THE grains industry will receive a boost this grain season from the installation of 11 additional automatic weather stations across the Wheatbelt.
Agriculture and Food Minister Dean Nalder said the additions to the State's 145-strong weather station network would provide grain growers with valuable localised information to understand their crop's potential.
Soil moisture probes will be installed in coming months to complement the weather stations, as part of the $10 million eConnected Grainbelt project led by the Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) and funded by the Royalties for Regions program.
Mr Nalder said the installations were located on eDemonstration sites hosted by grower groups, which would provide feedback to the project on how weather data could be better applied to help growers to grow more productive and profitable crops.
"Grain growers have told us it's all very well to have this information, what is important is how to interpret the information and integrate it into easy-to-use, decision-making tools," he said.
"This is a unique opportunity for growers to have a say in the development of new, cutting-edge digital technology that best meets their needs and adds value to their cropping operations."
The weather stations, located from Yuna in the north, to Grass Patch in the south and Moorine Rock in the east, provide real-time information including rainfall, temperature, humidity, evaporation rates and wind speed and direction.
Regional Development Minister Terry Redman said the eConnected Grainbelt project would enable the agricultural sector to meet growing demand and strengthen regional communities where agriculture was a major economic activity.
"The project is connecting growers to the information they need to make appropriate decisions that are tailored for their paddocks, their business and the variable conditions they face each season," Mr Redman said.
"Royalties for Regions is helping to play a significant role in developing profitable industries for the sustainability of regional WA."
The weather data is available on DAFWA's website or through its Weather app.
The 11eDemonstration sites across the Wheatbelt are being hosted by Corrigin Farm Improvement Group, Facey Group (Wickepin), Far East Agricultural Research Group (Moorine Rock), Merredin and District Farm Improvement Group, Mingenew Irwin Group, South East Premium Wheat Growers Association (Esperance), Southern DIRT (Kojonup), West Arthur Trials Group (Darkan), Stirlings to Coast Farmers (Mount Barker), Gillamii Centre (Cranbrook), West Midlands Group (Dandaragan), Wheatbelt Natural Resource Management Inc (Northam), Yuna Farm Improvement Group and Mullewa Dryland Farming Initiative Group.
