Grain Marketing Specialists - Agracom

Sorghum crops in great shape thanks to more timely rain - Feb 2010
Following wide spread rain across the Liverpool Plains and further west over the Christmas and New year break, more timley rain has fallen since with Sorghum crops in good shape. Between 150mm and 160mm of rain has been recorded in the Quirindi area for Janunary and February 2010 with more rain on the horizon. Sorghum crops were looking dicey before christmas but have really flourished with this follow up rain after the christmas showers. Some farmers are talking between 2.5mt to 3mt to the acre off of some double cropped country which considering the hot and dry start has come along quite well. Here at at Agracom we are expecting at least an average yield this season so let's hope we get a good finish.

Grain insect pests currently a large problem this autumn - May 09

Keep a close eye out for Weevils, Lesser Grain Borers and Flour Beetles in any grain you have stored in farm or are currently outloading. We have seen a lot of cases if grain insect infestations.
We have been seeing more and more cases of grain insect infestations, especially in wheat and barley and to a lesser extent chickpeas and sorghum.
It is important you know what type of pest you have and are trying to eradicate. Different chemicals kill different pests- best to know what you have a plan. Also ensure all bins, augers, sheds and any grain spills are cleaned up so there is no refuge for the little blighters to hide or breed in.
The best way to check there are none present is to use a screen with a white bottom tray.

Movember - November 2008
The month of November brings forward a cause that has an impact on nearly every person and family. Movember, which happens throughout the month of November, is an event that raises awareness and much needed funds to aid with the issues of mens health. Since its official formation in 2004 Movember has raised more than $30 million from the generous donations received from around the globe. Five members of the Agracom Staff have put their clean-shaven faces on the line to help raise money for this much deserving cause. If you would like to donate to one of our Movember participates just go to http://www.movember.com/ type in Anderino Cunliffe, Joe Hallman, Richard Perkins, Simon Roxborough, Tony Todd or you can make a donation to the Agracom team. Donations would be greatly appreciated by all those affected and by all the Agracom staff.

Agracom - Pursehouse Rural Charity Golf Day - 19 September 2008
Another successful Charity Golf Day was held at the Quirindi Golf Course with a field of 44 players that came from as far away as Berrima and Narrabri. Players competed for a table full of prizes, that were all generously donated by the companies suppliers, customers and service providers. The day is about raising money for small schools on the Liverpool Plains. This year the following small schools will benefit from the money raised - Spring Ridge, Blackville, Premer, Tambar Springs, Willow Tree and Wallabadah. Initial estimates are that these schools will receive around $1,400 each. It is only through the generousity of the numerous sponsors that support the day that we are able to raise these dollars that go towards local education facilities for young kids. So thank you again to all the sponsors.

Ag Quip - August 2008
Agracom were at the biggest farm supermarket in the southern hemispere again this year from 19 - 21 August. Farmers from all over Australia attended the machinery field days and enquiry was strong from grain growers with improved returns due to higher grain prices and above average yields.

Caroona Coal Action Group gains Agracom's Support - July 2008
Agracom has lent it's support to the Caroona Coal Action Group (CCAG) in their protest against BHP proceeding with their Caroona Coal Mine project without first conducting a full, independent, catchment-wide water study to determine the effects on the underground water aquifers of the Mooki, Namoi, Barwon and Murray/Darling river catchments due to subsidence and long wall underground mining on the Liverpool Plains.

                                 No Mines on the Liverpool Plains - Your Food Bowl !

                                                         www.ccag.org.au

http://theland.farmonline.com.au/news/state/agribusiness-and-general/General/back-off-bhp/1224862.aspx



2008 Sorghum harvest - A Bin Buster
Well timed summer rainfall and mild Jan/Feb growing conditions has produced record sorghum yields across the Liverpool Plains. Typical average dryland yields of 1.5 - 2.5 tonne / acre (4 - 6 tonne / ha) were smashed with growers reporting dryland yields of 8 to 10 tonne per hectare). Even short fallow and double cropped sorghum performed well. It just shows what the plant can do when it gets the right conditions. The result of these records yields has seen a massive increase in East Coast sorghum production to an estimated 3.4 million tonne (the previous record was 2.3 mmt in 2005).

Inghams and Agracom Representatives vist farms on the Liverpool Plains
Wednesday 12th March 2008
Inghams representatives Richard Sevil, Sue Farmer and Michael Phillipe joined Joe Hallman & Andy Cunliffe from Agracom for a visit to some great looking Sorghum crops across the Liverpool Plains. With Sorghum harvest now underway there was some activity on a few farms including Keith Ross' property "Booloocooroo" at Curlewis as seen below.

Grain Bag Loading Demonstration at Pittsworth Qld - Agracom & DFC Rural
Tuesday 18th December 2007
A successful field day was held at Pittsworth in conjunction with GSSA representative Michael Raidis from Adelaide to demonstrate the Seed & Forage Bag Loader and the Fieldpak Premium Grain Bag. Thanks to Russell Keeley on whose property the demo was held and thank you to all the growers that showed up and took an interest in this new and innovative way to store dry grain.

Agracom / Pursehouse Rural Charity Golf Day
Friday 29th September 2007
The annual Agracom / Pursehouse Rural Charity Golf Day was held on 29th September 2007 at Quirindi RSL Golf Club with farmers and golfers from a wide area participating. A total of $3,650.00 was raised from the day which was donated to a number of small schools within the Liverpool Plains district.

Australian Sunflower Association- 15th Annual Sunflower Conference
Monday 13th - Wednesday 15th March. To be held at The Civic and Arts Centre, Gunnedah. Topics include Marketing and Technology, Insect and Disease management and a Field trip to view a number of local grower sites with an interesting line-up of guest speakers!
To register contact:
Loretta Serafin, NSW DPI on (02) 6763 1147 or 0427 311 819.
Anne Pfeffer, President Aust Sunflower Ass on (07) 4693 8191.

Maize Growers Field Day - Feb 2006
Local corn growers got the chance to meet and talk with the following maize industry experts that visited Quirindi after the 6th Triennial Maize Association of Australia Conference that was recently held in Griffith:-
Dr Bob Neilson - One of America's most respected maize extension agronomists, with over 20 years experience. Bob is very much a hands on expert, with a wealth of knowledge and experience.
Barry Blaney - Senior Principal Chemist at QLD DPI. Barry is is the project leader of the GRDC project "Managing mycotoxins in Maize" and gave growers an update on the research conducted over the last 3 years.
Dr Adrian Nicholas - Senior Research Entomologist NSW DPI. Asrian has been working on a GRDC funded project looking at the effects and potential control of the two spotted spider mite in maize.
The day was hosted by the Rutter Family at Mogila, Quirindi and growers and experts were able to walk through and inspect a range of corn varieties.

Summer Crop Progress - Feb 2006
Dryland sorghum crops on the Liverpool Plains are suffering with the recent very hot weather and below average rainfall for December and January and anticipated yields have been severely impacted. Rain now will still be beneficial for grain quality, but will do little for projected yields.
Corn crops have also suffered and two spotted spider mite has been prevalent given the hot dry conditions. This year maize production is forecasted to be the largest since 2002 given the areas that were sown to corn, but again yields are now anticipated to be well below average.

Winter Crop progress - Nov 2005
A soft spring with regular rain and showers has the late planted wheat and barley crops progressing well as harvest approaches. Crops are slowly turning given the soft finish.

Wheat Crop Tour - Oct 2005
Agracom recently organised a tour by wheat breeders and endusers of waxy wheat crops being grown under contract through Agracom. The day showed crops are progressing well and recent fungicide treatment is controlling any potential Stripe Rust threat.

Winter Crops - Sept 2005
Late planted barley and wheat crops are progressing well, despite many being planted as late July and August following the winter break in June. Agracom's grain marketers recently inspected some crops of speciality waxy wheats being grown by contract growers at Caroona, Mullaley and Breeza with Agracom's enduser.

Ag Quip- Aug 2005
This year at Ag Quip saw another informative day at the Agracom / Pursehouse Rural tent. Many growers, clients, service providers and buyers were able to join us for a steak sandwich, drink and catch up. It was a good opportunity for many to discuss current and future developments in the grain industry and commodity markets with Malcolm, Joe and Andy.

Winter Planting Rain - June/July 2005
Following a very dry spell from February through to May, many farmers were hesitant to sow in the dry conditions. However, a welcome big turnaround in the season when wet conditions in June/July brought a grateful 173.8mm (7inches) to the Quirindi area with farmers relieved and keen to begin sowing. Trucks had the pedal flat to the floor with fertiliser orders and the Liverpool Plains had a hum of tractors you could almost hear in town.

Sorghum Harvest - April 2005
The above average December rainfall contributed to an above average summer crop season. Generally sorghum yields ranged from 4 to 5 tonne per hectare. Likewise corn yields were up with some Agracom growers that grew grit varieties under contract for food processors exceeding 10 tonne per hectare. It was also a good year for feed corn with irrigated yields well over 10 tonne per hectare and some dryland crops yielding between 5 and 6 tonne to the hectare. Soybeans that were double cropped back into barley stubble also benefited from the December rain with yields and quality at harvest in May proving to be good.

Agracom & Pursehouse Rural contribute to the Tsunami Relief Fund - Jan 2005
Agracom buys the shirt off Chaminda Vaas' back. The company has bought the Sri Lankan middle order batsmen and experienced seam bowler's game shirt from the Tsunami Relief Cricket Match held between Asia and the Rest of the World in Melbourne on January 10th 2005. This was Agracom's contribution towards all those who have suffered as a result of the recent tragedy.
The match was held before a capacity crowd at the MCG, between Asia with players from Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and the Rest of the World who fielded some of the game's best players from Australia, New Zealand, West Indies and England.
All the game shirts signed by the players were then auctioned on ebay with the proceeds going to World Vision. The match raised more than $14 million for victims of the Tsunami and their families.

Wet Weather Hampers Winter Crop Harvest - Dec 2004
Two weeks of dry harvest weather was followed by storms and showers that started on Saturday 3rd December. Regular heavy downfalls, hail and wind storms over the following fortnight has caused weather damage and downgrading to wheat and some barley. It is estimated that probably 80% of the harvest was off and in the bin before all the rain.
Some growers have not only suffered downgrading but also heavy yield losses on crops still to be harvested due to grain shelling out. All the canola was off and most of the barley, but alot of wheat was just too moist to harvest before the rain.
The quality of the wheat that has been harvested after the rain is weather damaged, but it is still pulling bushel weights in excess of 72-74 kg/hl, although prior to the rain these crops were up around 82-85 kg/hl.

Liverpool Plains Winter Crop Harvest - Dec 2004
Harvest has commenced on the Liverpool Plains with weather patterns stabilising for the week ending 26th November.
Wheat and barley yields are above average and cereal grain quality is excellent, with a larger percentage of barley making Malt this year. Unfortunately many growers are dissappointed with the effect a tough finish had on the oil content in their canola.
Locusts are still causing havoc on the North West Slopes with DPI & RLPB trying their best to control swarms of hoppers plaguing the State's farms.

Pre-Harvest Rain - Nov 2004
Approximately 50mm - 75mm fell across the Plains on 4th & 5th of November. This rain will help finish some of the winter crop, adding potential yield to the late wheat and barley that has not yet turned. No weather damage is anticipated to occur from this rain event and it was timely fall for those that had not yet started their summer crop sorghum planting.

Mice - Oct 2004
Many growers are also having to bait for mice. Mice numbers increased to levels in mid October to warrant baiting to prevent damage to winter crops. The RLPB reports having distributed over 6,000kg of bait to growers throughout the North West.

Locusts - Sept/Oct 2004
Grasshoppers started hatching around the Quirindi area in early October and graziers, growers and the RLPB all started spraying the locusts bands from about October 4 onwards.

Rain - Sept 2004
Good widespread rain fell across NSW in late September 2004. The Liverpool Plains received anywhere between 20mm and 40mm of timely winter crop rain on September 30 and October 1.

Ag-Quip - Aug 2004
Agracom was an exhibitor at this year's Ag-Quip field days at Gunnedah, with Pursehouse Rural, Pioneer Seeds and Muddy Boots Australia. Many growers dropped into our tent to enjoy a BBQ lunch, drink and catch up at Australia's largest rural supermarket.