Activities
Tours 2011
The SEPWA Executive sees domestic and international study tours as an integral part of educating Esperance Port Zone farmers beyond the farm gate. It highlights the importance of producing quality grain from the Esperance Port Zone and helps identify opportunities in our existing farming systems.
Innovation Generation Study Tour
July 2011
Fifteen progressive young grain growers from Scaddan to Holt Rock had the opportunity to get beyond the farm gate and attend the “Innovation Generation” conference in Perth, on a study tour organised by SEPWA.
The conference was aimed at those aged 18-40 years working in agriculture and provided a unique opportunity to develop a better understanding of the agricultural supply chain and ultimately, the industry.
The conference was an initiative of the Grain Growers organisation which aims to connect young people from across Australia with each other, and with agribusiness professionals.
Sponsorship from the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) significantly reduced the cost of attending the conference and enabled each attendee to be supplied with a rugby jumper.
SEPWA Diamond Sponsor, Summit Fertilizers also supplied each attendee with a polo-shirt.
Key speakers at the conference included Director General of the Department of Agriculture and Food WA (DAFWA) Rob Delane, CEO of Grain Growers Mark Allison, GRDC Chairman Keith Perrett, CEO of the National Farmers Federation Matt Linegar and Victorian Farmers Federation President Andrew Broad.
One of the key themes to come out of the conference was that there is considerable disconnectivity between rural and metropolitan Australia. The importance of working with your market and supplying what they actually want was also emphasised.
- Created on Wednesday, 01 June 2011 12:43
Women's tour to the wheatbelt
July 2011
New skills, expanded networks and new ideas are some of the outcomes from a recent women’s agricultural study tour to the state’s wheatbelt.
The South East Premium Wheat Growers’ Association (SEPWA) recently joined forces with Facey Group to offer the study tour which included 19 women from both regions.
The tour took in farm visits, networking opportunities and participants also attended the Liebe Group Ladies’ Day in Dalwallinu.
The first farm visit was to Gary and Kerry Butcher’s farm, east of Pithara, to look at a saltbush feedlot that has been developed to complement traditional supplementary feeding of pregnant ewes during feed gaps.
The Liebe Group Ladies’ Day ‘an enlightening and inspiring day out’ was the highlight of the tour for the ladies with a variety of presenters, gourmet food and great company.
Speakers included Chief Scientist of WA, Professor Lyn Beazley and well renowned author,
parenting and resilience specialist, Maggie Dent and many more.
The tour participants found that while most presentations focused on family and farm businesses, there were ideas each person could use personally, professionally, in business or in their community - mainly good communication!
On the way home, the ladies caught up with the 2010 National RIRDC Rural Woman of the Year, Sue Middleton at her farm near Wongan Hills to look at the intensive piggery feedlot where approximately 17,000 pigs are raised each year. Pigs have played a huge role for Sue, and have inspired her to investigate opportunities to use piggery waste to produce energy (biogas) through her RIRDC award.
Overall, the tour had a positive impact on many of the attendees work life through new networks, refreshing ideas for regional development and the agricultural industry and strengthened their thoughts on the importance of the roles women play in our community, industry and family.
The tour received funding support from the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Industry Development Award program.
- Created on Wednesday, 01 June 2011 12:41
Activities