Events
- 2011 Ravensthorpe Agricultural Initiative Network Crop Updates
- 2011 SEPWA Harvest Review, Season Preview (interesting speakers on the way of the future), AGM and Annual Grain Growers’ Dinner
- 2011 Time Management taster workshop
- 2010/11 Harvest Photo Competition
- 2010 Biotechnology workshop
- 2010 Wine and Noodles night – Ravensthorpe and Grass Patch (including David Capper and Dr Voon Yit Yang from Interflour)
- 2010 Soil 2 Grain Workshop
- 2010 SEPWA Summit Study Tour – Wheatbelt – highlights included visits to other grower groups, Dowerin Field days, Candeloro’s on farm storage and football match
- 2010 Seeding Photo Competition
- 2010 “Building a Successful Farm Business” workshop (run in conjunction with RSM Bird Cameron)
- 2010 International Study Tour in conjunction with Interflour (Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam)
- 2010 “Understanding Biotechnology” workshop for women to better understand GM technology
- 2010 Ladies' Day and Dinner – highlights included Sue Daubney from Bannister Downs Dairy and local Robyn McIntyre
- 2010 EDRS Field day (in conjunction with Department of Agriculture and Food WA) – Professor Stephen Powles
- 2010 Local field days
Funding Projects
- "Agronomy Jigsaw - Water use efficiency" project in partnership with DAFWA
- "Putting Precision Agriculture on the ground in Western Australia" project funded by GRDC
- “Cross contamination of Chemicals by Farm Family Members” project funded by RIRDC and Combined Universities Centre for Rural Health
- “The potential for grain based containers trade” project funded by Royalties for Regions, SEPWA and PASE
- Involvement in “barley head loss” project which is run by DAFWA and funded by GRDC
- Plus considerable funding for events such as the wheatbelt study tour, Harvest Review Season Preview, Ladies’ Day.
- Increased number of sponsors and corporate members plus retained existing ones
Trials
- SEPWA wheat, barley and canola variety trials
- Grazing crops trials, an extension to the SEPWA canola and barley variety trials
- Interflour funded comprehensive trials program throughout the Esperance Port Zone
- Sampling all wheat trials as part of funding by Interflour – varietal quality and milling evaluation
- Micro malt of samples from the barley trial
Other
- Coordinated Trial Sites throughout the Esperance Port Zone
- Continued employment of Gemma Walker as Executive Officer
- Continued employment of Nigel Metz as Projects Officer
- Continued employment of Jan Clawson as Finance Officer (part time)
- Continued employment of Julia Ashby as Media Officer (part time)
- Continued employment of Bill Sharp as Trials Coordinator (part time)
- Continued development of the SEPWA webpage (www.sepwa.org.au)
- Continued involvement with the Grower Group Alliance
Grains Industry Lobbying
- Successfully lobbied for Esperance farmers to be able to use 2,4-D Ester 800 during summer
- Worked in closely with CBH Group for the 2010 shipment of Eagle Rock
- Negotiating with CBH Group for the continuation of Quality Assurance (QA) in the Esperance Port Zone
- GIWA - Industry standards of wheat, barley and canola
Executive Representation on other Committees
- NVT Advisory Committee – Lyndon Mickel
- Nuffield Scholars - Andrew Fowler and David Cox
- GIWA subcommittee - Chris Reichstein and Steve Tilbrook
- Esperance Port - Chris Reichstein
- Neridup Soil Improvement Group - David Cox
- Beaumont Better Farming Group - Lyndon Mickel
- Barley Council (Chair) - Steve Tilbrook
- GIWA Executive - Steve Tilbrook
- North Mallee Group - Sam Guest
- Ravensthorpe Agricultural Initiative Network (Chair) - Andrew Chambers
- Newdegate Fielddays - Craig Newman
- EOPP – Leon Bowman
Achievements 2009-2010