Yield Prophet® an Innovative finalist

Yield Prophet^® has been selected as a finalist in the DuPont Australia & New Zealand Innovation Awards. Yield Prophet, an online interface for a world renowned, Australian developed agricultural systems simulator, provides grain growers and their advisors with dynamic, real time forecasts of likely crop yield.

Yield Prophet was developed by BCG in partnership with CSIRO, and was initially tested and validated in the Wimmera Mallee region. It has since developed to be a tool utilised by growers, advisors and industry across Australia. Development of Yield Prophet and the associated soils database has been supported by the Managing Climate Variability Program, Grains Research and Development Corporation, and the Federal Government Programme 'Information Technology On Line'.

"We are exited to be a finalist, recognising the innovation invested in the creation and development of Yield Prophet," said Yield Prophet Coordinator, Dr James Hunt.

The applications of Yield Prophet are diverse; however information from reports is primarily used to help manage climate variability. It does this by assisting growers and advisers match crop inputs (area and types of crop sown, fertiliser, pesticides, irrigation water, insurance, marketing) to the likely rainfall-limited potential of each growing season.

"Reports provide the information necessary for growers to invest in inputs only if there is a good chance of a profitable return. This allows farm profit to be maximised with a minimum of risk in good seasons, and costs reduced in poor seasons," said Dr Hunt.

The biennial DuPont Innovation Awards Program is an Australian & New Zealand independently judged competition, launched in 2004. The Awards recognise innovation and advances in industry, science, the environment and agriculture.

In the Agriculture and Food Production category there are three finalists; LOS + P Fertilizer, Low Temperature Dessicant Air-Drying Equipment and Yield Prophet^®. The winners will be announced in Sydney on 16 May 2008.

Click here for more information on Yield Prophet^®

Back row (L to R): Anthony Whitbread (CSIRO), Peter Carberry (CSIRO), Bill Long (AgConsulting), James Hunt (BCG), Dean Holzworth (CSIRO), Stephen van Rees (BCG).
Front row (L to R): Zvi Hochman (CSIRO), Alexandra Gartmann (BCG).