CWFS

Lucerne is sprinting ahead, beware so is the building risk of pest pressure! With recent rainfall, the Mixed Farming Systems Project long term lucerne trial has responded well to rainfall. Ideal conditions and relief from the summer heat will increase the risk to lucerne pastures with continued storms and variability in weather that the Condobolin Region is experiencing. As we head towards a change in the season. CWFS agronomy and technical field office staff are on the lookout and monitoring lucerne pastures as they recover for; Lucerne Flea, Red Legged earth mites, Blue green Aphids, Spotted Alfalfa aphid, Cutworm and budworm. What are you seeing in your lucerne paddocks? All these pests are primed to be looking for new growth of lucerne, with damage such as severe defoliation of growing points, or suppresses growth in seedlings and mature plants. So as the plants recover from the stress of hot dry summer and continued dry autumn drought conditions, there is some susceptibility to these pastures if the season turns to drought recovery conditions. What resources can you use to help you in the paddock? Whilst there is no specific lucerne ute guides for Central West NSW, some useful industry resources for producers to help monitor your lucerne pastures this autumn with helpful visual photos, symptom descriptions and management options for lucerne pests include: cesaraustralia.com/pestnotes/ barenbrug.com.au/sites/australi… alfagenseeds.com.au/resources/ dlfseeds.com.au/advice/lucerne… pictureinsect.com/app #FutureDroughtFund #MixedFarmingTrials #LucerneManagement #SNSWInnovationHub #CharlesSturtResearch

Central West Farming Systems is pleased to welcome Sapphire to the team as our newly appointed Junior Trials Agronomist 🌾 Sapphire is a recent soil science graduate with a strong interest in soil health within cropping systems. Her studies focused on soil structure, soil types across Australia and the management practices required to maintain soil function while supporting productive crops. She is particularly interested in the economic considerations around fertiliser use and soil improvement. She previously worked at the Queensland Herbarium, where she developed an interest in plant pathology and weed identification. Originally from Stanthorpe, Queensland, Sapphire completed her Bachelor’s degree at Griffith University before moving to Condobolin to work at Sunset Station as a governess, where she also assisted with farm operations. After settling into the region, she decided to pursue her agronomy career in the Central West. Sapphire is actively involved in the local community and professional networks, including Soil Science Australia and Women in Soil Science. She looks forward to contributing to CWFS projects and building her knowledge of low rainfall cropping systems to support growers across the region. We are excited to have Sapphire on board and look forward to the contribution she will make to CWFS and our grower network.

Last week, our Trials Agronomist Chiara Stommel travelled to Southern Cross University to contribute to the Translating Research into Impact program.   The workshop brought together emerging researchers to explore influence, collaboration, industry engagement and practical pathways to delivering meaningful outcomes beyond academia. Through panel discussions, facilitated sessions and open conversation, participants challenged assumptions, built networks and developed greater clarity around how their work connects to the real world.   As part of the panel session, Chiara shared insights from working directly with growers and Farming Systems Groups, contributing to discussions on trust, relevance and co design in research.   A strong initiative focused on building confident researchers who understand not just the science, but the systems and stakeholders that shape impact. #southerncrossuniversity #sqnnswinnovationhub

Communications & Engagement Officer 🌾 Central West Farming Systems (CWFS) is an independent, not-for-profit, farmer driven organisation that provides linkage between growers, researchers and advisers to best apply and co-ordinate research and extension relevant to the central west of NSW. CWFS conducts agricultural research and communicates research outcomes to growers and advisors. CWFS achieves it goals by collaborating with organisations such as GRDC, MLA, Soil CRC, CSIRO, NSW DPI, Southern NSW Innovation Hub, SQNNSW Innovation Hub, Local Land Services, Landcare, universities, agribusiness and other farming system groups The Role: The Communications & Engagement Officer is a key member of the team and is responsible for supporting the implementation and monitoring of CWFS activities extension across the region in response to the needs of the CWFS’ overall program. This is a part time role, 20-30 hours per week Key activities include: • Coordinating the CWFS extension activities and platforms - including Facebook, Twitter, CWFS Website, newsletters, fact sheets and articles for publication which are a resource for members. • Lead stakeholder engagement with industry and community • Maintain and grow industry partnerships • Organising pre-season meetings, workshops and spring field days and including virtual field walks. • Monitoring and measuring levels of engagement. To be suitable for this role you will ideally have: • Strong written communication skills, including the ability to prepare reports and communications. • Experience with social media platforms, web site and design software. As well as MS Office suite. • Ability to work in a team environment and support team members. • Strong attention to detail. • Excellent interpersonal skills. • Well organised and methodical. • Ability to manage competing priorities. CWFS is located at the Condobolin Agricultural Research & Advisory Station NSW, approx. 10 km from Condobolin. If you’re interested, please email your cover letter & resume to Diana.fear@dpird.nsw.gov.au 📞 0427 897 530

📣 Calling all Central West NSW rural landholders! Did you receive the Soil CRC survey in your mailbox? Our local partners are keen to hear from you. Complete the paper or online survey before 15 March and help them to better support your goals 🔗 murdochuni.syd1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d1…

Central West Farming Systems is inviting member producers in mixed farming systems to be part of our dedicated Long Term Lucerne Project WhatsApp Group,a local, practical space designed to connect growers navigating lucerne production in low rainfall environments.   This Community of Practice has been created to strengthen peer learning and ensure the conversations happening in the paddock continue between workshops and trial updates.   By joining, you will gain access to the latest project updates and research findings as they emerge. The group will operate in an open Q and A style format, encouraging producers to contribute ideas, concepts and observations from their own systems.   Importantly, it is a space to openly discuss key lucerne challenges and wins specific to low rainfall areas with peers and facilitator advisors who understand the realities of mixed farming systems in our region. Let’s strengthen knowledge, connection and confidence together.  CWFS members can register here: forms.gle/7mMDnMMrRW5bb5… #FutureDroughtFund #MixedFarmingTrials #LucerneManagement #SNSWInnovationHub #CharlesSturtResearch #GulbaliInstitute #AusAg #AusGov #Drought

Last Tuesday we welcomed a fantastic group of local producers and industry representatives to Forbes for our Ladies Lunch & Learn, delivered as part of the National Industry-Led Carbon Farming Outreach Program. The event created space for practical, informed conversations around carbon, emissions and farm business confidence in a supportive and collaborative setting.   Attendees heard from Sarah Groat (CFOP / Low Emissions Agriculture, DPIRD), who unpacked regional emissions data, Life Cycle Assessment and practical entry points for measuring farm emissions. Helen Quade from Moore & Co provided clarity around the legal and compliance landscape, helping producers better understand what carbon frameworks mean for their businesses. Tim Condon from Delta Ag shared insights on fertilising the system, not just the crop, and the opportunities to build soil organic matter as part of long-term productivity and sustainability.   The discussion also extended beyond technical content. Emma Ridley, a Forbes local, spoke about wellbeing and leading with confidence, reinforcing the importance of strong leadership in times of change. Chris O’Donnell from NAB discussed how finance conversations are evolving and what increasing emissions literacy means for farm businesses engaging with banks and supply chains.   The strongest conversations of the day centred on measuring emissions, understanding regional benchmarking and knowing where to start without feeling overwhelmed. What stood out was the appetite for clear, independent and practical information. When complex topics are explained in an accessible way, confidence grows, and that confidence is key to informed decision-making. Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to the discussion. Creating space for open, constructive conversations like this is exactly what this program is designed to do. The National Industry-led Carbon Farming Outreach Program is delivered with funding support from the Commonwealth of Australia through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water under the Carbon Farming Outreach Program. #CarbonFarmingOutreachProgram #CFOP #FarmingCarbon

We have made the regretful decision to cancel our upcoming Condobolin workshop. Should you still be interested in attending, tickets are still available for Forbes. 🗓️ Tuesday 17 February 2026 🕕 10:00 AM - 2:30 PM 📍 Forbes RSL Club You can register here: trybooking.com/DIVBC The National Industry-led Carbon Farming Outreach Program is delivered with funding support from the Commonwealth of Australia through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water under the Carbon Farming Outreach Program. #CarbonFarmingOutreachProgram #CFOP #FarmingCarbon

Summer cover crop in the ground just in time. Last week we sowed the Soil CRC Terry Rose project trial ahead of the weekend rain, setting it up with the best chance for a strong start. Always satisfying when timing, planning and a bit of weather luck line up. Looking forward to seeing how it establishes in the coming weeks. 🌱 #FutureDroughtFund #SoilCRC #SouthernCrossUni #MurdochUni

Rural landholders in Central West NSW are invited to share their experiences as part of a national Soil CRC social benchmarking study led by Murdoch University. The comprehensive study seeks to uncover how farming and soil management practices change over time, to better guide farmer engagement and strategic planning in rural Australia. Landholders are being asked about their assessment of issues, long-term plans, enterprise mix and where they access information about farming and land management, to identify factors shaping land management in each region. Paper notices have now been mailed to a random sample of rural landholders inviting property managers, and those involved in decision making for the property, to get involved. Landholders can complete the online survey at the link below. Please use the serial number included in your paper notice if completing the survey online. No specific property or person will ever be identifiable in our reporting. If you are in the survey region and did not receive a paper notice, we still welcome your participation, so please feel free to complete the survey online. You can complete the survey here: murdochuni.syd1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d1…

Great to see growers, advisors and the CWFS team come together in Condobolin for the Soil Performance Discussion Group. This was a practical, peer-to-peer session focused on how growers actually assess soil performance on farm. The discussion centred on which soil indicators matter most locally, what soil tests and observations are being used, and how these link to management decisions across different soil types and land uses in the region. As part of a national Soil CRC research project led by Federation University, the insights shared will be used to inform the development of a practical soil indicator interpretation tool grounded in real farming systems. Thanks to everyone who contributed their experience and views. Local input like this is critical to making sure research outputs reflect how decisions are made on farm. #SoilCRC

Did you know that estimates for the current YIELD GAP in the Central West NSW are as low as 36% of the water limiting yield potential??  👉 We need YOUR HELP to address the on-farm issues to close this gap   You are invited to join the CWFS Reference Group. When: Monday,9th February at 9am. Where: Condobolin Research Station.   CWFS is working with GOA as part of the new GRDC project “Enhancing productivity and profitability in farming systems in Central NSW”. This is a new, 5-year project aimed at closing the yield gap in our region. We are after forward thinking growers and advisors to help guide the future direction of the project by being members of our Reference Groups (RG). This group is one of 4 spread across the central west, representing the diversity of our region.  This workshop will be facilitated by GOA & CWFS staff with an aim to identify issues that may be limiting yield or profitability and start the process of developing potential solutions that may require on-farm testing, local validation or higher-level research which will be passed on to GRDC.   Key crops and key facets within each crop such as nutrition, disease, crop sequence and weed control will be explored via a ‘deep dive’ to really nut out the research questions. Morning tea and lunch will be provided.   RSVP 📲 Diana Fear, 0427 897 530 or diana.fear@dpird.nsw.gov.au

Soil moisture probes proving their worth in a tough, dry summer ✅ Hot, dry conditions are hanging on, but live soil-moisture data is helping us stay one step ahead in the midst of summer season. At Condobolin, moisture probes in our demonstration area as part of the Mixed farming systems trial project are tracking how lucerne dormancy groups are using water and how much moisture is actually sitting in the profile down to 80 cm. The data is clear: winter-active lucernes (green line on graph 1) are holding the most stored moisture right now, while semi-winter dormant types (Red lined on graph 1) are drawing down harder through summer, exactly as their growth patterns suggest. Real-time ag tech also shows how summer storms are infiltrating your soils. December’s 22.5 mm event soaked deeper in the winter-active plots, while January’s small fall infiltrated better in semi-winter dormant lucerne. These insights matter. Why it helps you in your drought management: ✔ Manage grazing days + rest intervals ✔ Protect groundcover + conserve moisture ✔ Understand infiltration + soil constraints ✔ Reduce weed pressure ✔ Keep livestock and pasture decisions sharp in low rainfall seasons ✔ Make proactive, timely decisions Ag tech gives you the evidence to adapt, plan and act. What are you monitoring in your pastures? Want to know more about this project or join the project producer what’s app group discussions with other local producers members, check out the CWFS Lucerne project page for more information: cwfs.org.au/projects/long-… #FutureDroughtFund #MixedFarmingTrials #LucerneManagement #SNSWInnovationHub #CharlesSturtResearch #GulbaliInstitute #AusAg #AusGov #Drought

This is your chance to get involved in our climate resilient sheep project focus group! 🐑 🗓️ 2 February 2026 📍 Railway Hotel, Condobolin 📲 RSVP: 0427 897 530 This project receives funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund. #FutureDroughtFund #Drought #AusGov #AusAg #droughtresilience #agriculture #SheepAndShrubs #CWFS

Get the most out of your soils 🌱 Join CWFS and local growers for a peer-to-peer Soil Performance Discussion Group in Condobolin. We’ll unpack soil performance indicators, soil testing and practical management strategies, and your local knowledge will feed into a national Soil CRC project that is working to identify the soil measurements and observations that are most useful and relevant across different regions. 📅 2 February 2026 ⏰ 6:30pm – 8:00pm 📍 Railway Hotel, Condobolin RSVP for catering purposes here: trybooking.com/DHPHM #SoilCRC

Registrations are open now for our ladies lunch & learn at Condobolin 📲 🗓️ 3 March 2026 🎟️ trybooking.com/DIVBF The National Industry-led Carbon Farming Outreach Program is delivered with funding support from the Commonwealth of Australia through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water under the Carbon Farming Outreach Program. #CarbonFarmingOutreachProgram #CFOP #FarmingCarbon

Registrations are open now for our ladies lunch & learn at Forbes 📲 🗓️ 17 February 2026 🎟️ trybooking.com/DIVBC The National Industry-led Carbon Farming Outreach Program is delivered with funding support from the Commonwealth of Australia through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water under the Carbon Farming Outreach Program. #CarbonFarmingOutreachProgram #CFOP #FarmingCarbon

Congratulations to Brayden Davis, the winner of our photo competition 👏🏽 This stunning capture perfectly reflects the strength, beauty and resilience of our landscapes. From the golden paddocks to the iconic windmill standing tall, this image truly stopped us in our tracks. Thank you to everyone who entered and shared their perspective through the lens. Well done Brayden, and thank you for sharing this moment with us 🌾

Thank you & Merry Christmas from Central West Farming Systems 🎄 As we wrap up another big year, we want to say a heartfelt thank you to our members, growers, partners, researchers, sponsors and supporters who continue to back the work of Central West Farming Systems. From paddock trials and field days to workshops, conversations and collaborations across the region, none of it happens without your support, ideas and willingness to get involved. Together, we’re driving practical research, innovation and learning that supports productive, resilient farming systems in the Central West and beyond. Wishing you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a safe, happy New Year. We look forward to another year of learning, connecting and growing together in 2026.