Australian grain growers will have access to a new national soils education initiative designed to bring together decades of research and make the information easier to apply on farms.
The $7.4 million project is an investment by the Grains Research and Development Corp. and is led by Murdoch University in collaboration with the University of New England, Adelaide University and The University of Western Australia.
The project was announced Aug. 26 by GRDC Chair and South Australian grain grower Sharon Starick at the Dowerin Machinery Field Days in Western Australia.
The initiative aims to improve access to practical, research-backed information on soil and nutrient management. It will build on existing soils education resources and learning platforms to create a nationally coordinated framework supporting growers, advisers, researchers and students.
The project will combine online learning, field-based activities, demonstrations and other extension approaches tailored to different audiences and levels of experience.
A 2024 study by Planfarm and Farmanco found that soil amelioration practices used by 50 farm businesses in Western Australia increased farm profit by $100 per hectare per year over 10 years.
The initiative will focus on independent, credible and evidence-based information tailored to Australia's grain-growing regions and regional soil priorities, according to Murdoch University.
The project follows SoilsWest's delivery of GRDC investments, including the Soil Quality ebook series and current learning courses developed as part of the Improving Crop Nutrition Through Extension of New Research in the Western Region project.
The project also will address concerns about the potential loss of soil science expertise and knowledge developed through decades of research. It will capture knowledge from current and retiring soil scientists and integrate it with new research and evolving farming systems.
The initiative is intended to strengthen soil knowledge among growers while building expertise among advisers, agronomists, students and early-career industry professionals.
GRDC said the investment will help maximize the value of previous soils research while creating a long-term resource for Australia's grains industry. The goal is to establish a national platform that serves as a central source for soils education and knowledge and connects research, education and extension.
Source: GRDC Groundcover, "New national education initiative to help growers unlock the value of soils knowledge"