Overview
The Cropping specialty group are the key force behind the Facey Group’s many on farm trials. The committee manage the Facey Group’s main trial site and satellite site which are showcased at the annual Spring Field Day and the Trials Night.
Natural Resource Management (NRM) plays a key role in the activities of the Facey Group. In the past NRM has centred on environmental assets such as soils, water, plants, animals and invertebrates that exist and form natural ecosystems such as forests, grasslands, and rivers. While these issues still need to be driven and encouraged it is just as important to recognise the production systems that rely on these natural resources. It is especially important when one considers that the vast majority of the Australian landmass is managed as production based systems whether these be grazing, cropping or forestry based industries. The Facey Group looks broadly at NRM surrounding the health and sustainability of our natural resources that our farm businesses hinge on.
Strategic Goal
The Facey Group cropping group will lead our members to develop vibrant, profitable & sustainable cropping enterprises.
Key Issues
The following have been identified as the key issues within the area:
- Frost
- Non wetting soils
- Managing weed resistance
- Soil health & soil diseases
Cropping Events
Two annual events showcase the cropping trials and demonstrations. The Facey Group Spring Field Day is held on the 3rd Wednesday in September and the Facey Group Trials Presentation Evening is held annually in March. The cropping group also conducts many other events throughout the year, such as grain marketing workshops, strategies on a late break, international guest speakers and much more depending on the conditions of the harvest year.
In addition to many farmer driven projects and trials the group always hosts a Satellite Site to showcase a variety of trials.
Satellite Site
In 2003 the Facey Group combined all their field trial sites into one called the Satellite Site. The Site is home to many of the cropping trials. Members have the option of hosting the Satellite Site ensuring that the site is continually moving around the Shire of Wickepin and surrounding regions. Previous locations of the Satellite Site are;
- 2003 – Yealering
- 2004 – Harrismith
- 2005 – Yealering
- 2006 – Narrogin
- 2007 – Tincurrin / Harrismith
- 2008 – Yealering
- 2009 – Cuballing
- 2010 – Dudinin
- 2011 – Yealering
- 2012 – North Wickepin
- 2013 – Harrismith
- 2014 – Malyalling
- 2015 – Cuballing
Members can make real on farm changes to practice as a result of the Satellite Site trials. Members get exclusive access to data and results at the annual Spring Field Day and Trials Review Evening which showcase the trials from the current season.
