Western Australian grain growers and advisers will have the opportunity to get hands-on with the latest agricultural machinery innovations at an upcoming Live Machinery Demonstration Day in North Cunderdin on August 15.
Hosted by the Western Australian No-Till Farming Association (WANTFA), the event is an investment of the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and will focus on variable rate technology (VRT) as well as new machinery options available to growers.
VRT aims to put crop inputs where they will generate the best return on investment.
WANTFA executive director David Minkey says the event has been designed to increase growers' connection to the machinery and technology industry and expose growers to new technologies.
"There's a lot of new technology, as well as new machinery options, becoming available to growers which has been designed to increase productivity and profitability on-farm," Mr Minkey says.
"The workshop will feature experts and growers sharing their experiences with VRT and the latest developments with VRT technology, followed by a live demonstration. There will also be an in-field workshop on seeder set-up for VRT possibilities."
GRDC grower relations manager - west Jo Wheeler says feedback at recent GRDC National Grower Network (NGN) forums had identified potential knowledge gaps around new technologies, including VRT.
"Determining how to both use and adopt new technology to improve farming systems is a real challenge for growers," Ms Wheeler says.
"Growers want hands-on opportunities, practical demonstrations and to learn from the knowledge and experience of other growers, who are already using these new technologies.
"Input costs make up a significant portion of a grower's budget. VRT accommodates differences in soil type, nutrient levels and other factors to enable growers to make more-informed decisions about their use of available resources.
"This more-targeted approach can save money, reduce environmental impact and improve crop performance."
