The Prosperous Farmer

Nitrogen application doesn’t have to be a guessing game. In this episode, Dr Melissa Fraser and agronomist Lee Menhenett reveal how moisture, measurement and timing can transform your nitrogen strategy—and your bottom line. Mel and Lee break down the tools, data and on-farm decisions that drive profitable, resilient cropping. Packed with smart tools, practical insights and memorable one-liners (yes—rainfall is a tool, not just pub bragging rights!), this lively, insightful conversation is full of farmer-tested wisdom, good humour, and a reminder that you can’t manage what you don’t measure.The Mastering Nitrogen Application Seminar was held in July in Naracoorte.Shownotes:CliMate website : https://climateapp.net.au/Yield Prophet Lite: https://www.yieldprophet.com.au/yplite/Soil Moisture Probe: https://app.outpostcentral.com/remote/MFMGLogin.htmlCoTL Mesonet: https://cotl.com.au/mesonet

Tom Kapcejevs is a Durum Breeder with Australian Grain Technologies (AGT) MFMG sponsor, and Australia’s largest plant breeding company and market leader in wheat genetics.  At the recent Southern Australia Durum Growers Association Crop Walk at Bordertown Tom took some time out to catch up with The Prosperous Farmer. Tom dives into the two new releases of durum wheat varieties - Rimfire and Banker - discussing their performance, their limitations, their yield, and how they stack up against common diseases for durum wheat. Durum wheat in the Limestone Coast is a positive story, with a strong domestic market with San Remo together with a growing export market. And what's with the variety names? And what do they have to do with the Melbourne Cup?

Is there any money in farming? Cam Nicholson and Nathaniel Modra unpack the biggest challenges farmers face in today's landscape, areas for improvement for calculating costs, and how knowing your cost of production plays an important part in decision making.Whilst its a retrospective measure, knowing your cost of production can give farmers an understanding of the efficiencies of their business. But what else needs to be considered when it comes to cost management? And what are the volatilities of being in ag? How have they changed over the years?

Why are alternative methods of weed control systems important? Which options will become commercially available for farmers? Michael Walsh from the Gulbali Institute, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga details the new technologies on weed control. With the development of electrical and chemical weeding systems, targeted tillage, and automated laser delivery system through robotics, Michael unpacks the opportunities, challenges and potential adoption of these technologies. Michael Walsh presented at the GRDC Update at Keith in August 2025, on 'Novel weed control technologies with potential for use in Australian grain production systems'.

Did you know that the majority of fertiliser spreaders deliver highly variable spread patterns? This compromises production rates and farm profitability as some areas within the paddock receive too much fertiliser and others too little. Understanding your spreader pattern using different products can result in higher productivity and healthier waterways.In this episode, we catch up with Australia’s leading Accu-Spread trainer Russell Nichol sharing his knowledge on the types of spreaders, how to test and calibrate spreading equipment, how frequently farmers should be check their calibration. What's the elusive spreader mark, why is it important and how can it be achieved? And if you're in the market for a spreader what should you be looking for?