General News
19 December, 2024
Recent rain could kick-start a good 2025 according to local agronomist
The recent widespread rainfall was a benefit to most farmers and could potentially kick-start another good season in 2025, according to Gilgandra-raised agronomist Brian Marchant.
Brian is an agronomist with AGnVET at Dubbo and his area includes Gilgandra and covers as far north to Gulargambone and Tooraweenah, also the Yeoval and Tomingley farming communities.
His late parents Athol and Enid operated a traditional mixed farming property at ‘Avalon’ in the Gilgandra district.
Brian himself also spent plenty of time on the land while also working in agronomy before giving away farming around 10-years-ago.
Becoming an agronomist was a natural fit for Brian, who grew up loving the land.
With the 2024 harvest now generally being completed for at least three weeks around Gilgandra, Brian reported hearing of good yields and encouraging reports from his clients.
Using Dubbo rainfall data from the bureau of meteorology as a guide, there was a great start to the year, where 598.4mm fell in the first eight months.
More importantly, every month had at least 45mm of rain before rainfall started to decrease at the end of August.
Only 7.6mm fell in September, followed by only 28.2mm in October.
The first significant fall in November at Dubbo came when 44mm fell to 9am on Monday, November 18, and by that stage most farmers in Gilgandra, Tooraweenah and Gulargambone were already on headers.
However, most crops north of Dubbo were able to hold onto early moisture levels and produce good seasons.
“We need to put in the right perspective…we are still well-above our average yields, so it’s still a cracker [harvest],” Brian said.
Yields for 2024 in wheat ranged from three tonnes per hectare (three t/ha) up to 5.5-6t/ha, Brian reported.
For barley, the yields were around 3.5 to 4 t/ha but some crops were up to 7t/ha.
Canola’s yields were also “pretty smart” at 1.8 to 2.5/ha quite common and some crops up at around 2.8-2.9 t/ha.
Faba beans were the “probably the loser” in 2024 but sill fared okay.
“They were big bulky crops that just didn’t pod as well. But again, with perspective, still a good season,” he said.
Brian reported for that his clients in the north of his area, around the areas of Gilgandra, Gulargambone and Tooraweenah, crops were off before the late November rain.
He reported some farmers around Dubbo, Yeoval and Tomingley have had harvest disrupted by the rain, but only a small percentage of crops are still to be harvested.
“Even for them … the majority is done,” he said.
Outlook for next year is still good at this stage
Asked what impact the recent rain would have on 2025, Brian said some farmers may see it as a hindrance rather than a help as they will need to spend money to spray weeds.
But he feels the rain is highly beneficial for next year.
“It’s a massive start,” he said.
“We want to build that soil profile now … August onwards when it didn’t rain we’ve lost a bit of that (profile) so we’re now trying to build it back up.”
He said as any predicted rain has finished and there is a forecasted period of fine weather, farmers will be on tractors spraying during December.
Weeds come with rain, and weeds rob soil of both nutrients and moisture.
Barnyard grass, windmill grass, and melons need to be controlled on paddocks whether they be used for cereal crops, pulse crops or pastures in 2025.
“Farmers will be trying to get rid of weeds robbing the soil. Sprayers will be going everywhere. It’s important to keep stubbles clean,” Brian said.
Brian noted this rain will be important ahead of farmers sowing crops next year if continued smaller falls occur to start 2025.”
“There is upside to it … especially in the cropping game … but even looking at the mixed farming game, the livestock are going to get a bit of green feed off this,” he said.
Why did Brian become an agronomist?
While still at school, Brian did work experience with former district agronomist Col Mullins while at school and enjoyed it.
The land was calling though and he wanted to farm.
However, his late parents pushed Brian along to try and achieve something else before becoming a full-time farmer. Agronomy was a good fit and he has been in the industry for 26 years, starting out at Gilgandra, working for Rohr’s. Peter Rohr took him on and he was there in Gilgandra for 20 years in a variety of roles.
Brian been at AGnVET in Dubbo for the last six-and-a-half years. He was also a branch manager and agronomist at one stage, but now focuses on agronomy.
“It’s helping an industry that I love,” he said.
“You are trying to make sure that people can succeed and enjoy it.
“People don’t enjoy it if they aren’t making money and can’t see the fruits of their labour.”
He said now is a nice time as farmers have finally seen some reward for their efforts.
“Pretty good … when we come out of (2017 to 2019) drought it was a pretty long slug,” he said.
“We’ve had a couple of wet ones (2021 to 2022) and then last year (2023) finished dry and was a bit of a disaster.
“But certainly this year was nearly almost the golden season … we received rain frequently, and we didn’t receive too much.
“Back in 2021, 2022, it was too much rain.”
The role of agronomists in the agriculture industry
Agronomists test soils, organise crop rotations and individual paddock plans, and plan weed control activities and then also look at nutrition and leaf analysis testing. Tests will indicate whether additional fertilisers like urea or gran am are required for crops.
“All decisions we have to make … but we often plan for them before we start the season,” Brian said.
“And … (in-season) you take into consideration, what’s the weather doing, what’s the (future weather) forecast look like, what’s the price at the end of this.
“All those external factors play a part in our decision making. We drive it all the harvest and then we turn around and start it again.”
Financial circumstances, management programs, rotations and types of farming (i.e. a mixed wheat and livestock farmer as opposed to cropping-only farmer) all play a role in how what percentage of their property someone will elect to sow winter crops with.
Brian is based in Dubbo, but travels to Gilgandra twice a week for work and still has family and friends in the district so often gets out to the area outside of business hours also.
“It’s good to be a part and play a part in the community as a former Gil boy,” he said.
His other loves include the Wallabies and rugby union
Brian was a talented athlete as a child and his brother Ian enticed him to play rugby union for Gular-gambone. Ian told their parents that rugby would be a good place to train for Brian’s athletics.
That may not have been totally true, with a “hidden agenda”, as the game they ‘play in heaven’ comes with plenty of socialising and good times.
However, Brian was a handy player in the 15-man code, starting on the wing but also playing at fullback and outside centre and going on to represent western plains and western zone.
He is also a big fan of the Wallabies and his happy about their improvements on the recent Europe tour where they beat England (42-37) and Wales (52-20) and were competitive in losses against Scotland (27-13) and Ireland (22-19).
