More than 100 growers and agronomists will see first-hand what a successful cropping trial looks like, when a Far North Queensland field day gets underway this week.

The developing an oilseed industry for Northern Australia project is one of three Queensland cropping projects with co-investment from the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA) and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).

Research lead, Tony Matchett from Savannah Ag Consulting says attendees will see a range of oilseeds, pulses, cover crops, cereals, and speciality grains growing at one of the project’s research farms on the Atherton Tablelands, in Far North Queensland.

The day will also include discussions about the farming systems which best support these crops to grow in tropical conditions.

“There are more than 20 crops growing on site currently, including sesame and sunflowers, chickpea and faba beans, mungbean, sorghum, wheat, quinoa and canola, safflower and linseed.

“The day will be a chance for growers and agronomists to learn about some of our results to date, and how or why these crops can be included into a farming system either as cash crops, to improve soil, to diversify pest management practices or to optimise resource efficiency returns.

“We’ve proven commercial returns are possible across a range of oilseed crops either as part of a diverse crop rotation within existing systems like sugarcane or as a support to the development of new farming systems, like cotton.

“We hope by showing what is possible, investors will come to see North and Far North Queensland as a logical choice for their next cropping project,” Mr Matchett said.

The next phase of the project will focus on testing the supply chain through localised pressing and bottling of oilseeds and selling this to the market.

The Friday 28 August field day will be operating under a COVID Safe Event plan.

Media enquiries

Carla Keith, CRCNA Communications Manager 0499 330 051

Tony Matchett, Savannah Ag Consulting 0438 482 728