The annual BCG Main Field Day is on again on Wednesday 12 September at Narraport. The event gives growers the opportunity to see a range of field trials and to discuss agronomic and livestock topics relevant to their farming business.
BCG extension manager, Ciara Cullen highlighted that the program boasts more than twenty speakers.
“The BCG team have planned a full day featuring highly regarded industry experts who will share their knowledge with growers on a range of production challenges and opportunities aiming to improve their profitability,” Ms Cullen explained.
Attendees can select from one of four site tours which will visit various research trials where BCG research staff, agricultural scientists, leading industry professionals and leading farmers will be on hand to discuss the trials and answer questions.
Topics being covered include row spacing and seeding rates, lentil crop tolerance to herbicides, hay vs grain decision making, crop type mixes for grazing, Russian Wheat Aphid management, understanding insecticides and resistance, early sown wheat performance in a late break, eID and automatic drafting for sheep management, targeting key profit and production drivers in sheep enterprises, alternative oilseeds for biofuel use and much more.
The afternoon sessions include the profit and risk benefits of long fallows in the Mallee with David Cann (PhD La Trobe University), understanding herbicide technology, resistance, chemical mixes and adjuvants with Kelly Angel (BCG), and effective spray applications: nozzles, coverage, understanding weather conditions and mitigating drift with Bill Gordon (Bill Gordon Consulting).
Ms Cullen said the BCG Main Field Day is one of the best spring field days in the Wimmera and Mallee.
“It offers value for your time and money, but also the chance to catch up with 400 other growers and industry representatives from across the region and Australia. A chance to get off the farm, meet with friends, neighbours and peers” she elaborated.
The ever-popular Agriculture Victoria seasonal risk agronomist, Dale Grey, will be on hand to present the spring weather outlook and highlight the new Bureau of Meteorology ACCESS-S model, which has taken over from the old POAMA model.
The venue is BCG’s Main Research site located on Peter and Jenny Jolly’s property at Narraport. The site showcases a range of trials sown and managed by the BCG Research Team.
These include GRDC-funded managing early sown wheat trials, a crop type by time of sowing trial to determine the impact of frost on the various crop types, lentil variety and crop tolerance to herbicides, National Variety Trials plus other agronomic and weed trials.
The event is free for BCG members and $50 for non-members, so why not round up your friends and neighbours to hear about relevant research and hear from presenters in the one place.
For more information call the BCG office on 03 5492 2787, [email protected] or visit www.bcg.org.au.
