WeedSmart Podcast

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text!In this episode of Regional Update, we hear from Reece Rayson, who continues to make the best out of a couple of below average rainfall seasons, with an eye on the WeedSmart Big 6 to lead the challenge on herbicide resistance.   Reece attended WeedSmart Week 2025 in Geraldton this year, and highlights some of the common factors discussed and incorporated into their own system, from chemical fallow, pre-em controls, and fenceline management.  Building a robust rotation, addressing soil constraints, along with mixing herbicides are some of the key takeaways to keep herbicide resistance on the boundary to maintain flexibility within the years were rainfall does prove a challenge.  When in the thick of a weather-affected harvest on a less than best season, keeping an eye on the end-game is important to be ready for the next season and next challenges ahead.  Whether it be delayed starts to sowing or summer weeds germinating during harvest, having a plan from the Big 6 could help set you up for successful weed management. Tune in to hear first-hand what a couple of WeedSmart Weeks can do for your system’s thinking and keep ahead of the curve! Learn more about WeedSmart and the Big 6 framework for proven weed management practices by visiting our website. Don't forget to follow us on our socials: Twitter/X Bluesky Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Keen for a monthly update? Subscribe here! Got a question or topic you are interested to hear about? Send us an email Queue up our other WeedSmart podcasts & audio: #RegionalUpdates & #BeyondResistance podcasts for great stories from across the Australian growing regions. #Paddocktalk fortnightly weed management news & updates for you. #drivesafe #farmsafe

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text! In this episode of Beyond Resistance, we hear from our WeedSmart Extension Agronomists from the Western and Southern regions on steps to take from this point in the season with cool soft spring finish to the winter growing season and points to think about when considering harvest operations and planning the next season of weed control.  Pete Newman will highlight a few gems of research and on-farm practices to remember when dealing with this long growing season in the Western region.  Greg Condon speaks to the weed control options to consider across a range of on-farm situations for the Southern growing region going into the clean-up phase of the 2025 season.  WeedSmart Resources:Why chaff decks are a great option for harvest weed seed control - WeedSmartSetting up for chafflining - WeedSmartHarvest weed seed control in a nutshell - WeedSmartLearning Hub – HWSC 101Other Resources:Harvest resources - GRDCHarvest weed seed control southern high rainfall zoneLearn more about WeedSmart and the Big 6 framework for proven weed management practices by visiting our website. Don't forget to follow us on our socials: Twitter/X Bluesky Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Keen for a monthly update? Subscribe here! Got a question or topic you are interested to hear about? Send us an email Queue up our other WeedSmart podcasts & audio: #RegionalUpdates & #BeyondResistance podcasts for great stories from across the Australian growing regions. #Paddocktalk fortnightly weed management news & updates for you. #drivesafe #farmsafe

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text!In this episode of Regional Update, we hear from Erin Dalton, Baker Ag Advantage, an experienced agronomist working closely with growers in her region to tackle the season’s biggest challenges. Erin shares valuable on-the-ground insights into how local conditions are shaping cropping decisions, the strategies farmers are using to manage weeds, and the role weed management practices are playing in building resilience.Erin brings a full Big 6 approach to the Forbes region pushing the boundaries around knowing what works and continuing to look to the future edge on weed management.  A program of herbicide resistance testing has revealed differences in levels across the region, highlighting differences in management and machinery.  Farming systems and weed control need to evolve, with Erin speaking to tailoring solutions to regional conditions demonstrated with trials – mixing herbicides, adopting other pulses plus testing newer varieties of wheat and canola for the area.Whether you’re a grower, adviser, or industry stakeholder, Erin’s perspective provides a practical and timely snapshot of the current season and the innovations influencing future farm practice.Tune in for real-world updates, that will help you stay ahead in an ever-changing farming landscape.Learn more about WeedSmart and the Big 6 framework for proven weed management practices by visiting our website. Don't forget to follow us on our socials: Twitter/X Bluesky Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Keen for a monthly update? Subscribe here! Got a question or topic you are interested to hear about? Send us an email Queue up our other WeedSmart podcasts & audio: #RegionalUpdates & #BeyondResistance podcasts for great stories from across the Australian growing regions. #Paddocktalk fortnightly weed management news & updates for you. #drivesafe #farmsafe

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text!Tom Wolfe pulls back the curtain on the forces driving (and sometimes derailing) new spray technology – and how farmers can cut through the noise to find what will work for them!In this episode of Beyond Resistance, spray technology expert Tom Wolfe tackles one of agriculture’s most complex balancing acts – aligning stewardship, technology, and on-farm practicality. As optical spot spraying, precision application, and automation surge ahead, farmers are caught in the crossfire of competing priorities: herbicide manufacturers pushing product strategies, machinery manufacturers driving rapid equipment innovation, with industry’s shared responsibility for sustainable chemical use. Tom unpacks where these interests converge – and where they collide – revealing the practical realities farmers face when trying to integrate new tools without sacrificing agronomic outcomes or profitability. We explore how stewardship principles can work hand-in-hand with technology, the regulatory and market pressures shaping decisions, and why the right fit for a farm isn’t always the flashiest or most promoted option. This is a candid, insightful conversation for growers, advisers, and industry stakeholders navigating the future of weed control in a world where every spray counts.2025 GRDC Research Updates Paper Agrimetrix Research & Training Webinar: Making Every Drop(let) Count – An International Perspective on Spraying Efficiencies#AskAnExpert: How can I gain more spray efficiency?#Big6 #sprayefficacy #sprayefficiency #stewardship #weedsmart #innovationLearn more about WeedSmart and the Big 6 framework for proven weed management practices by visiting our website. Don't forget to follow us on our socials: Twitter/X Bluesky Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Keen for a monthly update? Subscribe here! Got a question or topic you are interested to hear about? Send us an email Queue up our other WeedSmart podcasts & audio: #RegionalUpdates & #BeyondResistance podcasts for great stories from across the Australian growing regions. #Paddocktalk fortnightly weed management news & updates for you. #drivesafe #farmsafe

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text!Austin Rayner, farm manager with EF Smart Pty Ltd, brings an update from Midwest WA with insights into the weed strategy after a period of soil amelioration investment combined with new chemistry, leading to a low weed seed bank plus leaving plenty of other tools in the toolbox for future management.   While building to this situation using a diverse weed management program based around the Big 6, the Smart's enterprise continues to keep an eye on emerging challenges, ready to overcome through incorporation of all of the weed management tools where you can.You can hear from Austin at the 2025 WeedSmart Week held at the end of July (29th and 30th) in the midwest region of WA at Geraldton!Learn more about WeedSmart and the Big 6 framework for proven weed management practices by visiting our website. Don't forget to follow us on our socials: Twitter/X Bluesky Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Keen for a monthly update? Subscribe here! Got a question or topic you are interested to hear about? Send us an email Queue up our other WeedSmart podcasts & audio: #RegionalUpdates & #BeyondResistance podcasts for great stories from across the Australian growing regions. #Paddocktalk fortnightly weed management news & updates for you. #drivesafe #farmsafe