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About the Low Risk Farming Initiative
Effective risk management is vital to maintaining farm sustainability and profitability for growers in the face of climate risk and rising production costs.
The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) gathered a team of experts in late 2007 through the Low Rainfall Collaboration project to develop a range of packages to provide growers with the best advice from a whole-of-farm approach to the many challenges that will be associated with grain production and marketing in 2008. Participants in the workshop, and contributors to this document, included senior researchers, private consultants, advisers, farmers, bankers and marketing experts.
One of these packages, the 2008 GRDC Planning Guide For Low-Risk Farming (1.5MB), summarises the key elements needed to manage the risks of cropping for the coming season.
The ‘GRDC 2008 Planning Guide for Low-Risk Farming’ is designed to help farmers work their way through a decision-making process that will lead to the best possible outcomes for the 2008 cropping season.
Technical , financial management and marketing information designed to be of value in developing low risk strategies to minimise up-front costs without limiting productivity and potential profit or increasing the risk of natural resources damage are highlighted in the guide.
Guidelines are by nature general and so expert local advice should be sought before any of them are implemented in a farm business.
The GRDC would like to acknowledge the input provided by the workshop participants and in particular the contributions of Geoff Thomas, Project Manager, and Nigel Wilhelm, Project Leader.
What's New
2008 Planning Guide for Low Risk Farming (1.5MB)
The ‘GRDC 2008 Planning Guide for Low-Risk Farming’ is designed to help farmers work their way through a decision-making process that will lead to the best possible outcomes for the 2008 cropping season. It was developed following a November 2007 workshop organised by the GRDC-funded low rainfall collaboration project. Participants in the workshop, and contributors to this document, included senior researchers, private consultants, advisers, farmers, bankers and marketing experts.
Agronomy after the drought - 2007
The information in this publication is based on presentations and discussions at a GRDC “Recovery After the Drought” cropping workshop run after the 2002 drought but has been updated with the latest knowledge available in the topic areas covered. It is designed to be relevant to growers cropping a wide variety of soil types in districts across NSW, Victoria and SA, so it contains mainly general principles and guidelines.
Agronomy after the drought - 2002
The following information is a summary of the presentations and discussions delivered during a GRDC coordinated "Recovery After the Drought" cropping workshop in Melbourne on 13 January 2003.
Research update papers
2008 GRDC Planning Guide for Low Risk Farming - Research Update paper (Southern Region Adviser Updates)
The following strategies designed to minimise up front cropping costs without limiting productivity and potential profit, have been selected from a comprehensive “Planning Guide for Low Risk Farming – 2008”. This Guide was developed following a November 2007 workshop organised by the GRDC funded low rainfall collaboration project. Participants included senior researchers, private consultants, advisers, farmers, bankers and marketing experts.
Useful Publications/Links
Further information
Stuart Kearns
Manager Validation and Integration
Ph: 02 6166 4500
Fax: 02 6166 4599
