Expectations for the new high-yielding barley Hindmarsh may be dampened
by an initial oversupply, but the long-term outlook is buoyant

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).

GRDC Program Manager, Stuart Kearns

While the National Variety Trial (NVT) has gone a long way to helping farmers choose varieties, an extension to the program currently being developed will introduce a set of variables to the equation that will allow growers to more closely match trial results to their individual environmental conditions. Growers will not only look for varieties based on yield, but those that yield in similar climate, soil type and nutrient levels, soil water availability and disease pressures experienced on their own farms.

Contact: Stuart Kearns (02) 6166 4500. email  


Metatags: national variety trial; nvt; nvtonline; varieties; climate; disease; soil water; nutrients; Kearns; GRDC

• New grain quality technical workshops funded by GRDC
• Scheduled for Adelaide and Ballarat in July and August
• Reflects growers’ need for advice to store grain on-farm

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.

Alan Bedggood, CEO National Variety Trials

The National Variety Trials website – www.nvtonline.com.au – has been rebuilt and is now much easier to navigate and locate information relevant to specific crops in specific areas of the Australian grain belt. On this program, National Variety Trials Chief Executive Officer, Alan Bedggood talks about some of the new features of the NVT website and encourages growers and agronomists to become familiar with the website before making variety selections later this year for the 2011 cropping season. 

Contact: Alan Bedggood, CEO National Variety Trials (03) 5382 7200

The revamped National Variety Trial (NVT) website (nvtonline.com.au) is the grain grower’s one stop shop for information on variety performance and selection.

The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) has confirmed its current funding commitment to sorghum pre-breeding and to enhancing the smooth transition of genetic gains from the greenhouse to growers.

James Clark, GRDC northern panel chair says a recent sorghum pre-breeding summit in Brisbane brought all sectors of the industry together for a strategic look at current and future pre-breeding and breeding priorities. 

Steve Jeffries, Chair of the EPR Steering Committee

End Point Royalties are the funding source for plant breeders. The payment system is constantly undergoing refinement and it’s hoped that soon, the EPR system will be paperless. There’s more information in this edition of GRDC Driving Agronomy featuring an interview with EPR Steering Committee Chair, Dr Steve Jeffries.
Contact: Dr Steve Jeffries, Chair of the EPR Steering Committee. Phone: (08) 8303 6862 Email: stephen.jefferies@ausgraintech.com