1.       Grazing crops research and extension.

For the last 2 years Mark Seymour and Matt Ryan have worked on trials incorporating cattle grazing crops.  This was either funded by GRDC (2011) or unfunded (2012 as MLA did not fund it…..long complicated boring story).  In 2013 both Mark and Matt have been moved on to other activities. Mark is heading a large GRDC break crop project with emphasis on canola due to start July 2013 and Matt has been moved onto a special DAFWA beef project looking at the potential for 100 day feedlots.  Hence both personnel and funding are at a nexus. 

GRDC have funded a small $65K/year project to continue assessing long season and spring type wheat, barley and canola genotypes and management.  This is likely to move to Katanning where staff are available to take this on.

DAFWA would like to continue assessing the benefits of grazing crops for animal production at Esperance Downs Research Station, particularly cattle as it is the only site in WA where beef research can be done.  We hope to have Megan McDowall returning to take on this role.  But MLA are unlikely to fund it or work out what they want to do in our lifetime.  So an opportunity arises for SEPWA to have greater direct input into the grazing crops work and tailor it to fit what they and the local Beef group want.

The approximate cost would be $40,000 per year (?)

2.       Break crop/canola project

As mentioned above GRDC are highly likely to fund a 5 year project from July 2013.  Locally Mark Seymour and Pam Burgess will work on it.  There will also be staff at Geraldton, Merredin and Northam, with Mark Seymour heading the project.  As it starts in July 2013 there exists a gap that SEPWA might like to fill.  SEPWA could fund one or two trials next year that they work out with Mark that fits in with both research needs and field day exposure.  The approximate cost would be $10,000 per trial.

SEPWA might also like to consider repeating such an arrangement to ensure there are break crop/canola trials as a feature at the EDRS field day each year.