GrainGrowers Blog

Hi, I’m Clarke Schober, a fourth-generation farmer. I work alongside my parents and brother on our family farm, located in the northern Mallee, northwest of Loxton, with another cropping property near Karoonda in the Murraylands region. Recently, we’ve diversified our operations to include a 40-hectare irrigated almond orchard at Loxton.

Hi, I’m Matt Hyde. I'm a fifth-generation farmer from Dalwallinu, WA, about 2.5 hours north of Perth. Working alongside my parents Harry and Jane, we manage 7,500ha of land with 100% crop rotation of wheat, lupins, canola and field peas.

Hi, I’m Sam. I am a fourth-generation farmer and I manage my farm together with my brother and younger sister. My father is still involved but he is taking more of a back seat these days. My siblings and I initially left the farm to pursue further education and interests however we have over time decided to return to the farm.

Hi everyone, my name is James Kuhnemann. I am a fifth-generation farmer, working alongside my brother and uncle at our farm in the Central Darling Downs in South Southern Queensland. My mother and father are also still involved.

Binyin Di, known as Patrick or Paddy to his mates, is an agricultural specialist with a unique story through Australian Agriculture. Originally from China, he grew up in rural areas, moving to Sydney at 18 to pursue his passion for agriculture at the University of Queensland, Gatton.

Meet Parker Dean, a second-year student at the University of Queensland (UQ) who's just beginning her journey in the agricultural industry.

Hi everyone, I’m Kate Gunn. Our family operates a rain-fed farming business on the Liverpool Plains with a mix of flat and sloping country. Our farming system is typically a long fallow rotation with wheat and sorghum being pillar crops, and crops including canola, chickpeas, barley and cotton incorporated to manage agronomic issues and take advantage of marketing opportunities. We also run a beef cattle herd alongside our cropping operation.

Matthew Hyde is a fifth-generation farmer from Dalwallinu in Western Australia. A participant in this year’s GrainGrowers Australian Grain Leaders Program (AGLP), Matt studied Agribusiness at Curtin University after leaving school, before returning home to farm with his parents in the 100% cropping business. Matt has found that being a part of the AGLP has contributed to all areas of his personal development, including evolving the content of his own program project focused on mitigating risk on farm.

Hi everyone, I’m Tim Eckert from Meningie, South Australia. I farm around 7800 hectares with my partner Laura, mum Gwenda, dad David, and my brother Matt and Matt’s wife Megan. I also can’t forget to include Matt and Megan’s almost one year old daughter, Rosie.

Hello everyone, my name is Callum Willmott. I farm in the Cunderdin Shire along with two adjoining Shires in the Central Wheatbelt east of Perth WA. Our annual average rainfall is 330mm.

GrainGrowers has identified areas from the 2024-25 Federal Budget that will positively impact the grains industry and a few missed opportunities.

Hi everyone, Brett Wheaton here. I farm in the North West Wimmera, in the Nhill area on approximately 8500ha in total. We have 5000ha in the Telopea Downs area which has sandy to Mallee clay soils which we run our stock on and the rest is full rotation cropping with heavy red bulloak soil to black self-mulching Wimmera ground. We sow vetch, canola, beans, lentils, wheat and barley; and have an average rainfall of 350ish mm a year – though it is never the same year on year. Our farm business is a family run show, with my brother Dean and I, and our four kids all in the business.

Hi everyone. I’m Ben Taylor and I farm on the Western Darling Downs, growing wheat and chickpeas in winter, and cotton and grain sorghum in summer. We farm about 5,200 hectares of Brigalow Belah/Gilgai vertosol country.

Wimmera grower and GrainGrowers board director Ash Brooks shares her experience on GrainGrowers' delegation to Indonesia.

In its 2024-25 Pre-Budget Submission, GrainGrowers has outlined key areas for investment to address workforce-related pressures.

I farm 5,000ha at Bellata, NSW. We have leased the property for the last 7 years where we grow wheat, chickpeas, sorghum and cotton, with a long fallow into the summer crop and out of, as part of the rotation.

Hi everyone, I’m Ashton Gray from WA, and my wife Georgia and I farm with our children Madelyn and Louie (and Coco the dog) at Tarin Rock, WA with my brother Kael and sister Tahryn, and brother-in-law Damian. Together, we farm 7500 hectares of crop plus run 3500 Merino ewes and lambs with a total of 7000 head.