May 2023 Newsletter

Update from the team at Converte 

Its May already and things are hotting up in agriculture across the country.  February was in fact our largest ever grain export month on record, with 3.0M tonnes of wheat alone exported.  Widespread rains over much of the country have meant a damp start to sowing, but early planting is underway in all states.  With the shift from La Nina to El Nino by mid year there is some uncertainty out there as to what rainfall we can expect this season.   Fertiliser and chemical prices remain high so its a good time to think about how biological products can improve the overall efficiency of applied inputs.   This is a key driver for growth in our sector and by 2030 grain growers could be reducing their fertiliser inputs by as much as 60% and chemicals by a similar margin by adopting a combination of precision Ag and biological seed and soil treatments.   

It has been a busy quarter for Converte with events in NSW, Victoria and WA and the Faststart Grains Challenge program in Sydney with GRDC / Cicada Innovations  and increasing activity with international export programs and overseas trials.  To support the increased workload we are on the look out for new team members.   We currently have three positions advertised including, Business Administration / Finance based in Griffith NSW,  Agronomist / Ag Scientist NSW/WA and a NSW Business Manager based in Griffith NSW.  For more details on any of these positions please contact our team via info@converte.com.au or calling 1800108940.

We look forward to seeing our customers out on the paddocks in the coming months.

Best Wishes to all,
Team Converte

GRDC Growlab Grains Challenge Fast Start Program with Cicada Innovations

In February 2023 Converte was awarded a place in the Growlab Grains Challenge program sponsored by GRDC.   The program is hosted by Cicada Innovations and aims to identify deep technologies that help grain growers achieve improved crop outcomes.  Converte products have an important role to play in improving fertiliser efficiency,  optimising  soil health and function, reducing overall input costs and building climate related resilience.  All these benefits can be accrued by the farmer with only small adjustments to current management practises.

The Fast Start experience runs for six months and is designed to address the needs of each team.   We now have regular GRDC catch up meetings, fortnightly meetings with our Ag mentor and access to the amazing facilities at Cicada Innovations, including working space, access to industry experts, entrepreneurs and investors, rapid prototyping facilities and shared laboratories. 

Converte are delighted to be part of Cicada’s deep tech community!!! 

Converte are actively seeking grain growers for trials this season to add to our growing database of evidence based trials supporting the grain industry.   Converte will support trials with drone mapping, soil and plant tissue testing at no cost to the farmer.  Get in touch with our team on info@converte.com.au or call us on 1800108940.

More information on Growlab Grains Challenge at:

https://www.cicadainnovations.com/programs/growlab-grains-challenge

NSW Going Global Export Program - Agri-tech to the United Kingdom

I’m pleased to announce that Converte were successful in their bid to join the Going Global Export Program for the United Kingdom.  Ten companies have been selected for the program and they will be learning about the UK’s refreshed agricultural legislation which is presenting new opportunities for Agtech SMEs to enter the UK market post Brexit.

The cohort will be attending the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London this September and meeting potential partners across the UK Ag market.  The cohort companies are shown below:

Seed Station is Primed 

Converte WA team met Jackie from Seed Station at the Wagin Woolorama field days in March 2023.  Jackie was quick to see the benefit of using Converte’s Seed Primer Super Concentrate on the organic and heirloom variety seeds which her company Seed Station sells.
Jackie now stocks Seed Primer at all of her customer facing events and is very pleased to offer an opportunity for her growers to receive the same quality product as broadacre farmers.
Jackie offers seeds for flowers, herbs, vegetables, and native plants. All of these seeds can be bought in person at garden shows or Ag events in WA, or from her online shop.

www.seedstation.com.au 

Non Wetting Soils 

Non-wetting soils colloquially known as soil water repellency or more accurately hydrophobic soil, reduces the capability of water uptake, wetting and retention.
There can be many causes and reasons for hydrophobicity such as soil type where it is more common in coarse textured soil i.e., sand (low particle surface area-to-volume ratio); soil biology, presence or absence of different bacterial groups that can help break down hydrophobic substances or contribute to them and plant species can also be a factor as the exudates produced in the root systems of some species can compound the issue further.
Organic matter can play a major role in soil hydrophobicity as the breakdown of plant matter can add aromatic oils, waxes and resins which of themselves are water-repellent.  
Some ideas to help regenerate non-wetting soils:
Earthworms: these can help to mix the hydrophobic topsoil with subsoil and their castings are great for providing plant available nutrients and promoting microbial communities.
Mechanical Aeration: Like earthworms it can incorporate the soils, but with less benefits, ripping can have negative effects on soil organisms and increases risk of erosion and nutrient runoff.
Clay: Most clay minerals are hydrophilic, but dispersal is the most important factor, as they will remain free to mask the hydrophobic barrier whereas some clays will flocculate which renders them ineffective for masking the barrier.
Liming: This has the most benefit on acidic soils, it can increase microbial populations to breakdown the films on particles and aggregates, but also helps mask the barrier like clay minerals, above.
Biological feeds: Converte Plantfood and Bio-Restore Liquid Carbon products will help to increase soil biology and function, encouraging bacteria and balancing the soil structure and environment for crop health, nutrient uptake and cycling.   

Non-wetting soils can have a significant impact on yield, increasing water stress, poor seedling establishment, uneven crop growth and leaching of nutrients and pesticides. When there is an increased volume of water, preferential waterflows will appear, increasing runoff and potentially cut off water from the rootzone. Please contact me if you have questions or want to discuss options for enhancing your soil profile.   

Isabel Bruekers Ag Scientist Converte    isabel.bruekers@converte.com.au

WA farmer interest Grows 

Luke Peacock and Rebekah Cumming have been out at key events in Western Australia in the past few months, including Wagin Woolorama, the Donneybrook Apple Festival (with COBWA) and Healthy Farming Pathways in Dandaragan WA with Soil Restoration Farming (SRF) and Christine Jones as key note speaker, plus the SRF Support & Application Day with their awesome team.   

We are seeing increasing uptake of the Bio-Restore Liquid Carbon used pre cropping for soil preparation and for pasture improvement and soil restoration generally.  Stables in the broad acre cropping program continue to be our seed primer and plantfood super concentrate.  Get in touch with Rebekah or Luke if you want a farm visit, soil sampling or product delivered to your farm in WA.

More information on these WA events and contacts at:

https://www.cobwa.com.au/
https://soilrestorationfarming.com.au/

https://www.donnybrookfestival.com.au/

https://www.woolorama.com.au/trade-fair 

Up and Coming Events 

Find us at Riverina Field Days Griffith NSW  12-13th May (Meet Mark, Isabel and Matt and pick up a field day special) 

WARLP Field Day, The Lakes 8th May WA Part of Landcare Australia Farming Benchmarking Project – Soil carbon and Natural Capital Demonstration days for 2023

Mudgee Small Farm Field days 7-8 July 2023 Mudgee NSW

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Your Converte Support Network

Julie  Vereker – Griffith, 1800 108 940, julie.vereker@converte.com.au 
Mark Vereker - Griffith 0412 420 103  Product Enquiries and Orders NSW

Isabel Bruekers - Ag Scientist, Griffith   Isabel.Bruekers@converte.com.au                0449 183 621

Matt Gatto - Ag Technician, Griffith matt.gatto@converte.com.au  0497 556 975

Luke Peacock – Sales WA 0428 542 776     luke.peacock@converte.com.au

Rebekah Cumming - Sales and Marketing WA, Northam WA  rebekah@ruralcoachingco.com   0488 692 983

Mal Paterson - Queensland 0477 783 734

Stuart Davidson - Wagga Wagga Area 0400 539 153

John Ridley – general business enquiries, investors and international

+61-419 120 447,  john.ridley@converte.com.au

*Don't forget to follow Converte on Social Media by clicking the links below and please forward this newsletter to interested friends and family.

Employment Opportunities  Call 1800 108 940 or email info@converte.com.au for further details.

Distributors:

Ian Forsyth  - NSW Central West  0427 375 031 Bathurst, Orange, Cowra 

For those in the Central West NSW you can also order your Converte Products at:

AgriWest Parkes 20 Clarinda Street, Parkes NSW 2870. Tel. (02) 6862 1066

Agwise Rural Supplies, 2 Naylor St, Cudal NSW 2864 Tel.  (02) 6364 2240