On October 11 and 12, the GIAV Crop Tour provided an opportunity to see if the yields will meet expectations or if disease and water logging will get the better of some crops.
Three earlier La Nina seasons have set a high bar for the 2023 crop. The 2022/23 average Victorian yield for wheat was 3.95 t/ha compared to 3.91 t/ha in 2021/22 and the average 2022/23 barley yield was 4.25 t/ha compared to 5.21 t/ha in2021/22. These are some of the highest yield estimates since tours commenced in 2016. With a dry finish expected, crop forecasters had slotted in average yields but these results suggest much higher yields this season.
Since 2016 the GIAV has hosted this 2-day Crop Tour which is established as a credible source of pre-harvest yield estimates of cereal crops in southeastern Australia as well as a valued networking event. Members and colleagues are invited to join us for our tour of grain growing regions in Victoria and the Riverina.
Attendance at crop tours can boost your agronomic skills, generate first-hand knowledge of yield and production potential of wheat and barley crops in southern NSW and Victoria and provide valuable networking.
Our program suited to 30 to 60 participating crop scouts has been modelled on similar tours undertaken in the US and is suited to GIAV members, traders, millers, farmers, brokers, students and grain analysts.
Logistics:
- Bendigo is our start and end point and you can travel via car, train or transport can be arranged with a pick up/drop off from/to Melbourne Airport before and after the tour
- We will meet in Bendigo at 5:30 on the Tuesday afternoon prior to the tour where a dinner briefing will acquaint crop scouts with crop estimating techniques, yield limiting features of grain and their tour groups
- Surplus cars can be parked in Bendigo during the tour and collected on return Thursday afternoon
- Participants will be assigned to a route and a travel group of 3 to 4 people to provide a mix of skills and experience within each car
- Each car group will be able to inspect around 12 to 14 paddocks a day
- Cars will leave from Bendigo on Wednesday and travel on different routes to three different towns
- On Thursday reassigned groups will travel on different routes that will return to Bendigo
- On Thursday evening there will be a post tour briefing and meal provided in Bendigo
Participants can return home by car or train from Bendigo
Assessment methods
- A smart phone app is provided to all participants to record all the in-field data
- Using tools provided, crop scouts will count grain heads/m of row and grains/head
- Results from the specially developed app will be collated by the GIAV and results provided
Biosecurity
- Boot hygiene protocol will be adopted (Plant Health Aust) with cars provided with kits
- Without vehicles on paddocks the risk of pests/weed seeds spreading will be reduced
Materials, fees and registration
- Training, accessing tools, maps of routes, wash kits and tour teams will be provided for each assessor
- GIAV provides a meal for the briefing & reserves accommodation for participants to confirm and pay
- Registration cost $300 or $250 for those who provide their car during the tour
- Companies and individuals providing cars will also be acknowledged during the tour and when full results are revealed at the Pre-harvest meeting the following week