GRDC podcasts cover the latest grains research, development and extension knowledge and outcomes to help grain growers improve their profitability.
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June 16, 202610 min
Managing capital in a farm enterprise
GRDC's Farm Business Updates have played a big role in updating growers about changing landscapes, including taxation and managing the ever-increasing asset base of their businesses. As part of a recent update, Joanne Gilbert from world leading tax and consulting service, RSM Australia spoke about the changes that have occurred in the years since the Covid pandemic. Joanne encourages all growers to take control of their income and we caught up with her post-update to find out more.
Contact: Joanne Gilbert
RSM Australia
joanne.gilbert@rsm.com.au
More information:
https://www.rsm.global/australia
https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/grdc/events/focus-on-farm-business-a-priority-this-february
https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grownotes/technical-manuals/farm-business-models
https://grdc.com.au/research/partnerships-and-initiatives/strategic-partnerships/riskwise
https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grdc-update-papers/tab-content/grdc-update-papers/2024/07/mastering-the-whole-system-managing-farm-business-risk-and-building-resilience
https://grdc.com.au/news-and-media/audio/podcast/2026/grain-automate-from-data-to-decisions
https://grdc.com.au/events/list/2026/04/grdc-farm-business-update,-online-from-busy-to-efficient-streamlining-operations
Project Code: ORM2401-001SAX
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June 9, 202614 min
Legume profitability: How they stack up in the west
Growers in Western Australia are aware of the benefits of growing legumes in their rotation. However, there are key considerations and drivers that need to be considered when making decisions. A GRDC investment with the Grower Group Alliance is aiming to help with that and in this four-part series, we tackle the agronomy, profitability, marketing, and harvesting of growing legumes. This episode explores what makes legumes profitable, how profitable they need to be to make it worthwhile, and the multi-year factors at play. We hear from grower, Timm House, and his agronomy consultant, Tom McInerney, who are both based at Gnowangerup, WA.
Contacts:
Timm House
Gnowangerup Grower
timmhouse23@gmail.com
Tom McInernery
Great Southern Ag
tom.mcinerney@bigpond.com
More Information:
https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/crops/pulses/profitable-legumes-becoming-a-reality
Project Investment Code:
GGA2110-002SAX
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June 2, 202635 min
GRDC in Conversation: Jessica Koch
Jessica Koch grew up around farming and technology, developing an early interest in precision agriculture as a way to better understand variability in low rainfall environments. What began as curiosity about soils, mapping and machinery has evolved into a career focused on helping growers make clearer, more confident decisions using the right information at the right time. Now a precision agriculture consultant, grower and founder of Breezy Hill Precision Ag Consulting, Jess reflects on her journey from working at a local John Deere dealership to building her own business and backing herself to step out independently.
She shares a practical perspective on precision ag - not as perfection, but as using available tools and data to reduce uncertainty and improve decision-making. Beyond the farm gate, Jess discusses her involvement with SPAA and her role in establishing Ladies on the Land in South Australia’s Upper North, highlighting the importance of creating spaces where people feel included, supported and confident to build skills and contribute.
This episode explores:
- What precision agriculture really means in practice
- How Jess built a career in precision ag through dealerships, consulting and on-farm experience
- Why facts and good information lead to better, more confident decisions
- How a leadership program helped Jess back herself and build her own consulting business
- The role of self-awareness, humour and energy in leadership and communication
- Why Ladies on the Land was created and the impact it has had in regional communities
- How women can build confidence, farm knowledge and stronger pathways into business and leadership
- Why precision ag doesn’t have to start with expensive tools, but with better use of the data already on hand
- How drought shaped decision making and reinforced the value of practical, low-cost precision ag
- Why autonomy, spot spraying and better farm data systems are exciting the next wave of ag innovation
Watch this episode as a video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pfN9ceGUzWQ
More information
https://www.breezyhillpas.com/
https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grdc-update-papers/tab-content/grdc-update-papers/2022/08/using-common-precision-ag-data-layers-to-accurately-and-economically-ground-truth
GRDC in Conversation is a limited series GRDC Podcast. It features in-depth interviews with growers and other experts in the grains industry who share their expertise, knowledge and experiences by exploring their personal stories, history, influences and motivations. The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views of GRDC, the interviewees’ employer, institution or other associated parties.
GRDC Project Code:
HAG2507-001SAX https://grdc.com.au/grdc-investments
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May 26, 202613 min
Avoid the smashed egg: Improve on-farm communication
GRDC’s Farm Business Updates play a big role in updating growers about farm management systems, including self-development. Dr Jane Foster teaches emotional resilience and has been a presenter at this year’s events. In this podcast Dr Foster discusses the importance of proactive communication skills on-farm to avoid conflict and keep everyone safe.
Contact:
Dr Jane Foster
Emotional Resilience Training
jane@emotionalresiliencetraining.com.au
0425 718 632
More Information:
Mental health resources
https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/resources/mental-health
https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/farm-business/business-management/a-full-wellbeing-silo-key-to-mental-health
https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/innovation/industry-insights/boundaries-key-to-preserving-mental-health,-expert-says
https://grdc.com.au/news-and-media/audio/podcast/2025/skills-for-agronomists-to-handle-tough-conversations
https://grdc.com.au/news-and-media/audio/podcast/2024/finding-your-feet-as-an-agronomist
https://grdc.com.au/news-and-media/audio/podcast/2023/talking-mental-health-in-a-tough-year
The Farm business update in February:
https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/grdc/events/focus-on-farm-business-a-priority-this-february
Upcoming Farm Business updates and GRDC events:
https://grdc.com.au/events/list
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May 19, 202642 min
GRDC in Conversation: Matthew Howell
Matthew Howell is an agronomist, grower and regional advocate based in South Australia’s Upper South East. Over the past two decades, he has worked alongside growers through a major shift from mixed farming to large-scale continuous cropping, driven by rainfall, soil development and opportunity. In this conversation, Matt reflects on his journey from Cummins on the Eyre Peninsula to building a life and career in Meningie, sharing what it’s been like to work in a rapidly changing region where former dairy country has been converted to broadacre cropping and growers have had to adapt quickly.
Matt speaks to the value of being actively involved through agronomy, mentoring, trials and advocacy. He explores what real practice change looks like, how tough seasons sharpen learning, and why regional leadership matters, highlighting the balance between profitability and sustainability and the need for stronger support in precision ag, data and training.
This episode explores:
How Matt’s upbringing in Cummins shaped his connection to agriculture and regional community
Why he moved to the Upper South East and what kept him there
How the Meningie region shifted from mixed farming and dairy into large-scale cropping
What it actually takes to convert farming systems at scale
Why profitability and sustainability are driving decisions more than market hype
What tough seasons reveal about water use efficiency, management and system weaknesses
How local innovation sites and farmer-led trials can accelerate regional learning
Why Matt believes regional communities thrive when farms are profitable and successful
What holds back wider adoption of variable rate technology and precision ag
How the next generation of agronomists will need both technical skill and people skills
Why speaking up, getting involved and influencing policy matters for regional agriculture
Watch this episode as a video on YouTube https://youtu.be/_rNR6XSV2u8
More information
GRDC in Conversation is a limited series GRDC Podcast. It features in-depth interviews with growers and other experts in the grains industry who share their expertise, knowledge and experiences by exploring their personal stories, history, influences and motivations. The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views of GRDC, the interviewees’ employer, institution or other associated parties.
More info: https://grdc.com.au
Subscribe: https://grdc.com.au/grdc-subscriptions
For LIVE Events go to https://grdc.com.au/events/list
Get the latest from GroundCover: https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/
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May 14, 20269 min
Keeping crops clean and productive with disease management in faba and broad beans
Controlling disease in crops has traditionally been the ultimate game of chance. However, work being done in faba and broad bean crops in South Australia has taken some of the risk out of the equation. In this episode, Max Bloomfield, a research manager at Field Applied Research Australia or FAR Australia explores strategies to manage major foliar and soil-borne
diseases in faba and broad beans, reducing yield losses and improving
profitability. Max and his team were involved in the South Australian Grain Legume Project, a joint initiative between South Australian Research and Development Institute, or SARDI and GRDC, looking specifically at keeping faba and broad bean crops clean and productive and led by the South Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA).
Contact:
Max Bloomfield
FAR Australia
Max.bloomfield@faraustralia.com.au
More Information:
https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/all-publications/nvt-crop-sowing-guides/sa-crop-sowing-guide
https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/crops/pulses/closing-the-economic-yield-gap
https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/crops/pulses/legume-challenges-addressed
https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/crops/pulses/grain-legumes-initiative-aims-to-close-the-yield-gap-in-sa
https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grdc-update-papers/tab-content/past-update-proceedings/2026/grdc-grains-research-update-bendigo-2026
Project Code:
UOA2105-013RTX
https://grdc.com.au/grdc-investments/investments/investment?code=UOA2105-013RTX
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May 12, 202611 min
Staying ahead of lentil diseases with strategies for healthier crops
Disease prevention is pivotal in any cereal crop. This episode explores recognising and preventing diseases in lentils with research scientist Mohsen Khani from the South Australian Research and Development Institute. Lentils are often favoured because of their profitability, but diseases can undo a season's work in a matter of weeks if not kept in check. GRDC has invested in a multi -year grain legume project in South Australia, with part of that study focused on what to look for and how seasons affect disease development and progress.
The SA Grain Legume project: Development and extension to close the economic yield gap and maximise farming systems benefits from grain legume production in South Australia is led by the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), the research division of the Department of Primary Industries and Regions, alongside a number of project partners.
Contact:
Mohsen Khani
South Australian Research and Development Institute
mohsen.khani@sa.gov.au
More Information:
https://grdc.com.au/search?query=%E2%80%AFUOA2105-013RTX&collection=grdc%7Esp-grdc&profile=grdc-global&form=web
https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/crops/pulses/legume-challenges-addressed
Project Investment Code:
UOA2105-013RTX
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May 10, 202622 min
What we’ve learned about lentil pod loss
In this episode, agronomist Sam Trengove, from Trengove Consulting, and lentil farmer Tim Millard talk about one of the greatest challenges for legume growers - lentil pod loss. Lentil pod loss can be devastating to a crop. In some instances, farmers can lose up to 60 percent and the main cause, wind, is out of their hands to control. GRDC has invested in a multi-year grain legume project in South Australia, in part looking at how to prevent such dramatic lentil seed pod losses between maturity and harvest. While researchers found no silver bullets, they emphasise controlling what you can and using harvest timing, machinery setup, and awareness of conditions to capture as much of the crop as possible, while research continues to search for longer term solutions.
In addition to the comments within this episode, agronomist Sam Trengove emphasises the question of what growers can do now in terms of timing of desiccation and timeliness of harvest with respect to wind events. He states that growers with large programs should stagger their desiccation times in line with their harvest capacity, so that they don't have all their lentil crop ready to harvest on the same day when it will take them 10 days to harvest. For example, if they have capacity to harvest 100ha of lentil per day and 1000ha of lentils to harvest, then staggering the desiccation time over a 10-day period may help to reduce the risks of having the whole crop ready and vulnerable if it is all sprayed within a couple days. A range of sowing dates and/or mix of variety maturities may also help to stagger the desiccation timing.
The South Australian Grain Legume Project, is a joint initiative between South Australian Research and Development Institute, or SARDI and GRDC, led by the South Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA).
Contact: Sam Trengove
Trengove Consulting Pty Ltd
samtrenny34@hotmail.com
Tim Millard
Grower in Goalpara, South Australia
tmillard01@hotmail.com
More Information:
https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/crops/pulses/fine-tuning-legume-agronomy-to-benefit-sa-growers
https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/crops/pulses/closing-the-economic-yield-gap
https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/weeds-pests-diseases/chemical-regulation/herbicide-tolerant-lentils-registration-and-impacts
https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/crops/pulses/legume-challenges-addressed
https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/crops/pulses/less-haste,-more-speed-for-lentil-desiccation-timing
Project Code: UOA2105-013RTX
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May 5, 202653 min
GRDC in Conversation: James Hillcoat
James Hillcoat didn’t grow up on a farm. His journey began cycling five miles to a Lincolnshire farm in England, evolved through painting houses and teaching sailing in France, and eventually led him to Australian grain consulting via Marcus Oldham.
Today, as a Partner at Pinion Advisory, his work sits at the intersection of profit, people and perspective. In this conversation, James shares what truly drives high-performing farm businesses, why communication is the hidden lever in family enterprises, and how emotion, succession and robotics will shape the next era of Australian grain.
This episode explores:
● What separates the top 20% of grain businesses
● Why technical skill is only 30% of modern consulting
● Emotion in family farming – and how to harness it productively
● Lessons from the Country Fire Service on leadership under pressure
● The succession challenge facing Australian agriculture
● What “Consultant 3.0” looks like
Watch this episode as a video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bdIpp-iCacE
Watch highlights from this episode as a video on YouTube:
More information
James Hillocat, Pinion Advisory: https://www.pinionadvisory.com/
https://grdc.com.au/events/past-events/2025/03/grdc-farm-business-update,-online-should-i-own-trucks-assessing-the-commercial-benefit
GRC in Conversation is a limited series GRDC Podcast. It features in-depth interviews with growers and other experts in the grains industry who share their expertise, knowledge and experiences by exploring their personal stories, history, influences and motivations. The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views of GRDC, the interviewees’ employer, institution or other associated parties.
GRDC Project Code
HAG2507-001SAX
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April 28, 202619 min
Grain Automate: The Autonomous Agronomist
This episode of GRDC’s Grain Automate series speaks with Tim Neale, an expert agronomist and the director of Data Farming, a precision farming company based out of Toowoomba in southern Queensland. Tim works to help the industry get smarter about how to work with technology and managing the influx of automation available now and into the future. Agronomists can spend up to 75 per cent of their time driving, which can be frustrating and unproductive, prompting many of them to look at alternative monitoring options. But Tim is quick to reiterate the autonomous solutions aren't about replacing boots on the ground.
Contact:
Tim Neale
Data Farming
tim@datafarming.com.au
More Information:
- https://grdc.com.au/research/partnerships-and-initiatives/major-initiatives/grain-automate
- Autonomy proves a game changer | GroundCover
- Expo steps gowers nearer to tomorrow | GroundCover
- https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/innovation/precision-agriculture-and-machinery/are-you-ready-for-autonomy
- https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/innovation/precision-agriculture-and-machinery/partnerships-and-vision-are-key-to-an-autonomous-future
Project Code:
SPA2404-002RTX
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