BCG Main Field Day successfully asked ‘what if?’
The BCG Main Field Day held at Corack on Thursday 15 September was a hit for the local farming community. The sun was shining, the trial site looked spectacular and there was a buzz amongst the farmers and industry representatives who attended. Crowd numbers were in excess of 450, all of who were full of inquisitiveness, asking lots of questions and adhering to the ‘what if?’ theme.
The day began with a hot breakfast before heading to the soil pit to get a background of the site; crop history, soil type, moisture probes and a seasonal forecast. Attendees then split into the coloured tour which they were to spend the morning with visiting various trials. BCG Extension Officer Ciara Cullen said ‘the ability to walk through the trials, inspect crops and ask questions of the speakers provided an excellent opportunity and environment for farmers to learn.’
The afternoon sessions were full of surprises. The BCG mock bar was a success. BCG staff and board members ‘manned’ the bar, whilst special guests were the ‘patrons’. This made the afternoon sessions more interactive by allowing questions to be asked to the patrons and in to the audience.
The day ended on a jovial note. Professor Bill Malcolm from the University of Melbourne put an entertaining slant on his presentation about the economics of a farm business. He covered some ‘what if?’ scenarios about the Australian dollar and what may occur with rise and fall situations, much to the crowds delight. A key take home message from Bill was to prepare, don’t predict. In essence, you can’t change the global price or exchange rate, so focus on what you can influence.
Lachie Stevens from Lachstock Consulting gave excellent material to farmers informing them of grain marketing options for 2011. In addition, Mike McLaughlin from the University of Adelaide presented on the ability of crops by adding zinc, phosphorus and sulphur. On the whole, the day was a wealth of information for both farmers and industry personnel.
