Grower Group Alliance team members, including CEO Rikki Foss, Project Managers Dr Daniel Kidd and Maddison McNeil, Acting Hub Director Dr Jo Wisdom, and Hub Adoption Manager Julianne Hill, attended the 2024 Agronomy Conference in Albany, themed “Adaptive Agronomy for a Resilient Future.” The conference highlighted innovative practices that drive resilience in agriculture, a key focus for the SW WA Hub.
Both Jo and Julianne were invited to lead parts of the conference program, reinforcing the Hub’s commitment to advancing agronomy and drought resilience in WA. Julianne facilitated the conference Masterclass on October 21, designed for early-career agronomists and researchers to engage with top industry experts. Focusing on Resilient Agronomy 101, the masterclass covered essential topics, from soil amelioration and nutrition to risk management. Attendees also participated in networking and personal branding sessions to build valuable skills.
The conference Gala Dinner celebrated excellence in WA agriculture, with awards going to industry leaders, including DPIRD’s Mark Seymour (ASA Fellowship), Kerry Regan (Neil Fettell Award), and Brenton Leske (Young Agronomist Award). Geoff Fosbery was awarded the prestigious CM Donald Medal, while AHRI’s Professor Ken Flower also received an ASA Fellowship. Julianne served as MC for the event.
On October 24, Jo co-led a field tour with Dean Thomas from CSIRO through the horticultural and food hub of Manjimup, showcasing the region’s innovation in viticulture, mixed farming systems, and horticulture. A standout visit was with young farmers Jen and Mitch Riseley from Willarra Gold, where attendees saw their passion fruit operation—from nursery and vines to their new production facility and value-added products (seen above).
Earlier this year, the SW WA Hub featured Jen in a Dry Season Shorts video, where she shared her strategies for reducing water use by 40% through a pressurised drip system and inter-row pasture cropping. Watch the video below.
