MILING wheat grower, Tony White, will represent his peers when he and two other Australian grain growers embark on an overseas study tour next year as the winners of the Grains Research and Development Corporation’s (GRDC) The Way We Were competition.
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The Way We Were initiative was established to recognise the contribution industry-funded research and development has made to advance the Australian grains industry over the past 20 years.
The winning growers, one from each GRDC region, have revolutionised their farming systems by improving farming practices, grain varieties and products to increase productivity, sustainability and viability.
Mr White, who farms Nambung Station on the west coast as well as Miling in WA’s central wheatbelt, will be joined by Anne Williams from Coonamble in NSW and Craig Reynolds from Congupna, Victoria, on an international study tour to some of the world’s leading grains research facilities in 2011.
GRDC chairman Keith Perrett says the competition underlined the fact that Australian growers are truly at the forefront of global grain production.
"I know my farming operation has changed dramatically for the better over the past 20 years and it was pleasing to see this progress reflected across the country through the entries we received,” Mr Perrett said.
“The Way We Were competition attracted entries from growers all over Australia and the selection panel found it difficult to select a winner from each GRDC region because of the extremely high quality of entries.”
Mr Perrett thanked the growers who took the time to think about how GRDC investment had impacted on their farms and especially those growers who took the next step and entered the competition.
“I congratulate the winners on their innovative farming systems and look forward to hearing about the knowledge they gain from their study tour to the centres of excellence for global grain research and development,” he said.
The three winners of The Way We Were Competition will visit leading centres for agricultural research including the International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas, Syria; Vavilov Institute, Russia; International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre, Mexico, and Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, US.
Participants will be conveying their learnings to other Australian growers by completing a regular YouTube diary while overseas via the GRDC YouTube Channel and sharing their stories and experiences on the GRDC website.
