More crop, fewer weeds at WeedSmart Week Dubbo
Dubbo recently hosted the tenth WeedSmart Week – the flagship event that brings farmers, agronomists, researchers and commercial companies together to shine a light on farming systems that grow more crop and fewer weeds.
Jessica Strauss, WeedSmart’s project manager, said the 2023 event was an outstanding success, having attracted 200 registrations, mainly grain growers and agronomists, from across the country for the forum day alone.
“There was a positive vibe throughout the event particularly in response to the growers who shared their farming systems and weed management challenges and successes,” said Ms Strauss. “The farm visits and machinery display give growers an opportunity to gain valuable insights directly from manufacturers and fellow growers who use the equipment and products.”
“WeedSmart is a globally-unique extension model that brings together growers and the Australian public through investment from the Grains Research and Development Corporation, along with 25 other industry partners and research organisations, all with ‘skin in the game’,” she said. “With strong, industry-wide backing, WeedSmart has consistently promoted practical science-backed tactics that growers can implement to grow more crops and fewer weeds.”
The recipients of the 2023 WeedSmart Legend award were Peter and Kylie Bach, Kurilda Ag who have implemented the WeedSmart Big 6 strategy on their farms around Pittsworth, on Queensland’s Darling Downs.
WeedSmart Legend 2023, Peter Bach, with WeedSmart’s northern extension agronomist, Paul McIntosh.
Representing the WeedSmart industry partners, Keryn McLean, head of digital marketing with Bayer, presented the award to Mr and Mrs Bach in recognition of their willingness to share their experiences in weed management with other growers at various forums since 2017.
“This award is designed to recognise individuals who consistently and generously give their time and share their expertise for the benefit of others,” she said. “I am proud of what WeedSmart has achieved in the past ten years, assisting growers like Peter and Kylie to confidently adopt strategies that will reduce the weed seed bank on their farm, and to share their knowledge and skills with others.”
About seven years ago the Bach’s bought a Shelbourne stripper header and an Emar chaff deck for their harvester to achieve the dual purpose of conserving standing stubble and implementing harvest weed seed control. At the time, their main target was a large infestation of Johnson grass. Their weed management program includes most of the WeedSmart Big 6 tactics that minimise the impact of grass and broadacre weeds on their business.
The event attracted growers, farm workers and agronomists from all mainland states, highlighting the practical value of the event. The broad cross-section of growers responded to the opportunity to engage with WeedSmart’s industry sponsors, who showcased their weed management tools at the forum and the machinery expo.
The 3-day event included a full-day information forum, a machinery expo and visits to three Western Plains farms.
Plans are in place for the WeedSmart Week 2024 event to bring regionally-specific information on science-backed weed control solutions to growers and agronomists on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula on 30 July to 1 August, 2024.
More information
Video recordings
The recordings of the forum presentations are available in the playlist below. The order of the recordings is as follows:
- Welcome address and regional issues – Jessica Strauss
- Making the most of the Big 6 on the Western Plains – Panel with Greg Condon
- Mix and rotate herbicides – Barry Haskins
- Crop competition – Greg Condon
- Crop diversity and rotation on the Western Plains to get on top of winter weeds – Rohan Brill
- Diverse rotations to disrupt weed cycles and drive profit – Panel with Paul McIntosh
- Western Plains fallows and the Big 6 – Glenn Sheperd
- Making camera sprayers work to our advantage – Broden Holland
- Getting the fundamentals right for a good spray job – Andrew Freeth
- Optimising spray application to kill more weeds, make more profit and reduce spray drift – Mick Harris
- Tackling highly resistant weeds – Lance Turner
- Residual herbicides and resistance – Ryan Pratten
- Exploring the potential for HWSC on the Western Plains (windrow burning and beyond) – Panel with Peter Newman
- How does the Big 6 fit into mixed farming? – Panel with Penny Heuston
- How can the WeedSmart Big 6 increase profits for Western Plains growers? – Greg Condon and Peter Newman
- WeedSmart Legend Award presentation
- WeedSmart Week Dubbo – Our highlights
