Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder Simon Banks and research team leader of Regional Projections at CSIRO John Clarke spoke at the Moama conference.
Photo by
Michael Lloyd
The Irrigation Insights Conference at Moama brought together experts and thought-leaders in the field of irrigated agriculture, providing attendees with insights and strategies for prosperous farm systems.
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One of the conference’s highlights was John Clarke, research team leader of Regional Projections at CSIRO, who presented on ‘Bridging the Gap between Predictions and Practice’.
Mr Clarke delved into long-term climate projections, offering a comprehensive understanding of their implications on agriculture and how farmers can effectively utilise this knowledge to optimise their practices.
Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder Simon Banks captivated the audience with his session on ‘Water Strategies and Trigger Points’.
Dr Banks shed light on the decision-making process behind the allocation of water resources by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office.
Attendees gained insights into the strategies and trigger points that guide environmental watering, contributing to responsible water management practices.
Oliver Evans, Nick Evans and Luke Barlow inspired fellow farmers at the irrigation conference.
Photo by
Michael Lloyd
Another pivotal session at the conference was ‘What’s in Store for 2023 and Beyond?’ by climate specialist with Agriculture Victoria, Dale Grey.
Mr Grey provided a comprehensive overview of the projected seasonal outlook, arming farmers with valuable insights to make informed decisions in challenging weather conditions.
The conference also featured water outlooks for Victoria and NSW, presented by Goulburn-Murray Water river operations manager Andrew Shields and NSW DPIE senior hydrologist Deep Singh.
Farmers gained critical knowledge on the water outlook for the year ahead, equipping them to plan effectively and maximise opportunities during good water seasons.
Rohan Brill, from Brill Ag, discussed the ‘Fundamentals of Growing High Yielding Crops’.
The session honed in on canola, covering critical factors like optimal nutrition, disease management, strategic variety selection, nitrogen legacy and sowing dates, empowering farmers to achieve exceptional yields.
The conference also featured valuable insights from local farmers in the ‘Farmer Insights’ panel.
Greg Quinn from Mincha West, Chris Leed from Pyramid Hill, Trev Elliot from Tatura, Tony McCarthy and Nick and Oliver Evans from Echuca shared their experiences in adapting to the ever-changing operating environment.
AgriSci principal scientist Cassandra Schefe took a comprehensive approach to sustainable soils during her session on ‘Systems Approach to Sustainable Soils’.
The discussion cut through the carbon hype and provided farmers with actionable strategies for managing soils as a system, rather than focusing on one element in isolation.
“In agricultural systems where you are exporting products, if your soil carbon levels are stable, you are doing a good job,” Dr Schefe said.
Engaging in agtech was a key focus at the conference, led by Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action agtech project lead Mark Sloan.
Farmers were exposed to the latest technologies that monitor, manage, sense and automate farm operations, revealing how these innovations can optimise efficiency and best practices.
The conference concluded on a high with Luke Barlow, the ‘Formidable Fundraising Farmer’ from Moama, inspiring attendees with his remarkable journey of balancing farm life and ultra-endurance triathlons.
His story not only showcased his determination but also highlighted the importance of improving health and wellbeing for farmers.
He left the audience with a quote: “When you get around good people, great things happen!”
Irrigation Farmers Network executive officer Charlie Aves said they were delighted with the success of the Irrigation Insights Conference.
“The range of topics covered and the shared experiences of our speakers and farmers have left attendees empowered and inspired to tackle the challenges ahead.”
Formerly the Victorian Irrigated Cropping Council and now the Victorian Irrigation Farmers Network hosted the event.
Photo by
Michael Lloyd
