The 2014 BCG Grains Research Expo opened on Thursday 3 July with Minister for Agriculture and Food Security Peter Walsh and BCG Chair Caroline Welsh launching a joint initiative focused on improving grains production in Victoria.
Dubbed the ‘GAPP’ (Growth, Adoption, Productivity, Profit) project, the $1.1 million initiative will see grain growers supported to adopt new technologies and practices developed to increase production.
Ms Welsh said the project will see the establishment of small focus or discussion groups, involving 100 farmers in the first 12 months.
Minister Walsh said the project was responding to increasing global demand for Victorian grain.
“Grain exports from Victorian ports increased 18 per cent in 2012-13 to reach $2.9 billion, making grain our most valuable earner,” he said.
“Increasing global demand is providing significant export growth opportunities, but we must continually lift productivity for exporters and growers to be competitive and profitable.”
Minister Walsh said the State Government had set the goal to double Victoria’s food and fibre production by 2030.
“Through the $61.4 million Growing Food and Fibre initiative, we are helping our State’s farmers become more productive and profitable through targeted research, development and extension, as well as our extensive trade engagement work with key markets,” he said.
BCG CEO Chris Sounness said the ‘GAPP’ announcement was one many highlights at this year’s BCG Grains Research Expo.
“It was an excellent day and everyone seemed to enjoy it,” he said.
“We had more than a dozen high quality speakers focusing on some of the key profitability challenges farmers face.”
Mr Sounness said the discussion sessions held at the Expo delivered growers with practical suggestions to the problems they were trying to solve.
One of the most popular Expo discussions focused on what type of spray rig to invest in.
“It was a good interactive discussion in which growers shared their experiences with other growers,” Mr Sounness said.
“The take home message was to choose the machinery most suited to the individual farm system.”
BCG has hailed its 2014 Grains Research Expo a success with all the discussion sessions, demonstrations and industry exhibits deemed worthy additions to this year’s program.
During the day farmers had the opportunity to learn about a range of exciting agricultural innovations including microwave and robotic weed control tools, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), online farm management tools, new weather modelling systems, livestock and grain marketing forecasts and options for integrating hay into the whole farm system.
The Birchip P-12 School was abuzz with activity, with 68 agribusiness exhibits to peruse and cooking, butchering and working dog demonstrations also drew big crowds.
The day concluded with farmers, researchers, agribusiness exhibitors and BCG staff celebrating a successful day with a specially brewed ‘BCG beer’ and snacks provided by the Birchip P-12 School community.
“Beyond the plethora of new information the BCG expo brings to local growers, the event also provides farmers with an opportunity to get off the farm, catch up with their friends and neighbours and to hear how the crops are progressing outside their own property boundaries,” Mr Sounness said.
“We are very fortunate that most people involved in our industry are willing to share their experiences, observations and discoveries.
“Collectively, there is a real passion to progress the grains industry, which was very evident at the BCG Grains Research Expo.”
