LIEBEGROUP NEWSLETTER · Grains Research and Development Corporation and the ... Agrimaster Pacific...

LIEBE GROUPNEWSLETTER

September 2010 Volume 13 Issue 7

IN THIS ISSUE

Spring on the Sandplain FieldWalk: page 5

Market Update: page 16

Agronomic Update: page 17

Spring Field Day Photos:page 19

SPRING FIELD DAYTHANK YOUS

The Liebe Group would like to extend a big thank you to all thepresenters, supporters and helpers from the Spring Field Day.

Many thanks to all the members who assisted with theregistration table, setting up, chairing sessions and packing up.

We would also sincerely like to thank the Nankivell family forhosting this year’s site and Elders Dalwallinu for sponsoring theevent.

If you have lost your copy of the Spring Field Day booklet orwould like an extra one, please call the Liebe office on (08) 96642030.

DIAMOND PARTNERS

The Liebe Group would like to acknowledge and thankthe Department of Agriculture & Food WA, the

Grains Research and Development Corporation and theFarm Weekly for their valued support.

Summer Rainfall and StubbleManagement: page 8

Spring Field Day Success:page 3

EO REPORTChris O’Callaghan, Executive Officer, Liebe Group

Liebe Group September Newsletter 2010 Working together in Agriculture 2

ALOSCA Syngenta Bayer Glencore Grain Jolly & Sons/ T & H Walton

GOLD PARTNERS

SILVER PARTNERS

BRONZE PARTNERSAgrimaster Pacific Seeds

The Spring Field Day is over for another year, and from a staff perspective, the day was anotherresounding success. For the third consecutive year, the Spring Field Day attracted over 200 attendeeswhich is a credit to the group for putting on such a well organised and relevant day. Flora is to becommended on a very professional job she has done organising the event. Also thanks and well done to allthe Liebe Group staff on what was a very busy and taxing couple of weeks. The R&D Committee,especially the host farmer Rob Nankivell and R&D Chair Mike Dodd, are also to be commended on theefforts they have put in to make the day so successful. Thank you to all the Liebe members who took partin the R&D planning session; the responses are currently being collated and will be presented to the R&DCommittee at the next meeting in October. Members will be able to see these collated responses in theR&D Book which comes out in February.

Last Saturday I attended the official opening of the Dalwallinu Discovery Centre which is a truly magnificentfacility for a country town to have. The Liebe Group have an interpretive display in the building so Iencourage people to have a look next time they go through.

Leading up to and during harvest, the Liebe Group still have a few activities and opportunities planned forour members. On Monday 4th October, the group will be hosting a Precision Agriculture training workshopwhich will outline some of the economics and issues surrounding the adoption of variable rate technology.Details of this workshop will be coming soon. On Friday 8th October the group will be holding a field walk atthe Long Term Research site to give members an opportunity to see what is happening at that site (see theflyer on page 5), and on Monday 12th October the group will be hosting a workshop exploring weed seedmanagement at harvest (see page 6).

During harvest the Liebe Group, in conjunction with the Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative, will alsobe setting up a weed management trial at the Liebe Long Term Research Site which will compare theHarrington Seed Destructor, a chaff cart and windrow burning for their long term weed control efficacy. Thiswill be an opportunity for members to view the Harrington Seed Destructor in action as a follow up to thedisplay at the Spring Field Day and the weed seed management workshop in September. This will beadvertised in an Enews during harvest so keep your eyes on this space.

Well that is all for now, please take the time to consider the upcoming workshops and whether they addvalue to your business. If you are planning to attend, please don’t forget to RSVP to assist us with thecatering. Hope to see you there.


SPRING FIELD DAY SUCCESSFlora Danielzik, R&D Coordinator, Liebe Group

The 2010 Liebe Group Spring Field Day was held on Thursday 9th September at the Nankivell’s property inEast Maya with around 250 people attending making the day a huge success.

Amongst the attendees were the Western Panel of the Grains Research and Development Corporation(GRDC). Chairperson, Neil Young, opened the day and gave an overview of GRDC priorities in the area.The event attracted many attendees from WA and around the globe with quite a few international guestsshowing interest in WA farming systems including scientists from Syria & Iraq and farmers from SouthAfrica.

Although the site saw only 145mm of rain since April, the trials looked excellent and showed some goodvisual differences. 17 field trials were available to view, with some of the trials being combined to fit in the30 minute presentation sessions. To compliment the trials, several demonstrations and marqueepresentations were running throughout the day. This format meant that many different aspects of farmingwere covered; from agronomic issues and livestock to health, employment and technology.

With weed management being a major agronomic concern for many people, the Harrington SeedDestructor display and presentation was clearly one of the highlights of the day. The Harrington Seeddestructor is a cage mill based weed seed destroying tool which is towed behind the header at harvest.The Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative (AHRI), along with inventor Ray Harrington, presented themachine and gave an outline of the machines development, practicalities and the research that shows a90-95% destruction of several types of weed seeds that enter the header.

Another very well received presentation was the legume agronomy session which covered trials exploringfield pea, chickpea, and lupin varieties, ‘Apron XL seed dressing on field peas’ trial and a ‘Radish control inlupins’ trial. Several researchers and industry experts offered their advice and knowledge on all legumerelated topics and, furthermore, launched two new field pea varieties.

The ‘Use of pre-emergent herbicides using discs vs tynes’ trial created some interest especially around theuse and efficacy of the new herbicide ‘Sakura’. This product will provide growers with another tool in theirpre-emergent herbicide rotation to fit within their Integrated Weed Management plan.

Many people showed interest in the always popular wheat National Variety Trial (NVT), and attendeeswere able to listen to breeders from the various plant breeding companies give information about thebackground of the lines and the strengths and weaknesses of each. This was complemented by a BarleyNVT which will give growers a chance to make decisions about which barley varieties are the mostsuitable for this region.

David Cameron from Farmanco presented on the decision making tool Yield Prophet and utilised the LiebeGroup’s ‘Practice for Profit’ trial and a soil pit as a method of examining this computer program’s validity.

Presentations in the marquee were looking at ‘Mentoring our Boys’ – an informative talk about health andsafety issues on farm run by Owen Catto from Wheatbelt Men’s Health; and the National EmploymentSystem where Carly Veitch from Farmanco gave a relevant overview of obligations and entitlements ofemployers under the new national pastoral award.

Another highlight of the day was Craig Ryan, the butcher from Dalwallinu Meats who showed andexplained how to cut up a sheep, debone the leg and shoulder, and make rolled roasts and French cutletsduring the lunch break.


SPRING FIELD DAY SUCCESS - CONTINUEDFlora Danielzik, R&D Coordinator, Liebe Group

This day’s success is due to all the help and input the Liebe staff received from the group’s members andall other helpers. A huge thank you must go to Rob Nankivell and Ruth Bateman for the amount of timeand effort spent throughout the year to make this event possible and generally being very helpful andapproachable. Many thanks to the R&D and Management committees who are the ‘brains of the operation’and always offer advice and a helping hand.

I would also like to thank all other helpers involved: the chair people, all those lending equipment andattending the busy bees, Richard and Sally Lee for donating the sheep, Elders Dalwallinu for sponsoringthe event and cooking the barbecue for dinner, the Coorow–Latham Football Club, all other Liebe Groupstaff members for putting so much passion and time into making this a great day, and also all thoseattending the field day and providing feedback! Thank you!

Next year’s planning is already underway to make the 2011 Liebe Group Spring Field Day anothersuccess; with more buses and potentially six concurrent sessions at Rod and Shelley Birch’s in EastCoorow.

If you would like an extra copy of the Spring Field Day booklet please contact Flora at the office on(08) 9664 2030.

Lyn Fitzsimons (Buntine), Alan Barnes(Wubin) and Merrie Carlshausen (GRDC).

The after-event barbecue and bar.

Attendees enjoy a barbecue lunch.Flora Danielzik (Liebe R&D Coordinator) andRob Nankivell (Main Trial Site host farmer).


On the 9th and 10th August, Jeff Pearse (Wubin grower and Management Committee member) and Iattended the national Water Use Efficiency conference in Melbourne. The meeting brought together all ofthe research organisations and grower groups that make up the GRDC National Water Use Efficiencyinitiative. Between going to the footy (Jeff) and shopping (Nadine), we heard over 35 presentations lookingat ways to ‘Catch More, Store More and Grow More’. Initial experimental findings suggested that grazingstubble did not reduce water infiltration, and although stubble cover over summer has many environmentaland agronomic benefits, it did not reduce the evaporation of water from the soil. Liebe growers can beproud of the fact WA has a high water use efficiency relative to the rest of the country.

The conference gave Jeff and I the opportunity to network and gain feedback and advice on the LiebeGroup’s new summer stubble management trial which will be irrigated over summer in order to understandthe effects of summer rainfall on the following crop. Next year the conference will be held in Perth.

LIEBE REPRESENTED AT MELBOURNE CONFERENCENadine Hollamby, GRDC Project Coordinator, Liebe Group

VISITORS TO THE LIEBE GROUPChris O’Callaghan, Executive Officer, Liebe Group

South Australian FarmersOn Tuesday 24th August, a group of farmers from South Australia visited Liebe Group members to gain abetter understanding of WA’s low-medium rainfall farming system. The group of about 40 farmers andresearchers from South Australia’s Mid North visited sites at Mike Bothe’s in Coorow, the Liebe Group MainTrial Site at Rob Nankivell’s, and finished with a visit to Liebe Group president Gary Butcher’s farm. AtMikes, the group was able to have a look at a GM Canola crop, something they have not yet gainedexposure to in South Australia, and were able to hear about some of the practical implications of growingGM canola.

The group then stayed overnight in Dalwallinu and had dinner with a few Liebe members. The next morningthe group headed to Rob Nankivell’s and the Liebe Group Main Trial Site, where Rob and I were able toshow the group a few of the trials, and explain why this type of research is important to our farmingsystems. Weed trials, particularly those looking at radish control were of particular interest, as radish is atthe moment is only an emerging weed problem in South Australia. In the afternoon, the group headed toGary Butcher’s property where shed explorations, rides in Gary’s Model T Ford truck, and a look at asaltland grazing system was the order of the afternoon.

Thanks to the Liebe members that took part in hosting these farmers over the two days and sharing yourexperiences about farming in the Northern Wheatbelt of WA.

Iraqis, Syrians and South AfricansOn Wednesday 13th October, the group will be hosting a group of scientists from Iraq who will be in WA forfour weeks to study plant breeding, and in particular, wheat breeding. These scientists are being hosted bythe University of Western Australia, and will be spending an afternoon with the Liebe Group to gain anunderstanding of Australian Broadacre Farming and how our wheat varieties fit into our system. The groupwill be visiting farms around Pithara, and will be staying in Dalwallinu on the night of the 13th.

This tour will cap of a couple months that have had a strong international flavour for the Liebe Group. TheSpring Field Day was host to a few international guests, with a group of six scientists from Syria and Iraq,and three farmers from South Africa. It is a testament to the Liebe Group and the growers of this regionthat the area is held in such high regard for innovation and progression, not only around Australia, but alsointernationally.


Opportunities for Liebe members to tourIf there are members interested in going on a study tour, either domestically or internationally, the LiebeGroup can help facilitate it. We do require feedback on destinations and assurance that there is interestfrom the membership in attending, however Liebe staff would be more than willing to organise a trip if therewas enough interest.

If you have a study tour idea, or you have a group of friends that would be interested in goingsomewhere, please contact Sarah or Jemma at the Liebe office on (08) 9664 2030.

VISITORS TO THE LIEBE GROUP - CONTINUEDChris O’Callaghan, Executive Officer, Liebe Group

SUMMER RAINFALL AND STUBBLE MANAGEMENTNadine Hollamby, GRDC Project Coordinator, Liebe Group

Exactly how much does summer rainfall help the subsequent crop in the Northern Agricultural region, andhow does that vary across soil types? Does the way farmers manage a paddock during the summer affectthe amount of moisture that can be stored for the next crop? These are the questions the Liebe Group ishoping to find answers to with a new set of trials funded by the GRDC and supported by CSIRO. The wateruse efficiency trials will be set up this summer and collect soil moisture and yield data until 2012.

The stubble management options being trialled are winter fallow, whole paddock burn, flattened stubbleand standing stubble as well as opportunistically measuring the impact of summer weed control andcultivation when the right conditions occur. Some of these treatments will be irrigated to simulate a largesummer rainfall event to reduce the risk of the sites gaining no summer rainfall. Subsurface automaticmoisture probes will be monitoring soil water down the profile so conclusions can be drawn about howmuch water has infiltrated and where it is sitting in the profile. These probes are currently being used bySouth Australian researchers to help growers make time of sowing and nitrogen decisions; however this isthe first time the probes have been used in the Northern Agricultural Region of Western Australia.

The trials will take two forms, a small plot trial West of Buntine on the Liebe Group’s Long Term ResearchSite and farmer scale trials east of Wubin which aims to compliment the small plot trial which will be moreintensively monitored. The farmer scale trials will be conducted on contrasting soil types to provide acomparison between heavy and light textured soil. These trials will also be conducted using farmerequipment and implemented to fit with the farmer’s current system, thus increasing the on-farm relevanceof the results.

This research into water use efficiency has been developed as a result of the increased seasonal variabilityexperienced in the Northern Agricultural Region over the last 10 years and the subsequent need forgrowers to maximise every drop of rain that falls.

The research will assist in validating the Agricultural Production Simulation Model (APSIM), morecommonly associated with the web interface Yield Prophet ®, in the Liebe Group area and by doing this itincreases the model’s relevancy to local farmers.

For more information contact Nadine Hollamby, (08) 9664 2030 or [email protected]


THE KISS IN PRECISION AGRICULTUREDr Roger Mandel, Agronomy Lecturer, Curtin University

If PA adoption was a hurdle race, the gun went off a few years ago with the development of guidance,auto-steer was an easy second hurdle. Everyone cleared the first two hurdles. However people falteredwhen approaching the third hurdle (yield mapping). The software was very complicated and there was littlesupport in the industry. Furthermore, people did not know what to do with a yield map. At the next and finalhurdle, the adoption and application of variable rate technology (VRT) carnage ensued, as farmers had togenerate maps for the variable rate controllers from their yield maps and this is rarely easy. In addition theyhad to decide on appropriate fertilizer rates across the paddock and make more complex agronomicdecisions than they were accustomed to.

With PA there has been a lack of support for farmers in the industry where many growers encountered anattitude such as “once it (the machine) leaves the dealership the PA is your problem or call the 1800number”. Technical problems abound. For example, factory guidance systems have to be re-booted twice aday because it freezes; New VRT controllers can’t talk to individual components because the software isdated. All of these problems have taken farmers weeks to find out what the problem is and weeks to fix.Unfortunately the relationship between hardware and software can be poor and until these are overcomeother issues with precision agriculture are minor. The new ISO-BUS will help, but we have at least 10 yearsbefore the gear works its way through the industry. If you are contemplating adopting PA, make thedecisions based around the quality of support that you will receive from your dealers and agronomists. Ifyou have a great support network you will be able to solve the problems as they come up.

We have come up with a few simple rules for Variable rate Technology (VRT).

1. VRT pays when the yield difference between two zones is ~1 t/ha or more or when there issubstantial variation in the nutrient status of the soils between the zones.

2. You need to know what is causing that variability. Determine what factor(s) are limiting yield in thelow performing zones. It may be due to differences in soil type that affect the water holding capacityof the soil. Alternatively it may be another constraint such as compaction, subsoil acidity, a sodicsoil, waterlogging or even a one off frost.

3. Can I fix the problem? Lime may correct pH, Gypsum may correct a sodic soil. These correctivestrategies will increase the overall potential yield of the paddock.

4. Do not lose sleep over the zone boundary. Generally, you only need 2 or 3 zones per paddock andin the case of the zone boundary “close enough is good enough”. If the instrument that we measurewith can be 15m wide (header front) and the tool that we apply 18m (seeder bar) don’t worry if theboundary between zones is 5m this way or that way; think in seeder bar widths.

5. Not all paddocks need PA; just because you have the toys doesn’t mean you have to use them inevery paddock.

There are lots of people out there selling information (imagery like EM, Gamma and NDVI), services (VRTmaps and cleaning yield maps), and gear (guidance, task controllers, software packages and sensors).Youneed to do your homework; ask for references and good luck.

Roger Mandel will be conducting a workshop with the Liebe Group on Monday 4th October to explore theeconomics and practicalities of implementing Variable Rate Technology. Stay tuned for more details.

Acknowledgements:Dr Roger Lawes & Dr Michael Robertson, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems.Project No.: Funded by GRDC #CSA00016


At a glance· Price volatility creates risks for growers making production decisions well in advance of their

grain sales.· Growers can track market trends to identify peaks and troughs in the market and identify the

most profitable time to sell their grain.· Knowledge of the marketplace for Australian grain and the major grain exporting countries is

also important in identifying potential growth in the grain export industry.

Grain is an internationally traded commodity, with many different elements affecting prices. Grain priceschange daily. This price volatility creates risk for growers, who typically are making production decisions sixto nine months before the grain will be ready for delivery and sale. Managing price risk uses processes thatseparate the timing of price setting from the timing of harvest and delivery.

Market trendsGrowers can track market trends for supply and demand using information from the Chicago Board ofTrade (CBOT) (see Figure 1). This can assist growers to identify the most profitable times of the year to sellcommodities, as seasonality of supply and demand causes peaks and troughs in grain prices over time.Other factors such as drought and costs of production contribute to longer term price cycles.

• In commodity and financial markets, price action moves sideways most of the time, meaning supply anddemand forces are roughly in equilibrium or balance. When not in equilibrium, markets move upwards ordownwards.

• Underlying market trends need to be identified to determine if changes in price direction are genuine:o Use bar charts that record the lowest and highest prices and opening and closing prices for a spe-cific time period (for example, daily, weekly, monthly) to determine underlying market trends.o Graph data for a year or more to clearly identify trends.

THE WORLD MARKETPLACEGrains Research and Development Corporation


In years when Australia produces an export surplus, world supply and demand set Australian grain prices. If world stocks are high particular commodity, annual supply has less of an influence on price. But if world stocks, relative to trade, are low, annual supply strongly influences price. With changes in the regulation of wheat exports it will become more important for growers to know where the markets are for Australian grain and which countries are major wheat producers, if they are going to be marketing their own grain. There is major growth potential in some of Australia’s main export markets (for example, Africa, Asia, Middle East, Indonesia and Egypt). Figure 4 shows the major export markets for Australian wheat and flour. Growers who spend all year growing a crop and then sell it on the cash or spot market at harvest, when most other growers are also delivering grain, are exposing themselves to the fullconsequences of price variability. Simple supply and demand theory indicates that spot or cash prices arelikely to be at their lowest when supplies are high and at their highest when supplies are low.

Case Study:

Devising and continually reviewing a marketing strategy that outlines targetprices and estimates harvest tonnages are the keys to the success of Brentand Simone Alexander’s grain enterprise near Lockhart, New South Wales.

The Alexander’s crop about 1500 hectares annually and produce, onaverage, about 4000t of wheat, 800t of barley and 700t of canola.

Monitoring daily prices, employing a grain marketer, and regularly assessingpositions held, are marketing methods employed by Brent and Simone.Using a combination of methods allows the pair to stagger selling andimprove cash flow.

THE WORLD MARKETPLACE - CONTINUEDGrains Research and Development Corporation


Current Marketing MethodsHow the Alexanders market their grain is determined by the season and market opportunities. Typicallythey look for the best return at harvest takinginto account on-farm storage costs and availability and interestcharges.

Forward physical contracts are only signed when they are looking to capture an attractive basis. Most oftheir forward marketing involves swaps, futures and options.

For the past four years the Alexanders have marketed their grain using these methods and have minimisedrisk by locking in attractive prices one, two or three years in advance. Forward pricing also means Brentand Simone can capture the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) futures price in combination with Australianor United States exchange rates. The basis component of the price is not hedged and this is the part of theprice that is most volatile when Australia slips into drought. The biggest decision is whether the currentprice is attractive enough to lock in.

Most of the Alexander’s bad experiences with marketing have occurred during drought. The pair hadforward contracts with a company, which went into receivership. Their contracts were sold and the moneyfrom the contracts paid to debtors. This left Brent and Simone exposed to pricing risk for the next harvestand the highest prices for that season gone.

Physically signing contracts can also lead to production risk. During drought, growers can be left with acontract they are unable to fill and prices that are often a long way behind the harvest price.

Brent and Simone prefer not to use physical forward contracts, as they believe the larger companies areoften looking to transfer their risk to growers. Large companies tend to take advantage of growers who donot keep up with daily prices and offer prices lower than the current average.

On-farm Grain StorageThe Alexanders hope to increase their on-farm storage capacity to allow them to market grain through theyear as opposed to estimating yields and prices come harvest time. Brent and Simone said marketinggrain when the specifications are known is much easier and storing grain on-farm allowed them to pricegrain from one harvest over years if the prices were attractive. They could also market all grain in the yearof harvest, giving Brent and Simone more flexibility.

The Alexanders have one 800t silo and are planning to erect another. They have previously used silo bagsand will consider using them again.

Barriers to Successful Grain MarketingThe Alexanders believe that estimating yield is their biggest challenge. The pair expect to hedge part oftheir crop (between 10-20%) before harvest if prices are favourable. Brent and Simone regularly assesstheir position and take steps to limit their risk by either pushing the contract out to another year or lookingfor an opportunity to close out the position.

The couple’s biggest challenge was estimating tonnages for the 2006 harvest. They said marketing wouldbe much easier if minimum crop estimates were known in advance.

Brent and Simone are always looking to imrpove their marketing strategies. Simone reads grain marketinginformation and attends marketing days, asking questions when she needs clarification. She is alsolooking to further her contacts with end-users to help with the marketing of their grain after harvest.

Source: GRDC Grain Marketing Lingo booklet - July 2008

THE WORLD MARKETPLACE - CONTINUEDGrains Research and Development Corporation


Thirty eight hour working week, double pay on Sundays, time and half paid on overtime and a 17% loadingfor jetting sheep. These are conditions of the Fair Workplace, Pastoral Award 2010. Do these conditions ofemployment apply to your business; do you know which award is relevant to your business?

Western Australia is covered by two separate industrial relations systems, the state system and thenational system, each with different employment laws, awards and minimum conditions. Where theemployer is a constitutional corporation, the national system applies – otherwise, businesses andtheir employees are covered by the WA system. The following table is a guide as to which award mayapply to under common farm business structures.

The Western Australian State System is governed by the Farm Employees Award and the MinimumConditions of Employment Act 1993 (MCE). If you think you are covered by the state industrial relationssystem you can contact Wageline on 1300 655 266 for information about wages and conditions ofemployment.

This article, however, focuses on the new national award, the Federal Pastoral Award 2010, and theNational Employment Standards. For further information about conditions under the national industrialrelations systems, you can contact the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94, or go to www.fairwork.gov.au.

The Pastoral Award 2010 must be considered in conjunction with the National Employment Standards(NES); a modern award or enterprise agreement must not exclude the NES or any provision of the NES.The NES are ten legislated minimum standards that apply to all employees under the national workplacerelations system, relating to: maximum weekly hours; requests for flexible working arrangements; parentalleave; annual leave; personal/carer’s leave; community service leave; long service leave; public holidays;notice of termination and redundancy pay; and access to the Fair Work Information Statement.

The national system requires employers to ensure copies of the award and (NES) are available to allemployees via a notice board or electronic means. In addition, at the commencement of employment,employees must be issued with the Fair Work Information Sheet. The conditions outlined in the PastoralAward and NES are the minimum requirements.

PASTORAL AWARD 2010 AND NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT STANDARDSGreg Easton and Carly Veitch, Farm Management Consultants, Farmanco

WA System National system

Sole Trader - Joe Blogs T/As Constitutional Corporation - XYZ Pty Ltd T/As

Partnership (Individuals) - Joe & Jill Blogs T/As Partnership with Constitutional Corporation -

XYZ Pty Ltd & Joe Blogs T/As

Trust with individual as Trustee

Joe Blogs ATFT Joe Trust

Trust with Constitutional Corporation asTrustee - XYZ ATFT ABC Trust

Partnership with Trust with Individual as Trustee

- Jill Blogs ATFT ABC Trust & Joe Blogs T/As

Partnership with Trust with Constitutional

Corporation as Trustee - XYZ ATFT ABC Trust &Joe Blogs T/As


The award is flexible with most conditions being negotiable, provided that the employee is better off overallthan they would have been if there was no individual flexibility agreement, and the employer and individualemployee have genuinely made the agreement without coercion or duress.

Under the Pastoral Award, the full-time working week (as protected by the NES), is classified as 38 hoursor a maximum of 152 hours in a 4 week period, plus ‘reasonable’ extra hours. These extra hours areconsidered overtime. In determining whether extra hours are deemed as reasonable, an employer mustconsider: risks to employee health and safety; the employee’s personal circumstances, including familyresponsibilities; the needs of the business; notice given of the requirement to work additional hours; noticegiven by employee of their intention to refuse to work additional hours; whether the employee is entitled toreceive overtime payments, penalty rates or other compensation for working additional hours; patterns ofwork in the industry; and the nature of the employee’s role and level of responsibility. As such, extra hoursworked at busy times, such as seeding and harvest, must take into account all these factors, and bediscussed and negotiated with employees well in advance.

The relevant minimum salary grade for a Farm and Livestock Hand (FLH) is based on the level ofexperience and qualification of the employee (see the table below). FLH1, FLH2, FLH3 and FLH5 apply tobroadacre agriculture; levels FLH4, FLH6, FLH7 and FLH8 are applicable for dairy or feedlot operations.Where employees oversee other staff, additional wage loadings apply.

The minimum conditions protected in the Pastoral Award are as summarised below:

PASTORAL AWARD 2010 AND NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS - CONT.Greg Easton and Carly Veitch, Farm Management Consultants, Farmanco

Weekly HourlyCasual 25%

Loading

FLH1 $569.90 $15.00 $18.75FLH2 $586.50 $15.43 $19.29

FLH3 $594.80 $15.65 $19.56FLH4 $609.00 $16.03 $20.04

FLH5 $619.00 $16.31 $20.39FLH6 $629.90 $16.58 $20.73

FLH7 $663.60 $17.46 $21.83FLH8 $713.10 $18.77 $23.46

Overtime Paid at a rate Standard Sunday* Sunday P/Holiday

of 1.5x 1.50 x 2.00x 2.00x

Higher Duties Where an employee works at a higher duties than their minimum wage for 2 hours theywill be paid for that time worked at the higher rate.

Meal BreaksAfter 5 hours work a 30 minute to 1 hour meal break will be taken. Work on theinstruction of the employer during a meal break will be paid at double time until theemployer is released to a meal break of not less than 30 minutes

Breaks One ten minute break in the morningSwabbing Sheep 17% loading per day for swabbing sheep for more than three days in any one weekTravelling Allowance Employees using own vehicles during work hours are to be reimbursed @ $0.74 per Km

Meal Allowance$11.13 when an employee is required to work over 1.5 hours without being notified theprevious day. Meals can be supplied instead of payment

Accommodation By agreement in writing the employer may make a charge for use and powerWet WorkAllowance

Employees to be provided with protective clothing and footwear or reimbursed atreasonable cost


The changes to the awards have been designed to safeguard employee’s wages and conditions; asemployers you are required to ensure the minimum standards of employment are achieved. In both thestate and the national systems all conditions are negotiable providing that the minimum standards havebeen met. However, the reality is that meeting only the minimum requirements may not attract the calibreof staff (or any staff) you require. Current market rates are well in excess of the minimum wages describedhere, having been driven up markedly in recent times by high mining wages. Skilled and experiencedemployees are a valuable asset to a business. It is worth keeping this in mind when negotiating with currentor prospective employees.

Farmanco has prepared this summary to provide information on pay rates and major award provisions. It is provided as a general guide onlyand is not designed to be comprehensive or to provide any legal advice. Farmanco does not accept liability for any claim which may arise fromany person acting on, or refraining from acting on, this information.

PASTORAL AWARD 2010 AND NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS - CONT.Greg Easton and Carly Veitch, Farm Management Consultants, Farmanco

First Aid Allowance14% of standard rate (FLH2) for employees designated to render first aid who holdsrecognised first aid qualification

DogWhere the employer is required to provide their own dog an allowance is to be paid17% of standard (FLH2) rate in addition to employment rate

Public Holiday If worked will be paid at 2x employees salary. May agree to taking a day off in lieuAnnual Leave Leave Loading @ 17.50% based on 4 weeks annual leavePersonal/care 10 days paid, 2 days unpaid. Personal leave is cumulative

Long Service LeaveCurrent state entitlements to apply until federal government introduces nationalscheme

Parental Leave Up to 12 month unpaid with ability apply to take a further 12 months unpaid.

TerminationOne week for employees with up to one year's service; two weeks for one to threeyears' service; three weeks for three to five years' service, and four weeks for morethan five years' service

Redundancy Payment required based on years of service*Water and Feed Livestock only


CBH MARKET UPDATEClaire Sullivan, Regional Manager Geraldton, CBH Grain

The USDA handed down its latest supply and demand report on the 10th September. Overall this month’sreport suggests ending wheat stocks of 177mmt compared to 174mmt estimated last month. The worldwheat production estimate was cut from 645mmt to 643mmt. There were no real surprises in the productionestimates, the main changes were a 2mmt increase in Canada, a 2.4mmt reduction in EU-27, and a further2.5mmt reduction in Russia. The USDA has forecast a reduction in consumption of around 4mmt.

Sometimes it’s hard not to think that the USDA is trying to slow down the market. Some private estimatesput Russian stocks at around 5-6mmt below government sources. Some also pencil in Russia for significantimports, mainly from the Black Sea region. Conditions for winter wheat planting in much of Russia are alsopoor, with around 3.5 million hectares planted, compared to 5.3 million hectares at the same time last year.It would be fair to say that the trade isn’t really expecting Russia to re-commence exporting any time soongiven the outlook for new crop. Ukraine is also experiencing very poor planting conditions, which the marketseems to be overlooking. It is also suggested that the present estimate for Kazakhstan it a little optimistic at11.5mmt and is more likely to be 9-10mmt.

One thing to follow over the coming months is the impact of the floods in Pakistan. Pakistan usuallyproduces 20-24mmt wheat each year, though usually exports very little, with domestic consumption around23mmt. The Pakistan goverment estimates 1.5mmt stored wheat was lost in the flooding, one-third of thisbeing household seed supplies. This damage to stocks is yet to be reflected in the USDA’s figures. Inaddition to stock losses and general chaos there has also been a widespread destruction of irrigation andother infrastructure which will hamper distribution of water, fuel, fertiliser, seed and machinery to growers.Rabi wheat planting in Pakistan runs from mid-September to November, and if the required inputs andsupplies cannot reach growers in time they will be unable to plant wheat for 12 months.

Commentators suggest that 12mmt estimated wheat production in Argentina is optimistic given late seedingand some dry conditions. This will be an important area to monitor as the South American harvests usuallyexert some influence over WA prices at harvest.

What is probably more important for us in WA to take note of is the impact which quality might have ondemand for our wheat this year. It has been reported that 80-90% of Germany’s wheat harvest this year isof feed quality or worse. Some parts of Canada are experiencing challenging harvest conditions with wet,cold weather potentially damaging swathed wheat crops. Combine this with the poor production in the BlackSea regions and you have a pretty bullish outlook for WA wheat. To add to this, basis has been strong ataround $A30/t in recent weeks, which is contributing to the strong prices being offered to WA growers.

There were no big surprises on the USDA’s soybean estimates: yields in the USA are forecast to be atnear-record highs. No changes were made in relation to the Argentine and Brazilian soybean crops thismonth. This looks set to continue the somewhat sideways trend in protein markets that we’ve seen in pastmonths.

One item the market was following closely was the estimated corn yield in USA. Last month the USDA hadprojected 165 bu/acre, just above the record 164.7 bu/acre yield in 2009-10. Most commentators hadsuggested that this forecast yield was too high given the hot, dry conditions experienced in some parts ofthe corn belt this year. The USDA has reduced the yield to 162.5 bu/acre this month. It’s suggested that thisyield will continue to be cut over the coming months.


LANDMARK AGRONOMIC UPDATESally Edwards, Agronomist, Landmark Dalwallinu

Insects – Aphids, Pea Weevil, Heliothis and DBM

At the time of writing, aphid activity in canola crops in the area is low, but numbers can build up quite quickly.Pirimor or Aphidex is the best option for controlling aphids in canola because it is safe on predatory insectssuch as ladybirds and bees. Spraying aphids is economical if 1 plant in 20 is colonised. Remember thattemperatures need to be above 18 degrees Celsius when applying Pirimor to enable the adequate fumigationeffect to occur. If temperatures are low and you are desperate to spray you could use Dimethoate at 800mls.Unfortunately its activity on Green Peach Aphids (Figure 1) that tend to colonise leaves lower down in thecanopy may be limited due to resistance.

Things to consider when deciding the aphid spray threshold in canola:

1. Aphid numbers and their capacity to multiply in spring.Direct Feeding Spray Thresholds (remember they are dependant on yield potential, crop stage andinfestation). Crop in low rainfall areas are at greater risk, with less ability to compensate for damage with newgrowth.Rosette à bolting or elongation = 50100 aphids or ≈ >3cm down the stem. Assume 100% yield loss ofcolonised growing points left uncontrolled.Early flowering à infestations = 50100 aphids or ≈ >3cm down the stem. Assume 50% yield loss ofcolonised growing points left uncontrolled. Spraying is more critical if the crop is still flowering as aphidscause flower abortion.

2. Economic potential – yield X $/tonneThe greater the crop potential, the lower the spray threshold.

3. Seasonal conditions – See risk maps at www.agric.wa.gov.au

Be on the lookout for Pea Weevil (Figure 2) if your peas are starting to flower. They are attracted to the scentof the flowers and will start to move into your crop from fence lines and scrub areas very quickly. A borderspray of Alpha-cypermethrin is often sufficient. Trojan is another option that can be used. Both insecticidesare also effective on Native Budworm (Figure 3).

HeliothisBudworm can be damaging to canola and lupin crops, but not to the same extent as field peas. Their impacton yield is primarily determined by population numbers so it is advised to conduct sweeps in various locationsacross a paddock. The table on the following page illustrates the varying effect that Budworm have ondifferent crops and gives the economic threshold number of grubs found in 10 sweeps to warrant spraying.

Figure 1: Green Peach Aphid Figure 2: Pea Weevil Figure 3: Budworm


LANDMARK AGRONOMIC UPDATE - CONTINUEDSally Edwards, Agronomist, Landmark Dalwallinu

Table 1: The predicted yield losses by budworm for different crop types and economic threshold numbers for spraying. Grubsgreater than 15mm long, after first leaf drop.**

**some pod damage has already occurred during earlier flights with 100% leaf retention.

Diamond Back Moth in Canola –We are in September, but some crops are still happily flowering, hence the threshold for DBM would still bearound 40-50/10 sweeps rather than the 80-100 grubs per 10 sweeps required after completion of flowering.However, if the population is increasing rapidly in numbers and about to go exponential, a well timed spraywill be needed as soon as possible. Crops under high levels of DBM may require more than one spray tocontrol high numbers. DBM do not bore into pods like heliothis, but graze on leaf material, the pod walls andeven can ring-bark the stem, hence affecting pod fill. Monitoring the population growth or decline overmultiple inspections is required to determine if the population is rapidly growing, staying stable or in a naturaldecline. Sometimes spraying will not be required.

Table 2: The DBM spray threshold

For pesticide rates or more information please contact Sally Edwards on 0429 636 953.

Crop Type Predicted yield loss (kg/ha/grubfound in 10 sweeps)

*Economic threshold(grubs found/10 sweeps)

Field Peas 50 1Lupins 7 7Canola 6 4


SPRING FIELD DAY PHOTOS

Opening the day in the marquee. Blakely Paynter (DAFWA) presenting atthe Barley National Variety Trial.

Harrington Seed Destructor. Feedlotting demonstration.

Steve Sawyer (Dalwallinu), Susan Hall (GrowerGroup Alliance) and Ian Hyde (Dalwallinu).

Craig Ryan (Dalwallinu Meats) giving thebutchering demonstration.


StaffExecutive OfficerChris O’Callaghan

[email protected]

Administration OfficersSarah Burt & Jemma Counsel

[email protected]

R&D CoordinatorFlora Danielzik

[email protected]

GRDC Project CoordinatorNadine Hollamby

[email protected]

Sponsorship CoordinatorMerrie Carlshausen

[email protected]

Finance ManagerSophie Carlshausen

[email protected]

2010 General Meeting Dates:18th Oct, 13th Dec.

TO:

FROM:Liebe GroupPO Box 90Wubin WA 6612Ph: 08 9664 2030Fax: 08 9664 2040Web: www.liebegroup.asn.au

Liebe Group Calendar

Take note of Liebe event dates Please see the above Liebe Group Calendar for important dates in 2010.

Make sure you enter these dates in to your diaries now to ensure you are able to take part in Liebe events.

Event Date Location Attendees

Precision Agriculture Workshop Mon 04/10/10 Wubin Sports Club Members

Spring on the Sandplain FieldWalk

Fri 08/10/10 Long Term ResearchSite, West Buntine

Members

Harvest Weed Seed Managementseminar

Tue 12/10/10 Wubin Sports Club Everyone

Harrington Seed DestructorHarvest Demonstration

TBA Long Term ResearchSite, West Buntine

Members

Liebe Group Chrismas Drinks Mon 13/12/10 Liebe Group Office Everyone

LIEBEGROUP NEWSLETTER · Grains Research and Development Corporation and the ... Agrimaster Pacific...

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