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Farmanco Facts - September 2022

Our team of specialists across bookkeeping, agronomy, farm management and grain marketing contribute timely and informative articles to our monthly publication, Farmanco Facts.


Below is a taste of articles in the September 2022 edition of Farmanco Facts.


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Key Points:


Total Towing Mass — Your OH&S Plan

By David Ward, Management Consultant

  • Total towing mass will usually be specified as braked towing capacity when loaded.

  • This is the maximum a tractor or vehicle can tow if the equipment has its own brakes.

  • Unbraked towing capacity will be lower as it represents a higher risk to operators.

  • There is potentially equipment on-farm that is working outside recommended limits.

  • While dealers might have some responsibility here, the onus will no doubt be on you.

  • This poses some significant risk to owners and should form part of your OH&S plan

(Unless a vehicle can only be used as an agricultural implement, it must be licenced before it is used on public roads)



UKRAINE — HOW MUCH GRAIN CAN THEY EXPORT?

By Mae Connelly, Grain Marketing Consultant

  • Ships loaded with grain started to move out of Ukraine in late July 2022, the first to leave their Black Sea ports since the Russian invasion in February 2022.

  • Given how important grain and oilseed exports from this region are to global food security, the volume that is successfully transported to importers will be one of the biggest influences on markets and prices.

(This article looks at the significance of the Ukraine grain industry, and how their export supply chain has been impacted by the Russian invasion. It then discusses the logistics of exporting grain from Ukraine in this environment, and finally, the impact that successfully exported tonnes could have on global prices)



Gravel Amelioration — Where we are at five years later

By Chris Robinson, Agronomy Consultant

  • Deep gravel ploughing is showing positive results five years later.

  • Plozza Plows and Grizzly Tiny are the tools of choice.

(Forest gravels are a feature of some higher rainfall zones in the South West region of Western Australia. The features of this type of soil are a non-wetting surface, high phosphorus retention, low pH and poor crop plant establishment)



OATEN HAY IN 2022

By Laurence Carslake, Management Consultant (& Agronomist)

  • The higher grain prices currently available for cereals, legumes and oilseeds will make the decision to cut oaten hay a challenging one.

  • Current world coarse grain production continues to increase, though at lower rates than previous years.

  • Currently, the relative price between oats and hay is like that experienced in 2021.

  • A good hay processor and farmer relationship is very important.

  • There are still logistics and world freight challenges in the container trade.

  • The China-Australian trade relationship looks to be improving, but there is still uncertainty.

  • Long-term hay profitability is being achieved by good producers

(World coarse grain consumption is used for ethanol and stock feed; currently there is slightly more used for feed than ethanol)



VR Spreading Over Summer — What’s an Easy Option?

By Alice Butler, Specialist PA Consultant

  • i4M Spreader is a simple tool to implement variable rate technology in the paddock.

  • i4M Spreader Version 2 has been developed to operate on an Android tablet.

(Spreading over summer has always been a great place to start for variable rate (VR) application)



Esperance pre-harvest meeting (Farmanco client-only event)

  • Thursday 13th October at EBYC Esplanade Room from 3:00pm.

  • Drinks and nibbles provided.

  • We’ll also be at the Esperance Show on 14th and 15th October.

  • We hope to see you there!


WOOL AND LIVESTOCK MARKET REPORT

  • Fremantle, WA Wool Pricing and Trends

  • Katanning, WA Sheep Pricing and Trends

  • Muchea, WA Cattle Pricing and Trends

  • Melbourne, Vic Wool Pricing and Trends

  • Wagga Wagga, NSW Sheep Pricing and Trends

  • Wagga Wagga, NSW Cattle Pricing and Trends

 

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