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FAR Australia, Australian based field applied researcher, developer and extension provider is thrilled to announce the nations Hyper Yielding Crops (HYC) Award winners for the 2022 season.

The HYC Awards recognise the efforts and achievements of growers nationally who excel in cultivating high yielding crops, through making effective agronomic decisions according to their location and environment.

Dedicated growers who took part in the Grains Research and Development Corporation’s Hyper Yielding Crops Awards for the 2022 season achieved remarkable yields, and those who topped the charts have been recognised at a series of HYC Results and Awards evenings around the country.

Previously the HYC Awards have recognised only high yielding wheat crops, however in 2022, barley was introduced into the awards programme across WA, VIC and SA.

In Western Australia, taking out two HYC Awards for highest wheat and barley yields in the state was Perillup grower Kieran Allison. Mr Allison’s award-winning DS Bennett wheat crop recorded a 7.98t/ha yield whilst his award-winning RGT Planet barley crop yielded 8.93t/ha.

Ben Webb from Scotts Brook achieved the highest wheat yield award according to the percentage of yield potential for his 6.54t/ha crop of Rockstar, whilst neighbour Charles Caldwell won the category for highest barley yield as a percentage of yield potential with his 7.76t/ha crop of RGT Planet.

In Victoria, the winning wheat yield clocked 10.59t/ha which was grown by Ascot grower, Ben Findlay. Mr Findlay chose RGT Cesario which was grown over a 42ha paddock.

The winning barley yield, RGT Planet was entered into the competition by Streatham grower Ed Weatherly which yielded 7.5t/ha, this was grown over an area of 61ha following wheat.

These winning wheat and barley yields in Victoria were also recorded as being the highest percentage of potential with of 87 and 70 percent respectively.

For South Australia Sam Ballantyne’s Anapurna wheat crop produced a winning yield of 10.56t/ha near Glenroy, whilst neighbour Bruce McLean won the category for highest wheat yield based on the percentage of estimated yield potential with his 9.64t/ha Anapurna wheat crop.

Winning the award for highest barley yield in SA was James Gilbertson and his family who farm near Hatherleigh; their RGT Planet crop managed to produce a yield of 8.10t/ha.

Jack Gartner and his family who farm near Maaoupe earned the SA award for the highest barley yield as a percentage of estimated yield potential with their RGT Planet crop yielding 7.5t/ha.

Tasmania saw Davenport grower Hamish Yaxley secure the award for highest wheat yield with his 12.84t/ha crop of Cesario , whilst further south, Cressy grower John Heard was granted the award for highest wheat yield according to yield potential for his 12.04t/ha crop of Accroc.

Finally in New South Wales, Tim Stivens of Junee managed the highest yielding wheat crop with his 6.94t/ha of RockStar, whilst Cameron Sandral of Savernake was awarded the highest yield based on percentage of potential yield with his 6.17t/ha Scepter crop.

Nick Poole, Managing Director Field Applied Research (FAR) Australia, and project lead for the GRDC’s national Hyper Yielding Crops initiative recently announced the 2022 HYC trial results and award winners at a series of HYC Results and awards evenings; these took place in Kendenup (WA), Skipton (VIC), Millicent (SA), Westbury (TAS) and Rutherglen (NSW). Here he jointly presented the HYC Awards with HYC extension co-ordinator Jon Midwood of TechCrop and the project officers from collaborating farming groups; Stirlings to Coast Farmers, Southern Farming Systems, Mackillop Farm Management Group and Riverine Plains Inc.

Mr Poole says the HYC Awards have built community interest in pushing productivity boundaries nationally.

“These dedicated growers have demonstrated exceptional agronomic skills and techniques, resulting in remarkable yields whilst contributing positively to the overall success of the Australian grains industry.

“Their innovative approaches and best practices serve as an inspiration to the cropping communities in the different regions, driving pursuit of higher crop yields and sustainable farming practices,” he says.

“I would like to extend my congratulations to all winners for their outstanding achievements, these emphasise the importance of a community approach whilst pushing the boundaries to increase productivity and profitability.”

All those who participate in the HYC Awards are presented with a comprehensive report, which not only assists with identifying the different agronomic decisions made throughout the season’s growing conditions, but also provides each grower with the ability to closely benchmark these key decisions with other growers in their region.

Nominations are now open for the 2023 season. Growers wishing to participate are urged to contact their respective project officer for more information if they would like to enter a crop.

More information https://faraustralia.com.au/hyper-yielding-crops.

• WA HYC Project Officer: Dan Fay, Stirlings to Coast Farmers (dan.fay@scfarmers.org.au)
• VIC HYC Project Officer: Ashley Amourgis, Southern Farming Systems (aamourgis@sfs.org.au)

• SA HYC Project Officer: Jen Lillecrapp, Makillop Farm Management Group (jen@brackenlea.com)
• TAS HYC Project Officer: Ashley Amourgis, Southern Farming Systems (aamourgis@sfs.org.au)
• NSW HYC Project Officer: Kate Coffey, Riverine Plains Inc (kate@riverineplains.org.au)