GRDC Podcast

GRDC's Farm Business Updates have played a big role in updating growers about changing landscapes, including taxation and managing the ever-increasing asset base of their businesses. As part of a recent update, Joanne Gilbert from world leading tax and consulting service, RSM Australia spoke about the changes that have occurred in the years since the Covid pandemic. Joanne encourages all growers to take control of their income and we caught up with her post-update to find out more. Contact: Joanne Gilbert RSM Australia joanne.gilbert@rsm.com.au More information: https://www.rsm.global/australia https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/grdc/events/focus-on-farm-business-a-priority-this-february https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grownotes/technical-manuals/farm-business-models https://grdc.com.au/research/partnerships-and-initiatives/strategic-partnerships/riskwise https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grdc-update-papers/tab-content/grdc-update-papers/2024/07/mastering-the-whole-system-managing-farm-business-risk-and-building-resilience https://grdc.com.au/news-and-media/audio/podcast/2026/grain-automate-from-data-to-decisions https://grdc.com.au/events/list/2026/04/grdc-farm-business-update,-online-from-busy-to-efficient-streamlining-operations Project Code: ORM2401-001SAX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of GRDC In Conversation, host Oli Le Lievre sits down with Darcy Warren, a leading researcher at Field Applied Research (FAR) Australia based in Geelong. Darcy’s entry into agriculture was far from traditional; growing up in the leafy Melbourne suburb of Greensborough, he discovered agricultural science almost by accident at a university open day. From those early sparks of curiosity, Darcy has built a distinguished career, starting with a joint GRDC and Agriculture Victoria graduate program and progressing to help lead a national research team. The conversation explores the rapid growth of Field Applied Research (FAR) Australia from a small team of four to a national organisation. Darcy reflects on the "career-defining" Hyper Yielding Cereals project in Tasmania, the complexities of managing disease burdens, and the shifting landscape of fungicide resistance. Beyond the technical science, Darcy discusses the "people side" of agriculture—the importance of mentorship, the challenges of a travel-heavy career, and why he encourages the next generation of "city kids" to find their place in the grains sector. Watch highlights from this episode as a video on YouTube. More information Far Australia GRDC in Conversation is a limited series GRDC Podcast. It features in-depth interviews with growers and other experts in the grains industry who share their expertise, knowledge and experiences by exploring their personal stories, history, influences and motivations. The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views of GRDC, the interviewees’ employer, institution or other associated parties. GRDC Project Code: HAG2507-001SAX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, facilitators Amy Wright and Lucy Pedler talk about the rise of young grower groups across South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula. Supported by AIR EP and the Future Drought Fund, these peer-to-peer networks are creating safe spaces for young growers to build skills, confidence and leadership capacity. Participants prioritise topics such as soils, technology adoption, drought resilience and business management—while also valuing connection, collaboration and time off-farm with peers. Amy and Lucy highlight increased confidence among members, with some stepping into leadership roles, industry panels and research committees. With study tours planned and momentum building, these groups are not only strengthening individual businesses but fostering the next generation of resilient, connected agricultural leaders. GRDC is proud to support many of these growers to attend study tours. Contacts: Agricultural Innovation & Research Eyre Peninsula Inc ralf@airep.com.au George Pedler Ag lucy@georgepedlerag.com.au More Information: GRDC Sponsorship AIR EP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we recorded this podcast, the bushfire threat in Victoria was ongoing with lives, homes, and thousands of hectares of cropping land still at risk. In this episode, we hear from Dennis Hoiberg from Lessons Learned Consulting and get some strategies for looking after your mental health in traumatic times such as a bushfire event. We also speak to South Australian grower, Andy Barr, who has firsthand experience dealing with the loss and devastation bushfires can cause. Contacts: Andy Barr Grower, South Australia arhebarr@baonline.com.au Dennis Hoiberg Lessons Learned Consulting dennis.hoiberg@lessonslearntconsulting.com More Information: https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/all-publications/publications/2023/reducing-harvest-fires https://grdc.com.au/events/past-events/2025/10/grdc-farm-business-update,-online-reducing-the-risk-of-harvest-fires https://lessonslearntconsulting.com https://www.lifeline.org.au https://www.beyondblue.org.au Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices