Dry Season Resources

Hosted by Grower Group Alliance & The South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub

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May 2026

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About the show

The South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (SW WA Hub) is dedicated to sharing information that supports growers in preparing for and responding to dry seasons. In this podcast, you'll hear from growers and industry experts on managing dry season responses, ranging from early planning to tactical decision-making as the season evolves. The SW WA Hub is led by the Grower Group Alliance and funded by the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund.

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May 26, 202630 min

Smart Grazing: Breaking down barriers to technology adoption in the Southern Rangelands

Australia’s Southern Rangelands are some of the most variable and challenging pastoral landscapes in the world. Climate variability, rising costs, legacy land condition and large-scale operations can make it challenging to make management decisions and know where new technologies can genuinely add value.In this episode, landscape ecologist Richard Marver from Contour Consulting and Krystie Bremer, Executive Officer of the Gascoyne Pilbara Rangelands Initiative (GPRI), discuss the planning work underway through the Smart Grazing, Stronger Lands project.Drawing on decades of experience across the Southern Rangelands, they explore how a challenge led and place-based approach can support better grazing management. They discuss the role of local knowledge, peer to peer learning and demonstration sites in helping pastoral businesses assess where targeted technologies may improve decision making and drought resilience.The episode also explores the difficulty of navigating the rapidly growing agtech industry. Richard and Krystie discuss the SW WA Hub’s developing AgTech Adoption Guide, which aims to help pastoralists and advisers better understand available tools, likely costs and where different technologies may suit different operations.The conversation highlights that successful technology adoption is not simply about new tools. It depends on matching technology to local conditions, business goals and management capacity.The Smart Grazing, Stronger Lands project is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program under the Natural Heritage Trust. It is is led by Adelaide University through the SA Drought Hub.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Doug Hamilton.Southern Rangelands Revitalisation Program | Department of Primary Industries and Regional DevelopmentGascoyne Regional Drought Resilience Plan Managing livestock health and disease during dry seasons - Drought HubThe triple bottom line: lessons from the Pastoral Business Toolbox - Drought HubVirtual fencing and drone monitoring: enhancing rangeland management through AgTech - Drought HubHub news - Drought Hub

April 29, 202622 min

Use of virtual fencing to build farm resilience

Virtual fencing could become a game-changer for Australian livestock producers, replacing kilometres of wire and hours of labour with a GPS collar and an app. But its potential goes well beyond convenience. By giving farmers unprecedented control over grazing pressure, virtual fencing is shaping up as a powerful tool for dry‑season management and climate resilience.In this episode, Esperance farmer Simon Fowler and SARDI researcher Bianca Agenbag unpack how the technology is helping producers maximise pasture utilisation, run virtual feedlots through feed gaps, and protect precious feed reserves when seasons turn tough. They also discuss the research underway to help farmers assess whether virtual fencing stacks up economically for their own operations.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Doug Hamilton.Virtual fencing: breaking down boundaries in livestock grazing - SW WA HubVirtually Fence Free project (Future Drought Fund) - NQ Dry TropicsCommercialisation of Virtual Fencing for Livestock - SARDI / PIRSAVirtual fencing for improved drought resilience on South Australian farms - SA Drought HubVirtual fencing for improved drought resilience on South Australian farms - SW WA HubVirtual fencing provides productivity gains from strip grazing in broadacre farming - SW WA HubHub news - Drought Hub

April 15, 202621 min

How strategic planning helps farmers stay ahead of uncertain seasons

Uncertain seasons require clear thinking, not more noise.In this episode, Rod Birch, a grain grower from Coorow, shares his approach to planning for and managing through dry seasons and broader uncertainty.Rod discusses the importance of focusing on core fundamentals, identifying key risks such as lower-than-expected rainfall, input supply and markets, and avoiding unnecessary noise when making decisions.The conversation explores planning across short, medium, and long timeframes, along with the role of good relationships and trusted advice in supporting decision making.While Rod speaks from a grain growing perspective, the principles apply across agriculture, reinforcing that although conditions change, the fundamentals of good planning remain the same.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Dr Mary-Anne Glanzlowe.Links on drought and mental health support - SW WA HubRiskWi$e - The National Risk Management Initiative - Grower Group AllianceNavigating extreme seasonal variability in WA’s Wheatbelt - SW WA HubHub news - Drought Hub

March 31, 202627 min

Optimising limited resources in challenging seasons

Input constraints are a challenge, not just currently in 2026, but also off the back of dry seasons when financial constraints can dominate decision making. In both contexts, smart allocation can make a real difference to whole of farm performance.In this episode, cropping farmer Dylan Hirsch from Latham WA and CSIRO research scientist Roger Lawes discuss practical strategies for making the most of limited inputs, with a strong focus on the highest input cost of nitrogen.They discuss how ranking paddocks by yield potential using historical data and remote sensing can help target limited inputs, while also considering how growers can adjust crop and rotation decisions when conditions or supply constraints change.Roger then shares insights from the national Grain Automate project, including a new calculator tool to help evaluate precision spraying investments.The conversation highlights the role of farm data in decision making to effectively optimise a constrained resource.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Doug Hamilton.Grain Automate Economic Model Calculator - Grain Automate - GRDC & CSIROSpray Program Calculator - GRDC & CSIROGrain Automate - GRDCHub news - Drought Hub

March 17, 202626 min

2026 Seasonal forecast: It’s going to rain, but when and how much?

Seasonal climate outlooks can inform planning, but they are only one part of farm decision-making.In this episode, Dr Meredith Guthrie, from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and Phil Smyth, northern Wheatbelt agronomist from Nutrien Coorow, talk about the 2026 seasonal outlook.Meredith explains current climate drivers, how to interpret climate model probabilities and how the potential development of an El Niño and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole may result in 2026 looking a bit like the difficult year of 2023.They then go on to discuss what these forecasts may mean for growers, including dry sowing, crop selection, managing input costs, and making the most of early rainfall opportunities.The conversation highlights the importance of using forecasts as guidance while focusing on sound management decisions throughout the season and how there is always space for hope.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Dr Mary-Anne Glanzlowe.Long-range weather, climate and water availability - Bureau of MeteorologySeasonal Climate Outlook - Department of Primary Industries and Regional DevelopmentLong-range forecasts: weeks, months and seasons - Bureau of MeteorologyHub news - Drought Hub

March 4, 202633 min

Water quality the hidden driver of spray efficacy

Water quality is one of the most overlooked factors in spray performance, yet it can have major impacts on efficacy, compatibility and long-term resistance risk.In this episode, agronomist Bill Campbell from Campbell Ag and Damon Cusack from the Fitzgerald Biosphere Group (FBG) discuss how water quality varies across Western Australia and what growers can do to better manage it.They explore common issues including hard water tying up glyphosate, high turbidity reducing the effectiveness of paraquat, and elevated pH shortening the half-life of certain insecticides and fungicides.The conversation highlights key results from FBG’s Water Quality Snapshot project, which revealed significant variability in water sources, even between dams on the same farm.Practical strategies include testing all water sources, ranking them by quality, matching water to product where possible, and investing in storage or treatment systems. The episode also points to useful tools and fact sheets available through the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).A small investment in understanding your water could make a big difference to spray results and farm resilience.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (SW WA Hub) and is hosted by Doug Hamilton.Sprayer workshops – filter to “west” region and “workshops” - GRDCWater tests - CSBPWaterSmart Dams: Making Dams Work Again — Fitzgerald Biosphere GroupWater Evaluation Platform - University of Western AustraliaWater quality factsheet - GRDCSpray mixing and batch guides - GRDCWater Smart Dams project - Grower Group AllianceHub news - Drought Hub

February 17, 202633 min

Managing livestock health and disease during dry seasons

Livestock monitoring and management is crucial for keeping animals healthy and productive during extended summer periods.In this episode, we are joined by Dr Izzy Drage, Field Veterinary Officer at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), and Katherine Davies, Senior Development Officer in DPIRD’s Animal Systems group. They bring valuable experience in livestock health and practical on‑farm management.We discuss the practical and strategic approaches to managing livestock during prolonged dry and hot periods, touching on water management, feed planning, disease observation and prevention, and long-term climate resilience for livestock.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Dr Mary-Anne Glanzlowe.Livestock nutrition in dry seasons with hay, silage and containment feeding - SW WA HubWaterSmart Dams: capturing and keeping water in dams - SW WA HubManaging heat stress in sheep, beef and dairy cattle - SW WA HubAnimal biosecurity - DPIRDAnimal welfare in emergencies - Heatwave (and dry season) - DPIRDAnnual ryegrass toxicity in livestock - DPIRD"Condition scoring of sheep" factsheet - DPIRD"Confined paddock feeding and feedlotting of sheep" factsheet - DPIRDDPIRD Diagnostics and Laboratory ServicesDPIRD field vet contactsElectronic identification for sheep and goats in Western Australia - DPIRDThe Emergency Animal Disease Hotline – how does it work? - Animal Health AustraliaEmergency animal disease preparedness - DPIRD"Growing weaner sheep" factsheet - DPIRDHypocalcaemia in sheep - Agriculture VictoriaLivestock ownership, identification and movement in Western Australia - DPIRDLupinosis - DPIRDPrevent chemical residues in livestock - DPIRDReportable animal diseases – Western Australia - DPIRDSaltland GenieSeason agricultural region - DPIRDSheep dry season management - DPIRDSheep feeding and nutrition - DPIRDSheep reproduction and genetics - DPIRDSheep tools, resources and calculators - DPIRDSignificant Disease Investigation Program - DPIRDSupplementary feeding and budgeting - DPIRDWater for livestock - DPIRDWaterSmart Dams – Making Dams Work Again - Grower Group AllianceWaterSmart Farms – water security and resilience in a drying climate - DPIRDHub news - Drought Hub

February 3, 202634 min

Managing farming risks with soil surveys

Quality soil data and precision agriculture can reduce risk and improve farm performance.This episode kicks off our new Innovation series, dropping every second instalment of the Dry Season Resources podcast. This series is hosted by Doug Hamilton, Innovation Specialist with the Grower Group Alliance and the SW WA Hub.In this episode, Doug is joined by Aidan Sinnott, consultant and director at VRT Solutions, and Giles McMeikan, agronomist at Farmanco. Both bring extensive experience in precision agriculture and the handling, processing, analysis and interpretation of on-farm datasets.They explore how soil surveying can be used to manage risk in modern farming systems, soil surveying technologies available to farmers, how soil data can help improve water use efficiency, and the practical implementation of variable rate technology (VRT).The conversation highlights the importance of well-managed on-farm data, strong collaboration between agronomists and precision agriculture consultants, and ensuring VRT does not compromise key profit drivers such as time of sowing.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (SW WA Hub) and is hosted by Doug Hamilton.VRTS Web Tools DirectoryFostering the adoption of variable rate fertiliser application for improved nutrient use efficiency - SPAAHub news - Drought Hub

December 17, 202541 min

Salinity in the Wheatbelt: insights from four decades of research

More than one million hectares of broadacre farmland are estimated to be affected by dryland salinity in Western Australia, causing significant production losses. In this episode, Dr Richard George from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) reflects on four decades of work tackling dryland salinity across Western Australia.He unpacks the complexity of salinity in the Wheatbelt, tracing its historical roots and examining the pressures of land clearing, climate, and agricultural practices on salinity levels, and outlines practical management strategies that have emerged from years of research.The conversation also looks ahead, highlighting the potential of water‑smart farming approaches to better manage water in a drying climate and support more resilient agricultural systems.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Dr Mary-Anne Glanzlowe.Sandy soils series: Re-engineering sandy soils into productive land - SW WA HubDrought Resilience in Action webinar series: Making the most of salinity - Facey GroupManaging soils - DPIRDWaterSmart Farms – water security and resilience in a drying climate - DPIRDHub news - Drought Hub

December 2, 202527 min

Putting real-time water usage data into the hands of horticulturalists

Declining rainfall and reduced water availability since the 1970s have made efficient water use in food production more important than ever. In this episode, Dr Julia Easton and Professor Mark Gibberd from the Centre for Crop Disease Management at Curtin University discuss the 'On Farm Water Demand' project, funded through the WA Node of Food Agility CRC.On Farm Water Demand is a regional project that began with a community meeting and grew into a multi-farm trial using soil moisture sensors and irrigation monitoring to better understand water use in high-value crops like avocados, truffles, apples, wine grapes, and potatoes.With 27 farms involved, data was collected year-round to track irrigation and soil moisture. Farmers used this to fine-tune decisions, whether daily or seasonally, and to back up choices with evidence rather than just instinct. The project highlights how structured data supports business planning, water efficiency, and even climate adaptation modelling at a catchment scale.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.Curtin 4 Agribusiness Profitability (C4AP) - CCDMSouthern Forests Drought Node - Southern Forests Food CouncilOn-Farm Water Demand - Food Agility CRCHub news - Drought Hub

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