Soil Wealth ICP Phase 2 (VG16078) is a strategic levy investment under the Hort Innovation Vegetable Fund. Being part of a grower group has many benefits. It helps to be on the forefront of new developments in vegetable production and talk to other growers to share successes, challenges and support each other with new ideas. For around 30 years the Warren Improvement Group in WA has contributed grower expertise and funding towards research and development activities to support the commercial production of a range of vegetable crops in the Manjimup region. In recent years, there has been limited research activity as existing members diversified their cropping and became focused on other activities on their properties. However, a new generation of vegetable growers — most of whom are younger than 30 years — has recently formed and joined the Warren Improvement Group.

3 WARREN Improvement Group committee members (L–R): Ryan East, Sangeetha Ravindran, Jake Ryan, Mitchell East, Jennifer Riseley and Ewan Eatts.

“We’ve all returned to farming and our hometown after working in different areas, and want to show that primary They are keen to apply their knowledge production is an important career learnt from current and previous choice,” Ms Riseley said. generations of vegetable growers and from their university studies in agriculture, to implement new vegetable production methods on their farms. All members acknowledge the need to showcase vegetable growers’ innovative and strategically improved farming methods to inspire others “The young growers are also actively engaging with the Soil Wealth ICP project and have conducted cover crop trials and tried strip tillage with support from the project. “The loan of a strip tillage implements and advice on how to get it to work were especially valuable.” Warren Improvement Group — a new generation of vegetable growers. into the industry. A case study from the project’s Warren Improvement Group Executive Officer Jennifer Riseley said there were several generations of experience in farming to draw on, as well as off-farm experience and education. Manjimup demonstration site provides more information on this trial: soilwealth.com.au/resources/casestudies/benefits-of-a-cover-crop-striptill-combination

Participants are enthusiastic about continuing to build their knowledge around soil management.

A new outlook

The group of young growers meet on a quarterly basis, including on-farm meetings that allow them to gain an insight into new growing methods being tried on each farm and prompt discussion on alternative growing techniques to improve crop productivity, lower inputs and reduce soil disturbance. Importantly, the growers are open to discussing methods tried on-farm — both those that have been successful for improving crop production and those that were not so successful.

Other members of the group learn from these successes and mistakes, helping all members to improve their knowledge in vegetable crop production techniques and land management. It also allows the group to share knowledge so growers are not put off testing new ideas.

Sharing ideas to manage soil health

The Warren Improvement Group has been investigating soil health management on their farms, with help from the Soil Wealth ICP project. Members of the group have successfully implemented cover cropping and strip tillage in brassica crops, which has reduced the number of land preparation passes required to produce a crop, with savings in water, machinery costs and labour. Other group members have investigated growing pumpkins using cover crops to reduce weed and disease incidence and improve overall crop quality. The findings from these on-farm investigations are reported back to members of the wider group. Information and expert advice through the Soil Wealth ICP project has led to the implementation of new production methods on-farm, including cover cropping, strip tillage and managing beneficial insects using in-crop flower insectaries.

The group members are keen to work with other experts and commercial growers who are already gaining benefits from improvements in soil management practices.

Warren Improvement Group participants are enthusiastic about continuing to build their knowledge around soil management, whole farm productivity improvement and responsible stewardship of natural on-farm resources.

The new generation of vegetable growers are looking to the future to continue building on the foundations laid by other growers in the Southern Forests area.

Focus topics announced for Soil Wealth ICP in 2021

With planning completed for year four of the Soil Wealth ICP Phase 2 project, the focus topics have been finalised for 2021.

Once again, the project will delve into the world of soil biology, particularly in the areas of measuring and monitoring soil health.

Integrated weed management

will also be on the agenda, with a focus on priority weed species and integrated management practices. Stay tuned for new events, resources and demonstration site information as the project continues its sustained and targeted effort in these areas of importance to growers and the industry.

MORE INFORMATION

To find out more about the Warren Improvement Group, visit the Soil Wealth/ ICP website: soilwealth.com.au/resources/

case-studies/warren-improvement-groupyoung-growers-with-a-fresh-focus-inwestern-australia

For more information, please contact project leaders, Dr Gordon Rogers on (02) 8627 1040 or gordon@ahr.com.au and Dr Anne-Maree Boland on (03) 9882 2670 or anne-mareeb@rmcg.com.au. The Soil Wealth ICP team would like to thank Rachel Lancaster for her help in preparing this column. Project Number: VG16078

This project has been funded by Hort Innovation using the vegetable research and development levy and funds from the Australian Government. For more information on the fund and strategic levy investment visit horticulture.com.au