THE annual Facey Group trials presentation event kicked off on Thursday, March 9, with the main sponsors of the event being Summit Fertilizers with support from the Grains Research Development Corporation (GRDC).
The group continues to present results and research relevant to local priorities and in line with GRDC priorities for the Kwinana zone.
Attendees were presented with a range of different findings locally through the Facey Group trial program with new and on-going research.
Summit Fertilizers showed results from the 2016 season with the focus on potassium in wheat comparing two closely located sites with variable K levels and different application methods.
Variation in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was greater in the low K site in comparison to the high K site.
Final yield differences between treatments were however taken out at the low K site with frost.
The gross margins showed a positive return at the high K site but negative on the low K site.
N decisions in oats were also explored with the use of an in-season N calculator, with works continuing to extend use with the tool in oats (designed in wheat but working well in barley).
Mary Murphy and Bonny Stutsel, from the University of WA, working in collaboration with the National Frost Initiative project, presented their projects and findings working with spectral imagining, fibre optics and sensors.
From glass house to field, the projects are exploring the use of tools to assist in decision making following a frost and monitoring and defining these methods.
Clare Merrifield, Rabobank, dived into markets and the environment for 2017, highlighting the United States effect on the market at every level.
Ms Merrifield also outlined what would be a busy year ahead in Europe with multiple elections which would likely increase volatility and flow through to currency and commodity markets.
She said events happening in the macro environment were a good opportunity for sales and closed by saying "bulls make money, bears make money, pigs get slaughtered".
Richard Brake, Farmanco, explored the "whole farm" system looking at rotations and grower profits.
He said farmer operating profit was dominated by cropping in the north of the State then switched to livestock in the south.
Profit, return on capital and the consideration to agronomics and percentage return were explored in decision making changes leading into the 2017 season.
Presenting the profit series it was clear that the top 25 per cent of producers were effective on management factors rather than a particular enterprise on success.
The successful farmer forum included three local farmers with the topic "finding a farm surplus in 2017".
It focused on each of them exploring what they do on farm, what rotations will be done in 2017, the decision making process for any changes to rotations or on farm enterprises and management of capital and off farm investment.
In general no major changes were going to be made to programs in 2017 following the frosts that affected pastures in 2016.
Rotations would change only for agronomic reasons and there was a highlighted importance for these growers for mixed farming (crop and sheep) in their systems, while some capital and long-term investment on farm has been pushed back a season.
Phil Barrett-Lennard, AgVivo, presented on the Grain and Graze grazing crops work which has been completed over the past seven years.
Reece Duffield, MarketAg, explored the oat markets for 2017, noting that yields were up in 2016 and in regards to raw product going out being low, highlighting that 50pc is likely to still be in CBH.
He said oats had not held up in a heavy market with prices and this pricing was reflective of where the demand was, with ending stocks "in a place we haven't been before".
The Facey Group continues to focus locally on key research priorities identified by members and through events such as the Trials Presentation event it can deliver this information locally.
The group thanks the on-going support of GRDC for these updates to major sponsors Summit Fertilizers as the main sponsor of the event, Rabobank and the Shire of Wickepin and valued sponsors Agrimaster, AGT, Advanta Seeds, Bunge, CBH Group, CSBP, Emerald Grain, Ewen Rural, Farm Weekly, Farmanco, Wickepin Rural Services and Tincurrin Rural Services.
Facey Group president Shaun Wittwer said the timing of the event was of great benefit to growers leading into the 2017 season.
"The trials and research results coupled with the market and economics updates provided local farmers with the capacity to make sound business decisions for the future," Mr Wittwer said.
He said the farmer forum was a highlight each year and this year the topic "finding a farm surplus in 2017" was well received.
"After last year's frost it was important that our local farmers focus on the future and adjust their businesses and enterprises accordingly," Mr Wittwer said.
"The farmer forum is an excellent way to get a discussion going around where farmers are costs and where they are investing more in, which gives way for questions and ideas from other growers".