National HYC awards roadshow kicks off with WA and VIC growers recognised as champions for hyper yielding crops
FAR Australia, Australian based field applied researcher, developer and extension provider is thrilled to announce both the WA and VIC Hyper Yielding Crops Award winners for the 2022 season.
Now in its third year, the GRDC’s Hyper Yielding Crops Awards recognise the efforts and achievements of growers nationally who excel in cultivating high yielding crops, through making effective agronomic decisions according to their location and environment.
Previously the HYC Awards have recognised only high yielding wheat crops, however in 2022, barley was introduced into the awards programme across WA, VIC with and SA.
Taking out two HYC Awards for highest wheat and barley yields in WA was Perillup grower Kieran Allison. Mr Allison’s award-winning DS Bennett wheat crop recorded a 7.98t/ha yield whilst his award-winning RGT Planet barley crop yielded 8.93t/ha.
WA winners from left to right – John Blake (GRDC Western Panel member), Nick Poole (FAR Australia), Kieran Allison (HYC Award winner). Jon Midwood (TechCrop), Ben Webb (HYC Award winner), Charles Caldwell (HYC Award winner), Dan Fay (Stirlings to Coast Farmers).
In Victoria, the winning wheat yield clocked 10.59t/ha which was grown by Ascot grower, Ben Findlay. Mr Findlay chose RGT Cesario which was grown over a 42ha paddock. The winning barley yield, RGT Planet was entered into the competition by Streatham grower Ed Weatherly which yielded 7.5t/ha, this was grown over an area of 61ha following wheat.
From left to right – Greta Duff (Southern Farming Systems), Darcy Warren (FAR Australia), Ed Weatherly (HYC Award winner), Jon Midwood (TechCrop), Ben Findlay (HYC Award winner), Nick Poole, (FAR Australia).
The HYC Awards also recognise those growers who reach the highest yield based on the percentage of yield potential for their respective regions.
Winning this category in WA for wheat was Scotts Brook grower Ben Webb who topped a yield of 6.54t/ha crop of Planet (79 percent of potential). Charles Caldwell, also from Scotts Brook took out the barley award with his 7.76t/ha crop of RGT Planet (84 percent of potential).
The winning wheat and barley yields in Victoria were also recorded as being the highest percentage of potential with of 87 and 70 percent respectively.
Nick Poole, Managing Director Field Applied Research (FAR) Australia and project lead for the GRDC’s national Hyper Yielding Crops initiative recently presented the 2022 HYC trial results at the WA HYC Results and awards evenings in Kendenup, WA and Skipton, Victoria. Here he jointly presented the HYC Awards with HYC extension co-ordinator Jon Midwood of TechCrop, Dan Fay of Stirlings to Coast Farmers in WA and Greta Duff of Southern Farming Systems in Victoria.
Mr Poole says the HYC Awards have built community interest in pushing productivity boundaries nationally.
“These dedicated growers have demonstrated exceptional agronomic skills and techniques, resulting in remarkable yields whilst contributing positively to the overall success of the Australian grains industry.
“Their innovative approaches and best practices serve as an inspiration to the WA and Victoria cropping communities, driving pursuit of higher crop yields and sustainable farming practices,” he says.
“I would like to extend my congratulations to all winners for their outstanding achievements, these emphasise the importance of a community approach whilst pushing the boundaries to increase productivity and profitability.”
RGT Cesario red winter wheat and RGT Planet malt accredited spring barley
All those who participate in the HYC Awards are presented with a comprehensive report, which not only assists with identifying the different agronomic decisions made throughout the season’s growing conditions, but also provides each grower with the ability to closely benchmark these key decisions with other growers in their region.
Nominations are now open for the 2023 season and growers wishing to participate are urged to contact their respective project officer for more information if they would like to enter a crop this season.
The national HYC Results and Awards roadshow continues throughout July and August in South Australia, Tasmania and New South Wales; further details can be found on the FAR Australia website events page https://faraustralia.com.au/event.
More information https://faraustralia.com.au/hyper-yielding-crops.
WA HYC Project Officer: Dan Fay, Stirlings to Coast Farmers (dan.fay@scfarmers.org.au)
VIC HYC Project Officer: Ashley Amourgis, Southern Farming Systems (aamourgis@sfs.org.au)