Farmers across the Riverina look forward to the Henty Machinery Field days (HMFD) each year and 2010 promises not to disappoint.
Held over three days September 21-23 the Henty Machinery Field days is one of the biggest of its kind.
With sheep prices at an all time high and a great start to the 2010 cropping season visitors to the Henty Machinery Field Days will be looking towards a brighter and bigger farming future.
HMFD chairman Ross Edwards, a farmer from Yerong Creek, says the event offers livestock producers and croppers a “one stop shop” in their pursuit of more knowledge to help on farm decision making.
“It’s no longer just about buying a new, more efficient, tractor to keep ahead of the game,” Mr Edwards said.
“It’s getting your head around the latest agronomy techniques, improved livestock genetics,
marketing and environmental
management.
“The world’s a rapidly changing place and Henty Machinery Field Days helps you get a handle on it.
“While we might be able to manage our farms with the internet, mobile phones and all the latest technology, it is still important to meet specialists in person and see new tools first hand,” he said.
NSW Department of Primary Industry (NSW DPI) district agronomist Janet Walker, Albury, says farmers have committed the same area to cropping in 2010 as they did last year, but have changed the mix by using early rainfall to take canola plantings back to higher levels and, due to lower prices and disease issues, some have decreased the area sown to triticale, replacing it with wheat.
The emphasis on returns from livestock is also borne out by the inquiry Janet is receiving on selecting pastures which are productive and persistent, which has led NSW Primary Industry to increase the site’s pasture demonstration area this year.
One demonstration compares new alternative pasture legumes and another trial will look at the impact of herbicides and weed management in new pasture species, such as bladder clover.
“Farmers are encouraged to grow quite sophisticated mixes of pastures and trials are a way to illustrate persistence,” Ms Walker said.
“It’s interesting in the pasture grass demonstrations sown last year the phalaris and, most Mediterranean tall fescues, have taken off, whereas only two varieties of cocksfoot have survived,” she said.
Another plot sure to attract attention at the site this year is the biochar trial, part of the biggest under crop biochar trial in NSW to assess the long term agronomic and environmental benefits from an application of biochar to soils.
Osborne district farmer and Southern Ag Venture board member Brent Alexander looks to the Henty Machinery Field Days as a way of “keeping pace” with a rapidly changing agriculture.
“There is so much we need to keep abreast of from livestock genetics to the advantages and disadvantages of discs versus tynes in your sowing gear and I consider the field days the place where all the experts are in one spot,” he says.
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