BUSINESS roadshow

Growers, industry representatives and service providers came together in Myalup this May for a practical day focused on innovation, business resilience, and the future of vegetable production in Western Australia.

Words Lisa Hasson, Regional Support Officer, vegetablesWA

HOSTED by vegetablesWA the Myalup Roadshow brought together a diverse range of presenters covering everything from grants and biosecurity through to soil health, carrot packout, insurance and emerging agtech.

The event was opened and expertly guided throughout the day by Peter Spackman, CEO of vegetablesWA, who welcomed attendees and reinforced the importance of creating opportunities for growers to access practical information and connect directly with industry experts.

The day began with a highly practical session from Stefan Chappell from the Peel Development Commission and Emma Fishburn from the South-West Development Commission, who unpacked the Regional Economic Development (RED) Grants program and what makes a competitive application.

Rather than simply outlining available funding, the session focused on the realities of preparing grant applications. Growers and businesses were encouraged to clearly identify the “why, what, how and when” of their project before applying, while also ensuring claims were backed by evidence and realistic planning.

The presenters stressed that strong applications demonstrate broader regional economic benefit, clear alignment with regional priorities, and the capacity for businesses to sustain projects beyond the grant period. Common pitfalls were also discussed, including retrospective funding requests, underdeveloped budgets, and applications that were considered “business as usual” rather than true innovation or expansion opportunities.

The session generated strong interest among attendees, particularly as many growers continue exploring ways to improve efficiency, adopt new technologies and future-proof their businesses in a challenging operating environment.

Biosecurity and industry preparedness were then explored by Zara from AUSVEG, alongside Maya, the national onions extension coordinator.

Their presentation highlighted the significant cost biosecurity threats can pose to Australian agriculture, while reinforcing how relatively simple on-farm practices can reduce risk and improve long-term farm resilience. Practical examples included vehicle hygiene, visitor protocols, boot wash-down stations, management of farm inputs and controlling weed and waste pathways.

The discussion also highlighted current extension priorities within the onion industry, including soil health, pest and disease management, herbicide resistance and integrated farm management. Attendees heard about upcoming extension activities planned across WA, including soil health workshops, drone demonstrations, weed forums and technology demonstrations.

“ Soil health and fertiliser efficiency were major themes throughout the day, with Doris Blaesing from RMCG and Soil Wealth ICP delivering a detailed presentation on reducing fertiliser inputs through improved soil function. ”

Doris discussed the importance of soil organic carbon and how practices such as incorporating crop residues, using composts, reducing tillage intensity and implementing cover crops can improve nutrient cycling and water holding capacity over time.

Importantly, the session focused on practical ways growers could improve efficiency rather than simply reducing inputs. Growers heard how heavily cropped sandy soils can struggle with nutrient retention, often leading to “insurance applications” of fertiliser due to uncertainty around nutrient availability.

Cover crops and rotational strategies formed a major part of the discussion, with examples provided on how mixed species cover crops, legumes and deep-rooted species can improve soil structure, nutrient cycling and long-term soil health while also helping manage weeds and erosion.

“ The presentation sparked strong discussion among growers, particularly around balancing productivity with rising fertiliser and input costs. ”

Local research priorities were highlighted by Neil Lantkze from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, who presented on the national carrot packout project currently underway.

The project is investigating the causes behind variable carrot packout rates across Australia, with WA growers identifying splitting, pythium and nematodes as key production challenges. Neil discussed current monitoring and trial work underway, including investigating irrigation, soil moisture, nutrition and disease management strategies to improve marketable yield outcomes.

Importantly, growers were encouraged to become involved in the project, with DPIRD offering support including pathogen analysis, Predicta DNA testing, and assistance with on-farm trials and monitoring.

Shifting focus to business risk management, Dylan Panizza of Platinum Tiger addressed the need to understand insurance coverage and ensure adequate protection within an increasingly complex operating environment.

Rounding out the day was a live drone demonstration delivered by Judy from Australia Agritech, showcasing the DJI T100 platform in action.

The demonstration generated significant interest among attendees, with growers keen to better understand the practical applications of drone technology within vegetable production systems. Discussions centred around spray efficiency, labour savings and where emerging agtech may fit within future farming operations.

Beyond the presentations themselves, one of the strongest outcomes from the Myalup Roadshow was the level of engagement throughout the day. Growers took the opportunity to ask questions, share experiences and connect with presenters and fellow producers, reinforcing the value of face-to-face extension activities within the WA vegetable industry.

The event highlighted not only the challenges currently facing growers, but also the strong level of innovation, collaboration and practical problem-solving continuing to develop across the sector.