Page 5 - DAF 254 Peer 2 Peer Case Studies

IN THE NEWS
Bus tour yields new ideas for practice change
Cane growers from Mossman have formed new networks and plan on making practice changes following a four-day bus tour funded by the Enhanced Extension Coordination in GBR project.
The tour in early March was a chance for 12 growers to gain from innovative projects and significant trials that do not currently occur in the Mossman area.
The tour was coordinated and planned by Mossman Ag Services Extension Agronomist Rebecca Stone with input and suggestions from the grower group.
`` Seeing how other districts manage their RSD (Ratoon Stunting Disease) and clean seed plots was a focus for growers.’’
The tour began at the Atherton Tablelands and from there they headed south visiting Innisfail, Tully and Ingham.
Besides farm visits, the stops included inspecting local productivity boards’ seed plots, where they learned about major changes they have had to implement in recent years to ensure clean seed.
``Mossman is in a similar position with our
RSD infection levels, so hearing how they are dealing with the situation provided a lot of valuable information to growers to learn
from,’’ Rebecca said.
On their final day heading back to Mossman, the group stopped in at the Tully SRA station – where none of them had previously visited.
``This was an informative experience
providing the opportunity for the growers to
chat with the team, and explore topics such as RSD, Fall Army Worm, Yellow Canopy
Syndrome and NIR RSD testing at the mill.’’ Rebecca said the growers had made some
good contacts and a number of them were planning on making practice changes and
modify some of their equipment based on
what they learnt on the trip.
``The growers have taken their ideas back to their contractors and harvesting groups to extend the knowledge, which is a great part of the peer-to-peer learning process.”