Grains Research and Development

Regional Cropping Solutions Networks

The purpose of the GRDC’s Regional Cropping Solutions (RCS) initiative is to provide essential on ground linkages between growers, farming systems groups, agribusiness and researchers complimentary to the National Grains Industry R, D & E Strategy to better plan and design local activities of greatest benefit.

To do this effectively will involve a network of skilled and informed facilitators and coordinators that link, support and inform regional planning groups participating in these networks.

The objectives of the initiative are to:

  1. Create and manage knowledge.
  2. Build regional D&E capacity among growers and advisers.
  3. Proactively respond to regional industry issues in a timely manner.
  4. Provide enduring links between growers, advisers and the GRDC.

The facilitators / coordinators will provide an effective interface with regional farming systems groups, agribusiness and research and development organisations across the southern and western regions.

While the primary focus of these facilitators will be working with farming systems groups and advisers their work will also extend into maintaining a regional industry RD&E database of GRDC project activities and results.

The role of each RCS facilitator will be to:

  • Establish, link, support and develop a regional development and extension network of regional farming systems groups, local agribusiness and research and development organisations.
  • Work with regional farming systems groups and local advisers to contribute to and support the identification and prioritisation of local production issues;
  • Establish the critical Research, Development or Extension question needed to be answered to address the priority issues;
  • Establish and maintain in conjunction with the GRDC a regional industry RD&E database of GRDC project activities and results
  • Provide an effective interface between these networks and the GRDC.
  • Promote opportunities for these networks to access public and private funds to address local production issues 
  • Provide feedback to the GRDC and its Regional Panels on emerging issues and current attitudes and activities within the region which are relevant to local production issues and the needs of the networks.
  • Provide assistance on any other relevant matters as required by the GRDC.

Individual RCS facilitators will establish adaptable, self reliant, and appropriately informed networks of farming systems groups, advisers and / or research capabilities in each of the targeted regions accessing funding, partnerships, training and information and facilitating the adoption of best management practices that:

  • maintains industry capacity to profitably and sustainably produce food, fibre and energy, and
  • enhances the capacity of growers and advisers to access, interpret and adapt information from RD&E investments.

Western Region Facilitators

Name Contact Phone Email Address Areas Covered
Julianne Hill 0447 261 607 julianne.hill@hotmail.com WA's central east, central west, Great Southern and Esperance zones
Sally Thompson 0417 983 356 sally@sowingseeds.com.au WA's central east, central west, Great Southern and Esperance zones
Cameron Weeks 0427 006 944 Cameron@planfarm.com.au Northern zone

Southern Region Facilitators

Name Contact Phone Email Address Areas Covered
Nigel Wilhelm 0407 185 501 nigel.wilhelm@sa.gov.au LRZ
Felicity Pritchard 0427 600 228 oilseed@bigpond.net.au MRZ
Jen Lillecrapp 0427 647 461 hrznetwork@bigpond.com HRZ
Trent Potter 0427 608 306 trent@yeruga.com.au HRZ
Rob Fisher 0428 545 263 vicc@dragnet.com.au Irrigation Areas

Southern Region Networks

Four Regional Cropping Solutions Networks have been established in the Southern Region to provide advice to the Southern Panel on local grain production constraints, opportunities and how best to tackle them.

These networks are part of an effort by GRDC to: 

  1. Better identify priority regional issues 
  2. Determine how best to tackle these priority issues.

In performing its role, each network will liaise with the wider grower community in their respective production zone, including convening regional meetings with relevant groups.

The members of the 4 networks are as follows:

First Name Surname Town RCSN Region
John Bennett Lawlolt High Rainfall Zone
Phil Bowden Cootamundra High Rainfall Zone
Mark Branson Stockport High Rainfall Zone
Michael Chilvers Nile High Rainfall Zone
Philip Hawker Derrinallum High Rainfall Zone
Terry Horan Carrick High Rainfall Zone
Jon Midwood Inverleigh High Rainfall Zone
Rob Norton Horsham High Rainfall Zone
Lawrence Richmond Ballarat High Rainfall Zone
Lachlan Seears Luncindale High Rainfall Zone
Neil Vallance Lake Bolac High Rainfall Zone
Bill Long Ardrossan High Rainfall Zone
Susan Findlay Tickner Horsham High Rainfall Zone
David Brown Narracoorte Irrigation
Jock Coupland Condobolin Irrigation
Luke Gaynor Wagga Wagga Irrigation
Anthony Hamilton Forbes Irrigation
Michael Hughes Morago Irrigation
Damien Jones Kerang Irrigation
Kieren O'Keefe Griffith Irrigation
Geoff McLeod Finley Irrigation
Craig Reynolds Congupna Irrigation
Peter Schwarz Naringaningalook Irrigation
Keith Pengilley Conara Irrigation
Russell Amery Wycheproof Low Rainfall Zone
Andy Bates Streaky Bay Low Rainfall Zone
Danny Conlan Swan Hill Low Rainfall Zone
Barry Haskins Griffith Low Rainfall Zone
Bruce Heddle Minnipa Low Rainfall Zone
Chris Kelly Woomelang Low Rainfall Zone
Rick Llewellyn Urbrae Low Rainfall Zone
Michael Moodie Mildura Low Rainfall Zone
Barry Mudge Pt Germain Low Rainfall Zone
Scott Vaessen Griffith Low Rainfall Zone
John Minogue Barmedman Low Rainfall Zone
Neil Fettell Condobolin Low Rainfall Zone
Stuart Kearns Canberra Low Rainfall Zone
Matt Dare Clare Med Rainfall Zone
Mick Faulkner Watervale Med Rainfall Zone
Roy Hamilton Rand Med Rainfall Zone
Mark Harris Wagga Wagga Med Rainfall Zone
Julia Hausler Warracknabeal Med Rainfall Zone
Jeff Hoffmann Lockart Med Rainfall Zone
Grant Hollaway Horsham Med Rainfall Zone
Adam Inchbold Yarrawonga Med Rainfall Zone
Glenn McDonald Glen Osmond Med Rainfall Zone
Colin McMaster Forbes Med Rainfall Zone
Mark Modra Pt Lincoln Med Rainfall Zone
Peter Taylor Lubeck Med Rainfall Zone
Chris Jones Condobolin Med Rainfall Zone
Richard Konzag Mallala Med Rainfall Zone
David Shannon Kapunda Med Rainfall Zone

Western Region Network

First Name Surname Town RCSN Region
Brad Millsteed Watheroo Kwinana West Zone
Tony White Miling Kwinana West Zone
Ben Whisson Kulin Kwinana West Zone
Wayne Davies Greenhills Kwinana West Zone
Kelly Piper Northam Kwinana West Zone
Helen Lethlean Dandaragan Kwinana West Zone
Sean Wittwer Cuballing Kwinana West Zone
Graeme Oconnell Northam Kwinana West Zone
Dave Cameron Moora Kwinana West Zone
Felicity Astbury Wickepin Kwinana West Zone
Jason Haywood Goomalling Kwinana West Zone
Kent Stone Quairading Kwinana West Zone
John Even GRDC Kwinana West Zone
Mick Caughey Merredin Kwinana East Zone
Damon Maddock Mukinbudin Kwinana East Zone
Matt Steber Doodlakine Kwinana East Zone
Caroline Peek Merredin Kwinana East Zone
Ty Kirby Beacon Kwinana East Zone
Nick Gillett Bencubbin Kwinana East Zone
Ryan Hetherington Merredin Kwinana East Zone
Scott Dixon Kellerberrin Kwinana East Zone
Simon Wallwork Corrigin Kwinana East Zone
Dave Stead York Kwinana East Zone
Tim Butcher Moorine Rock Kwinana East Zone
Clint Della Bosca Bodallin Kwinana East Zone
Stuart Yandle Narembeen Kwinana East Zone
Shauna Stone GRDC Kwinana East Zone
Darren Baum Ongerup Albany Zone
Mark Pearce Lake Grace Albany Zone
Jeremy Lemon Albany Albany Zone
Steve Curtin Lake Grace Albany Zone
Narelle Simpson Boyup Brook Albany Zone
Wayne Pech Gnowangerup Albany Zone
Fiona Martin Nyabing Albany Zone
Dave McCarthy Narrogin Albany Zone
Tim O'Meehan Borden Albany Zone
Tim Tresize Kojonup Albany Zone
Scott Smith South Stirling Albany Zone
Brent Pritchard Albany Albany Zone
Stuart Witham Tambellup Albany Zone
Ralph Burnett GRDC Albany Zone
Eric Nankivell Esperance Esperance Zone
Andy Duncan West River Esperance Zone
Ben Curtis Esperance Esperance Zone
Quenten Knight Esperance Esperance Zone
Stott Redman Hopetoun Esperance Zone
Mick Fels Wittenoom Hills Esperance Zone
Doc Fetherstonehaugh Munglinup Esperance Zone
Ben Hyde Varley Esperance Zone
Anna-Lisa Newman Holt Rock Esperance Zone
Chris Reichstein Condingup Esperance Zone
Steve Baker Esperance Esperance Zone
Craig Brown Hyden Esperance Zone
Jenny Chambers Mt Madden Esperance Zone
Leon Bowman Grass Patch Esperance Zone
Bill Ryan GRDC Esperance Zone
Cameron Weeks   Geraldton Zone
Andrew Sandison   Geraldton Zone
Richard Quinlan   Geraldton Zone
Chris Pinkney   Geraldton Zone
Craig Topham   Geraldton Zone
Peter Norris   Geraldton Zone
Rob Grima   Geraldton Zone
Tony Rosser   Geraldton Zone
Luigi Moreschi   Geraldton Zone
Dale Pearse   Geraldton Zone
Karl Suckling   Geraldton Zone
Glen Thomas   Geraldton Zone
John Koric   Geraldton Zone
Michael O'Callaghan   Geraldton Zone
Mark Appleyard   Geraldton Zone
Cameron Tubby   Geraldton Zone
Paul Kelly GRDC Geraldton Zone