Technical Bulletin No. 13 – 20.09.24

• Sowing programs are generally continuing as planned with close attention paid to emergence of dry sown crops.
• BCG’s sowing program is approximately 20 per cent complete.
• With ongoing challenges with accessing feed, lower wool prices and shearing costs, many producers are responding by downsizing flocks or shifting more focus to lamb production.

2022 has been the season that keeps on giving, even though we are now in 2023. Wheat harvest has presented challenges with grain quality for some, and it was thought timely to talk a bit about what is going on, and while not a lot can be done in terms of this harvest, there are some considerations leading into sowing of next seasons crops and learnings to take from what has happened this year. Steven Simpfendorfer of NSW DPI has been kind enough to share some insights on fusarium head blight (FHB) and white grain disorder (WGD) via a communication piece that was distributed to northern NSW and QLD networks.

• Some modest rainfall tallies received across western Victoria last weekend with hopes for more rain on ANZAC day
• Generally, growers have continued with their original sowing plans and made small modifications if required
• Conscious of high reliance on IMI tolerant crops in rotations, some Mallee farmers have made varietal changes eg CoAXium® barley to make use of Group 1 herbicides for grass control, where residues from the prior crop allow.