NEWS
Last week, 40 farmers from across Western Australia gathered in Toodyay for an enriching full-day workshop on plant nutrition and nitrogen management, led by renowned plant and soil health expert Joel Williams. The workshop, titled “Unlocking Plant Nutrition: Optimising Soil Health and Crop Resilience,” attracted participants who were eager to deepen their knowledge, with many travelling over four hours to attend.
The workshop was a collaboration between Soils for Life and RegenWA, as part of the Cropping Resilience project, partly funded by the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, and was designed to equip farmers with practical, science-based strategies for optimising plant nutrition to improve soil health, crop resilience, and productivity. We can confidently say that the event achieved this, with 86% of attendees saying they felt more confident in improving soil health or implementing a practice as a result of the day.
Joel provided a comprehensive overview of plant nutrition, with a special focus on micronutrient drivers of photosynthesis, expertly delivering a five-hour lecture in four digestible parts, making complex scientific concepts accessible and applicable for farmers of all backgrounds. Topics ranged from nitrogen management and foliar fertilisation to plant analysis and testing Brix levels for real-time insights into plant health. Joel’s ability to so effectively communicate these complex matters was reflected by one farmer’s comment, “Joel had a very methodical explanation of complex information,” with another adding that “every single farmer needs to come to a Joel Williams seminar. “The professional content, supported by science” was cited by one farmer as the best thing about the day.
Attendees left the workshop with a toolkit of actionable strategies to fine-tune their approach to plant nutrition, from foliar feeding techniques to nitrogen use efficiency, and the importance of tailoring nutrient applications for maximum impact. According to feedback surveys, these learnings will be put to good use, with 100% of attendees reporting that they were likely to try something new as a result. Intended actions listed included utilising the fertiliser ‘recipes’ Joel provided, carrying out Brix testing, making protein hydrolysate, testing different rates of mixes, using liquids on seeds, as a foliar and in furrows, trialling different forms of N in a perennial system, and much more! “It was inspiring to see such a strong commitment to better understanding plant nutrition and how to apply that knowledge on the farm,” said Bonnie, RegenWA Program Manager.
This workshop provided farmers and agronomists with the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, expanding their network within the regenerative agriculture community. The event highlighted the ongoing need for practical education workshops like this that enable peer-peer learning. “Days like this are incredibly rewarding, but none of it would have been possible without the hard work of the teams at Soils for Life and RegenWA,” added James, Soils for Life.
