Your canola crop hasn't outgrown the winter blues. It has moisture, plenty of applied nitrogen, sunshine, and warm weather. So why isn't it thriving? It might be carrying Turnip Yellows Virus (TuYV). It could be serious. Estimates of damage caused by TuYV infection...

To be honest, it’s hard to tell. I think that automated spraying by swarm bots, drones and full-size SP rigs will become very common in the very near future. But which one is going to win? Will it be a big SP sprayer that is driverless, or should we be thinking of...

Ever felt frustrated that your team is not performing as it should? If so, have you ever wondered why they are not performing? Do you have a team that truly trusts each other? If you are a farm manager, especially if you farm at a scale that sees multiple to many...

As we celebrate Planfarm’s 50th year, it is a perfect opportunity to timeline events that have shaped our WA grain market landscape over the past 50 years. I am sure these events will bring back memories (both good and bad) as our market has evolved dramatically due...

Planfarm has wrapped up the Building Horticulture Business Capacity (BHBC) Project, after four years of working with the Western Australian horticulture industry. This project leveraged our expertise to support horticultural businesses to better understand the key...

It could be argued that the concept of highest and best land use dates to the advent of agriculture. Mankind’s intelligence has enabled an unprecedented ability to dominate the planet’s resources. This has resulted in an ever-increasing acceleration of development. As...

In Agriculture, we work in a very privileged space, even though sometimes it doesn’t feel like it. Not only is it a great industry to work in, Ag makes a lot of things the world needs, the people are genuine and the environment is great to work in. It is also quite...

At the beginning of 2023, Planfarm Academy was pleased to offer its services to the young people going through the AgCAREERSTART program. Initially, we focused on ensuring that these participants were well prepared for their 12 months ahead in the agricultural...

Brendon Tierney was the ‘young gun’ consultant on the team when I joined Planfarm in 2005. He was universally known as one of the smartest consultants and was liked by everyone who knew him. It was inevitable that he would move on from Planfarm, but he has been missed...

In my December 2023 article, I briefly touched on the crucial role of a good relationship with your Banker or bank in the farm business. I thought it would be useful to delve further into that in this article, as it's a topic that's always relevant and beneficial....

At the end of last year, after much to-ing and fro-ing, I purchased a new TV and eventually decided to go with an LG. As you know, smart TVs come with streaming apps and preinstalled catch-up channels; some, such as the LG, have their live channels. Just recently, as...

Picture this: a country bumpkin standing in a sheep holding pen with 20-odd uni students, wondering what she will learn on a university field day at a farm. "I need a volunteer." Sure. Why not? I step up nervously, awaiting the instructions. "I want you to walk up to...