James Ferrier

Junior Agronomist in Ballarat Victoria.

[bu/ac @buperac]

Australia is running out of Diesel, and right before Winter seeding where they seed anywhere from 64-67 million acres of land.
Australia's Agriculture industry consumes 2.5 billion liters of fuel using 7.5% of all the country's diesel production in a short period of time.

In the past 20 years Australia has shut down 6 of their 8 refineries that make fuel and are only left with less than 20% refining capacity to meet their own domestic needs. Recall, this is an island, unlike Canada that leverages the USA for its refining, Australia has to import 90% of all their diesel fuel.

With only a 25-30 day stockpile of fuel this isn't looking good. You need 58 million barrels of raw crude just to make enough diesel for the agriculture industry. Considering that 50% of fuel use in Australia is diesel, it makes perfect sense that there is a scarcity of fuel.

Australia consumes 575,000 barrels/d of diesel while producing only 75,000 barrels/d of diesel. This is a globalists wet dream, Albanese is really impressed with this I am sure.

Regional Crop Production Leaders (2025–2026)
-Western Australia: 26.9 million tonnes
(New state record; produced 40% of the nation's wheat.)
-New South Wales: 18.0 million tonnes
(Heavy hitter in wheat and the primary hub for cotton.)
-South Australia: 9.2 million tonnes
(Massive recovery year for barley and lentils.)
-Victoria: 10.4 million tonnes
(Record-breaking yields for barley and pulse crops.)
-Queensland: 3.9 million tonnes
(Record winter crop; major producer of chickpeas and sorghum.)

Globalists might just get their famine a little earlier than they had hoped.

[Herbicide resistance lab at UWA @resistance_test]

Glyphosate and Paraquat resistance re-confirmed in ARG (1st progeny) from Kwinana West port Zone.

Photos are glyphosate or paraquat LHS (suspected/confirmed ARG) vs RHS (resistant control).

A timely double knock with Voraxor as a spike can restore full control. Check 👇

[Nick Poole @Pooley_Nick_FAR]

Just a short note to thank all who attended our wind swept field day in southern VIC last Friday! Moving to our southern NSW higher altitude research site at Wallenbeen this Friday. See you there! @theGRDC @far_australia for website details.

[James Ferrier @Jrferrier_]

Another great field day by @far_australia in Inverleigh. An incredible source of information for the HRZ

[James Ferrier @Jrferrier_]

Paddock check in Boort: Neo barley heading out strong and even. Promising stand—fingers crossed for solid yields ahead. 🌾

[James Ferrier @Jrferrier_]

Wheat GS30-31 fungicide/broadleaf sprays are wrapping up for year. Good to see Priority & MCPA 570 LVE 5 days post App looking after volunteer canola and lucerne in crop @Adama_AU

[James Ferrier @Jrferrier_]

Axial Extra smoking the wild oats and checking ryegrass in some @InterGrain1 Neo CL barley

[Southern Farming Systems @SouthernFS]

Feedbase Focus is underway and what a crowd! A little bit windy but blue skies and sunshine, I can hear the Pastures growing.

[James Ferrier @Jrferrier_]

The best nodulation I’ve seen this season on some Faba beans @newedgemicrobes @AltoraBallarat

[Mark Congreve @congreve_mark]

There has been some recent discussion of clethodim degradation in 'old' formulations that have been in storage for a few years.
Below is another data set to support this observation from one of our 2025 field trials (phalaris in chickpea)

[James Ferrier @Jrferrier_]

An awesome SA #NRI agronomy tour done and dusted. Big thanks to everyone who made it possible.

[James Ferrier @Jrferrier_]

@CropDoctor54 @WeedSmartAU @DMAg_consultant @agrobaz @grassrootsag @PBoutsalis @peterdnewman Have you tested the levels of active in each Cletho prior to spraying?

[FAR Australia @far_australia]

Scald infections have been found by the team in some susceptible barley varieties at our Gnarwarre (SW Vic) and Bordertown (SA) sites. Be on the lookout if you've had some wet conditions!

[James Ferrier @Jrferrier_]

Crop check in Boort this week — the difference a few extra sunshine hours & degrees make at this time of year to @pioneerseedsau 421C, @PacificSeeds Matador & Thunder lentils.

[Altora Ag - Ballarat @AltoraBallarat]

Paddock checks today in the Skipton area. Things looking great after some well needed rain and a bit of sunshine.
Pictured Amberley beans and 45y95 @AGF_Seeds @pioneerseedsau

[Matt McDonald @MattMcDonald013]

This Bastard of a drought is really starting to bite hard now, Whether you are dry sowing crops, Hand Feeding Stock or Carting Water Keep The head up, Chat to ya mates, Shoot off more text messages than usual, Get on here for a yarn or a bit of banter, Just don’t face this alone!

[David Jones @David_Agronomy]

Barley in pH 5.0 soil with 4 t/ha of calcium oxide on the right - applied less than a month ago - always emerges half a day earlier.
I am forever being told that lime takes 6 months to work; the answer is it can show results in weeks, or it can take years if there is a subsoil issue.

[James Ferrier @Jrferrier_]

@gduff_sfs @SouthernFS It’s looking as if the 7-8cm planted ones are the best outcome thus far! Would be interested in knowing the differences in sowing dates also

[Peter Boutsalis @PBoutsalis]

Testing with farmer brews on ryegrass this summer to better understand herbicide performance on stressed ryegrass. Sprayed on hot summer day. Example of stress on Biffo 3.75L + Terrad'or 40g @ 1 week after spraying. More results soon. @GRDCSouth @WeedSmartAU

[Rohan Brill @brill_ag]

Variation in Colwell P, perhaps even a greater magnitude than pH