CRABTREE Agricultural Consulting is inviting farmers to join them on its 15th international study tour next year.
Between 30-50 people from all over Australia will embark on a two-week trip through the United States of America, starting August 16.
Past trips have covered China, South America, Europe and Canada, with every second trip covering the USA.
Bill Crabtree started the tours back in 1998 with the Western Australian No-Tillage Farmers Association (WANTFA).
“I lived in Canada in 1996 while working for the Department of Agriculture and when I returned, I started working for WANTFA, where I started the first tour to Canada,” Mr Crabtree said.
His wife Monique, who has retail and wholesale qualifications, then helped out to create personalised tours.
“I go on every tour as I like to bring my knowledge and relationships along to benefit people on the trip,” Mr Crabtree said.
The aim is for local farmers to get a feel for where agriculture is going on a global scale.
“It’s an opportunity for people to get a grasp of how the wheat industry is in demise,” he said.
“My goal is to resurrect the wheat industry through new methods and technologies that may only be experienced in other countries.”
The tour travels across three US cropping states, including stops at the John Deere factory, a research station, the US Wheat Associates, a breeding institution, farms and an agricultural history museum.
“People really open up about issues back home with farming and the challenges of isolation,” Mr Crabtree said.
“Farming is something people are starting to demonise, with the use of bio-tech methods, we use this trip to search for resolutions in educating people on what farmers really do.”
A hot topic on the trips is herbicide resistance, with people looking for new and innovative ways to deal with chemical resistance here in Australia.
“We get people from every State, even Tasmania that come on this tour,” Mr Crabtree said.
“We used to have a lot of young people interested in the tour, but the demographic has changed to people between 50-70 years of age.
“Although when younger people come on the tour they benefit from the experience of older generation farmers.”
There is an opportunity for people to extend their trip and explore other areas.
“We personalise it so after the trip people can go on what ever path they wish to take, whether it be into Alaska or visiting the major cities of the US,” Mr Crabtree said.
More information is available at the Crabtree Agricultural Consulting website – no-till.com.au