Knowing Your Grubs From Your Bugs
Throughout the life of the project three events were held which included two workshops and a ‘Ladies Day’ event. The latest pest identification workshop was hosted by Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and University of Western Australian (UWA) researcher/entomologist Amber Balfour-Cunningham and focused on identification of common natural enemies in broadacre grain crops. Our workshop/field day events provided an opportunity to upskill landholders to undertake integrated pest management confidently by providing new skills via the pest identification workshop and distributing additional resources. Landholders will have an increased capacity to correctly identify common pest and beneficial species and undertake best-practice methods of pest control in broadacre agriculture.
Landholder ‘identification and monitoring field kits’ were developed and provided to attendees to assist with implementing these skills on-farm. During the workshop, Amber introduced how to use the contents of the kits to aid the DPIRD and landholders in identifying crop pests and beneficial bugs.
As a result of the project, landholders have an increased capacity to correctly identify common pest species, their damage and undertake best-practice methods of pest control in broadacre agriculture thus preserving natural biodiversity in our region. In addition, the increased skills and awareness of landholders to identify known pests and beneficial insects will not only benefit local biodiversity but will aid in preserving the states agricultural industry by protecting biosecurity.
The IPM resources hub located on the Mingenew-Irwin Group website will help build on landholders current knowledge of agricultural pests and beneficial insects. The accessibility of these educational resources will encourage ongoing engagement between our grower group and landholders and the implementation of monitoring and management skills on-farm.
Biobeds for Australian Agriculture
Biobeds are structures which have been successfully used internationally to dispose of pesticide residue from spray equipment safely and efficiently. Funded by COGGO (Council of Grain Grower Organisation Ltd), MIG is investigating and demonstrating the principles of biobeds for use on Australian farms. The project aims to find a solution to containing chemical residue remaining in spray tanks after pesticide application to reduce risk of soil and water contamination.
MIG will promote project activities and findings around the concept, design, and effectiveness of biobeds in an Australian farming environment. Workshops and media will increase awareness of environmental risks relating to pesticide residue and potential options for risk mitigation.
DPIRD Barley Grass
GRDC funded research led by The University of Adelaide into the ecology and control tactics of barley grass by testing localized Integrated Weed Management strategies in barley grass within low rainfall areas throughout Australia – MIG site in Yandenooka. Started in 2019, MIG has ran this project with the aim of controlling barley grass through crop and herbicide rotation and implementing integrated weed management strategies. Barley grass has become an increasingly prevalent issue on our heavyland soil types for several reasons including its traditional early feed value and grass selective herbicides having a heavy focus on ryegrass.
Dryland Pasture Legume Systems
Project is funded by Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources and managed by the GRDC and includes contributions from many research organisations including Meat & Livestock Australia, Australian Wool Innovation Limited, Murdoch University, South Australia Research & Development Institute, CRISO, Western Australian Department of Primary Industries & Rural Development and Charles Sturt University. The project focuses on boosting profit and reducing risk in mixed farming operations in low and medium rainfall areas with new legume pasture species enabled by innovative management methods.
Effect of Broadacre Cropping on Dung Beetle Populations
Dung beetles support regenerative agricultural systems, by recycling nutrients and improving soil health. A broader understanding of how farming practices influence populations and breeding cycles is important to ensure survival and resilience of dung beetles at a local level. Supported by the State NRM Program through a Community Stewardship Grant MIG will work with local farmers and students from the Morawa Agriculture School. The Project will use field experiments to assess the effect broadacre crop seeding may have on dung beetle populations. Specifically, assessing if seeding is having a detrimental effect on the brood balls below ground in different soil types.
Results of the trial will contribute to the knowledgebase of managing dung beetle populations and be shared though networks created through the National MLA Dung Beetle Ecosystem Engineers Project. Additionally, project promotion provides an opportunity to increase community awareness of the advantages in fostering healthy dung beetle populations in farming systems.
Falling Numbers
Research undertaken by DPIRD researchers has raised not just varietal susceptibility, but also time of sowing and the timing of rainfall as having an impact on falling numbers at harvest.
2021 is the perfect year to collect more data to assist this research in the Geraldton Port Zone. There have as been multiple days of rain over harvest as well as a wide spread of time of sowing (TOS) dates due to the cyclonic activity at seeding.
A survey of at least 60 growers will be conducted throughout the Geraldton port zone to collect (but not limited to) the following data:
- Time of sowing
- Variety sown
- Rainfall events and timing
- Temperature and humidity
- Frost events
- Flowering date
- Maturity dates
- Grain quality at receival site
- Black point-stained grains
- Long term history of falling numbers on farm
Ground Cover and Crop Stubble Management Systems
This project is exploring stubble management systems in broadacre cropping on the sandy soils in the Northern Agricultural Region in relation to risk mitigation caused by changing climate and climatic events. The project is supported by the Future Drought Fund Natural Resource Management Drought Resilience Program which aims to help Australian farms and communities prepare for the impacts of drought. Through collection of local data, comparison to systems in lower rainfall areas of Australia and extension of information. MIG aims to give producers a greater understanding of the impacts of seeding systems and stubble retention on ground cover which will allow them to make informed management decisions.
Irwin River Sediment Awareness
The Irwin River flows through the heart of the Mingenew and the Irwin Shire Areas. With funding from a State NRM Community Stewardship Grant this Project aims to increase community awareness of current river morphology and the effect of sediment loads and sediment movement. MIG will work with the WA Department of Water to collect baseline data on current sediment dynamics and movement after individual weather events and over the course of the season. Project promotion aims to raise community awareness of the present condition of the Irwin River and inspire action towards restoration and protection.
CLICK HERE for River Rehab Case Study
MLA Dung Beetle Ecosystem Engineers Project
A national project led by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and Charles Sturt University through funding from the Australian Government’s Rural Research & Development for Profit program. The key objectives are to fill seasonal and geographic gaps in the distribution of dung beetles across Southern Australia and to quantify the benefits dung beetles provide for primary producers
MIG is a member of the Project Steering Committee and has been heavily involved in local on-ground research, distribution, and monitoring. MIG has also undertaken community engagement through Project promotion, adult learning at field days and work with local schools.
Click HERE for more information.
NLP Training
The Mingenew Irwin Group held several practical and theory based training units from March 2019 to September 2021 aiming to improve the skills and understanding of early career land managers and farm employees. These workshops covered a range of topics including farm business management, agronomy, natural resource management and emerging technologies.
A total of eight workshops were held throughout this time, touching on each of these subjects. These topics utilised peer to peer learning from local producers and local experts for each relevant field. By delivering research results and learnings from our local area, participants received more applicable advice and skills to our environment, factoring local climate, soil types, issues and risks.
For more information CLICK HERE
Shuttle Alley Project
The Mingenew Shuttle Alley Project was an initiative of the Mingenew Irwin Group and the Shire of Mingenew. It was very successful in providing education and raising awareness with tourists and the community alike of some of our locally grown crops. We showcase local winter crops over the last seasons and have now planted various summer crops for display.
West Midlands Group Ripper Gauge Variation
Variation of GRDC Project led by West Midlands Group “Demonstrating the benefits of soil amelioration and controlled traffic practices across a broad range of soil types in WA” focusing on the effect of deep ripping after crop emergence. While deep ripping is an established practice in the northern agricultural region, lesser is known in regard to extending the window of deep ripping after seedling emergence and the possible losses and benefits.
Soil Extension
Growing Better Business from the Ground Up- Sustainable Soil Management for Sustainable Future
In 2023, 22 sites were soil sampled across the region to train farmers to implement their own monitoring in the future.
By using data from the area to illustrate and highlight what issues or limiting factors are impacting farmers and ways that these issues may be remediated; we will better assist understanding and willingness to uptake improved management of soil.
In 2024, we resample at demonstration sites to highlight changes with various remediation activities and also compare sites on each farm to illustrate the variances and data interpretation differences.
Case studies were developed, and the extension of this information is aimed to capture a very wide audience and not just the farmers directly involved in the program, and focus on soil nutrient balance compaction and sub soil issues.
This project was part of the Smart Farm Small Grants: Soil Extension (NLP: Soil Extension) funded by Smart Farm Small Grants, the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program, and the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment.