Over 200 rice growers, industry representatives and stakeholders attended the Rice Growers Australia (RGA) annual conference in Yarrawonga last week.
A revised format and a collaborative approach saw this year’s event deemed a success by president, Rob Massina.
“There was a great buzz in the room with rice growers, industry partners and sponsors all excited to come together and celebrate our industry after a three-year hiatus due to Covid-19.
The feedback has been positive, with many growers feeling inspired and positive about the prosperous future of Australian rice,” Mr Massina said.
Neville and Brooke Hollins from Woorak Ag at Burraboi were announced SunRice Grower of the Year.
The highest short grain yield went to Burraboi growers, Michael and Felicia Chalmers, who grew a 12.45 T/ha crop of Opus on 81.5ha.
The highest long grain yield was awarded to David and Nancy Lashbrook from Coleambally, for their 12.28 T/ha of Langi on 24.2ha.
Winners of the Port of Melbourne Overall Highest Yield Award was Kevin, Nancy and Nathan Cauduro from Yenda. The trio yielded an impressive 15.20 T/ha of V071 on 58.2ha.
RGA also presented two honorary councillor awards, inducting Deniliquin branch member, John Fowler, and Yanco branch member, Iris Herrmann.
Neville and Brooke Hollins were delighted and humbled to be awarded SunRice Growers of the Year for 2022. The couple from Burraboi run a mixed farming operation across 4115ha, which includes over 2,000 merino ewes and an irrigated and dryland cropping program.
The couple were judged across a wide range of categories, including their business operation, OHS practices and community involvement.
“This is a great win for the western Murray area to show we can mix it with the best and it is great for the industry to have the annual conference back up and running after three years of Covid-19,” Neville said.
Soil health, water efficiency and growing the most they can from a limited resource has always been a key focus for their business.
“We are farming for a long-term sustainable future and being as water efficient as possible is part of that process,” Brooke said.
They have installed pivots to improve water efficiency and have taken any unproductive or thirsty ground out of the rotation.
The Hollins family has been growing rice in Wakool for 80 years. In fact, they were one of the very first farmers in the district to grow rice. They even have the results from the 1942 experimental plot which show 3.8 acres was sown, using 17.95 feet of water to the acre and yielding 1.91 tonne/acre.
The trial was the result of a federal government initiative with the offices of the Department of Agriculture and Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission to investigate the possibility of growing rice.
So much has changed since those very early days of the industry and growing rice is now a major industry and economic driver across the Riverina.
“As new rice varieties have developed, we have been able to improve our yields, along with growing rice on the appropriate soil types,” Neville said.
The couple said it is exciting to be a part of such a great industry.
“We love that we grow staple food that feeds our nation, and we love doing that as efficiently as possible.
“There is nothing more rewarding,” Brooke said.
This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 18 August 2022.
