Summary

A total of 96 delegates attended the forum, with 27 guest speakers over two days and an awards dinner. The Hart Field-Site Group won the PIRSA grower group award, and the Society of Precision Agriculture Australia (SPAA) won the AGBYTE Encouragement Award. Feedback was positive, with all participants indicating in the post-evaluation survey they intend to attend the forum in the future.

Background

The Ag Excellence Alliance was established in 2005 to help increase the viability of South Australian farmers through providing leadership and effective linkages between grower groups and key stakeholders.

The Alliance holds an annual forum, with the intention of bringing together grower groups and stakeholders to network, share information and form future partnerships.

Research Aims

The forum was conducted to achieve the following objectives:
• An increased understanding of the research, development and extension projects and activities undertaken by farming groups across the state.
• Greater sharing of resources and knowledge between farming groups, industry and government representatives through new and existing contacts and networks.
• Learn new skills particularly in relation to communication of project outcomes, collaboration with NRM, leadership in regional communities and developing capacity for delivering RD&E in regional areas.

In The Field

Day one featured guest speakers:
• Tim Hermann, Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR)
• Eliza Rieger, Natural Resources SA Murray Darling Basin (SAMDB NRM)
• Nicole Bennett, Natural Resources Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges (AMLR NRM)
• Mark Stanley, Regional Connections
• Thea Birss, Mellor Olsson
• Paul Daniel, Ag in Compliance
• David Evans, Grain Growers Ltd
• Harm van Rees, Cropfacts

Day two featured guest speakers
• Grower group speakers:
• Ruth Sommerville, Upper North Farming Systems (UNFS)
• Linden Masters, Eyre Peninsula Agricultural Research Foundation (EPARF)

• Judith McArthur, Agriculture Kangaroo Island (Ag KI)

• Madeline Mole, Mallee Sustainable Farming (MSF)
• Krysteen McElroy, MacKillop Farm Management Group (MFMG)
• Jeff Braun, Mid North High Rainfall Zone (MNHRZ)
• Helen Lamont, Lower Eyre Agricultural Development Association (LEADA)
• Nicole Dimos, Society of Precision Agriculture Australia (SPAA)
• Leighton Pearce, SA No-Till Farmers Association (SANTFA)
• Kim Blenkiron, Partners in Grain (PinG)
• Kristin McEvoy, Yorke Peninsula Alkaline Soils Group (YPASG)
• Brett Nietschke, Barossa Improved Grazing Group (BIGG)
• Leet Wilksch, Northern Sustainable Soils (NSS) and
• Sarah Noack, Hart Field-Site Group
• Andrew Kitto, Advisory Board of Agriculture (ABA)
• Dale Grey, Agriculture Victoria
• Stephen Loss, Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC)
• Stephen Lee, Blueprint Manager, Adelaide University
• The Awards dinner featured guest speaker Neville Crooke, Swarmfarm Robotics.

Results

The Hart Field-Site Group won the PIRSA grower group award, and the Society of Precision Agriculture Australia (SPAA) won the AGBYTE Encouragement Award.

All participants indicated in the post-evaluation survey they intend to attend the forum in the future.

Participants reported the most valuable session on day one was the importance of work health and safety, with 60 per cent rating it ‘very valuable’.

Grower group presentations on day two were rated as 4 out of 5 for providing ‘interesting and relevant information’, with no respondents scoring lower than 3 out of 5.

Sessions on day two were rated as valuable, with less than 10 per cent of respondents rating any session as 2 out of 5 or less. The most valued session was ‘Simplifying Climate Change’ by Dale Grey, and the most valued grower group sessions were ‘Volunteer Reliance’ and ‘Beyond Survival’.

On average half the information provided on day two was new to participants.