Life Sciences Commons^™

Production Of High-Value Wheats : One Sustainable Answer To The Cost:Price Squeeze, Wal Anderson, Alan Peggs, Doug Sawkins

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Farmers and scientists alike over the past decade have sought to address the declining terms of farm trade (the cost.price squeeze) by increasing wheat yields in ways that will ensure both their economic and ecological survival. Nevertheless, costs have continued to increase as a proportion of the value of the product.

Many farmers have increased their wheat yields substantially and the industry as a whole is more conscious of the quality of its product.

Over the past 10 years or more there has been intense interest in, and considerable adoption of. conservation farming techniques such as minimum tillage, residue retention, …

Tree Crops For Profit And Land Improvement, John Bartle

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Western Australian agriculture is deficient in good perennial species. The traditional segregation of agriculture and forestry has diverted attention from commercial wood producing trees as a potential perennial crop. Recently, scientists have made rapid progress in developing tree cropping systems suitable for extensive use in the wetter (more than 600 mm average annual rainfall) areas of the lower south-west. There is potential for a major industry based on fast-growing eucalypts for pulpwood. The foundations for this industry developed from work on agroforestry, forestry sharefarming and salinity control.

The Extent And Cost Of Waterlogging, Don Mcfarlane, Buddy Wheaton

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Waterlogging is an underrated and not widely recognized problem in our cropping areas. Before we can tackle the problem through drainage and alternative cropping systems, we need to know its extent and how much crop yield is lost. The effect of waterlogging on pasture growth is also poorly known.

Contour Cultivation : Cheap Erosion Control, T R. Negus, B. Barrett

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Although the benefits of contour cultivation are well recognised, it makes cultivation more difficult, particularly if the paddock is split by contour banks and grassed waterways. However, a comparison east of Pingelly indicates that contour cultivation is little more expensive or time-consuming than ordinary cultivation.

The Economics Of Spray Seed, J W. Malcolm

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE "Spray Seed"* technique has many advantages over conventional cultivation methods of weed control. Some of these are matters of convenience, preference or opinion, and these cannot be measured in general economic terms.

However, most farmers are in the business to make money and as making money becomes harder they are more concerned with the extra money a new move is likely to earn for them.

How Profitable Are Herbicides For Weeds In Crops?, J W. Malcolm, G. A. Pearce

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

BEFORE spending money on chemical weed control in crops, a farmer needs to know how profitable the operation will be. He may also be influenced by other things such as the need for weed-free seed, but the most important consideration should be an increased cash return.

If a herbicide is used to control weeds in a crop, the extra yield achieved must be worth more than the cost of the herbicide and its application for the treatment to be profitable.

This article gives guidelines to help farmers estimate the likely profitability of herbicide treatments for quota and non-quota crops.

Weed Control Research Pays Dividends, G R W Meadly

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

On my bookshelf is a handbook entitled "War on Weeds" or "How to Double our Food Supply."

In many of these countries experiments have been made to ascertain as far as possible the exact damage done by weeds to crops.

Result: In all the experiments, whether made in England or abroad, the mean loss was over 50 per cent.

The level of loss is equally true today, but the methods at our disposal for handling weeds have improved tremendously.

Costs Of Grain Storage On Farms, P J. Hackett

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

GRAIN storage on farms has been commonly practised for intensive livestock production, for feed reserves, for seed purposes, and more recently to store excess grain.

For most of these purposes permanent storage facilities are required.