REGISTRATIONS are open for Western Australia's premier annual grains research forum - the 2021 Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Grains Research Update, Perth, due to be held at Crown Towers on February 22-23.
GRDC senior regional manager - west, Peter Bird said more than 600 people attended the 2020 event, which showcased the latest research, technology, market development and management innovations to improve the productivity and profitability of the grains industry.
"The GRDC Grains Research Update, Perth, is an important forum for growers, advisers, researchers and industry service providers to connect and share insights and knowledge to help further the State's thriving export-focused grain industry, worth more than $6 billion per annum," Mr Bird said.
"The GRDC has significantly subsidised the cost of the registrations so that as many growers and agribusiness personnel as possible can participate in the event, which will have COVID-19 precautions in place."
GRDC Western Region Panel chairman Darrin Lee said information presented ranged from research information to underpin improved agronomic practices for increased profitability onfarm, through to broader insights on big-picture trends and issues affecting the industry overall.
"In order to remain competitive, we must continually adapt and change, which means updating our knowledge on current farming practices at forums such as this one," Mr Lee said.
Industry representatives who will speak in the opening plenary session, COVID-19 travel requirements permitting, include new GRDC managing director Anthony Williams, who took up his position in August.
It will be Mr Williams' first visit to WA in his role as GRDC managing director and attending the event will provide him with a valuable opportunity to meet with growers and industry representatives and obtain first-hand insights into WA's grains industry.
'Carbon neutral grain farming in WA by 2050?' will also be explored in an opening plenary session and one of the keynote speakers on this topic will be Mark Howden, director of the Climate Change Institute at the Australian National University.
A second keynote speaker will cover market expectations of the grains industry regarding achieving carbon neutral status.
A panel discussion will follow, with John Connor, the Carbon Market Institute, joining the panel.
The second plenary session will be held on day two, covering precision grain farming, focusing on progress in the technologies and grower experiences with variable rate technology for fertilisers and chemicals.
More than 50 concurrent sessions will be held over the two days on important issues affecting grower profitability - ranging from 'the big picture - market focus', crop protection and varieties, through to soils and nutrition, heat and drought tolerance, agronomy and farming systems.
New researcher snapshots will also form part of the concurrent sessions.
Extended focus sessions on the second day will cover strategies towards carbon neutral for the WA grains industry; new chemicals and chemical use management strategies and 'Grain Innovate - Innovation through disruption'.
The GRDC Grains Research Update, Perth, will be followed by four one-day GRDC Grains Research Update events in the Albany port zone at Albany (March 3), the Kwinana East zone at Merredin (March 12), the Geraldton zone at Geraldton (March 17) and the Esperance zone (July, date to be confirmed).
- More information: go to giwa.org.au/2021researchupdates or grdc.com.au/updatedates alternatively contact the Grain Industry Association of WA on 6262 2128.
