According to a survey undertaken by the International Food and Information Council (IFIC), many US consumers would be receptive to foods containing GM wheat if it was produced sustainably.

There is a great deal of volatility and continued change in the grains industry. In July the outlook for wheat prices was that they would continue to remain under pressure. However, in the space of a month, prices have increased dramatically due to drought conditions in the former Soviet Union countries.

In this and coming issues of Ground Cover we are looking at the issue of grains
biosecurity and the work being done under the auspices of Plant Health Australia

For WA grain grower Rod Birch, biosecurity is not an ‘out there’ issue; it is integrated into every aspect of his operations at Catalina Farms, near Coorow in WA’s northern wheatbelt.

The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Investment Plan (Open and Multi-stage Tenders) outlines some of the Corporation’s new investment priorities for 2011-12. 

The GRDC partners with researchers and other investors to help drive innovation in the Australian grains industry and ensure that grain growers have the technologies to enable them to effectively compete in global grain markets. 

Visit www.grdc.com.au/investmentplan for further information and documentation.

A central electronic database of grain industry events and activities in the southern region and beyond has been established by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).

Australian grain-growing properties have undergone and supported significant change over the past 20 years.

Improvements in farming practices, grain varieties, products and services have positioned the nation’s growers at the forefront of global production.

Just two to three serves of wholegrain foods daily can reduce the risk of chronic disease – including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers – by 20 to 30 per cent. 

This is one of the findings in the recently released The Grains & Legumes Health Report, co-authored by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) supported organisation Go Grains Health & Nutrition and Associate Professor Peter Williams, of the University of Wollongong.

Growers planning to sow pulse crops this season can now access an array of new and updated publications to assist with their 2010 cropping programs. The publications are available to growers on the Pulse Australia website, www.pulseaus.com.au.

Attention to detail needed for successful grain storage 

The tolerance for live storage pests in grain sold off-farm is nil. With more
grain being stored on-farm, growers can obtain best results by using a
planned, integrated approach to pest control.