Spring Field Day Success: Highlights and Insights
- Liebe Group
- Sep 22
- 2 min read
More than 200 growers and industry representatives gathered in Nugadong earlier this month for the 2025 Liebe Group Spring Field Day, hosted by the Cail family.
With a marquee set amongst flowering canola and a wide range of trial sites, the event offered attendees the chance to explore research trials, hear from leading experts, and share insights with fellow growers and industry partners.
Perfect spring weather set the scene for a busy program, with 11 trial sites on show. Topics included canola establishment, wheat and canola National Variety Trials, post-emergent scorch demonstrations, nitrogen strategies, and live demonstrations of soil amelioration machinery.
Nitrogen management was a strong focus. CSBP’s Lois Kowald, CSIRO’s Yvette Oliver, and Liebe Group’s Aeneva Poulish drew a crowd of more than 90 people as they discussed the national Riskwi$e project and the importance of making sound nitrogen decisions, particularly in a challenging year like 2025.
Canola establishment research also drew attention, with Andrew Wherrett from Living Farm presenting ongoing trial work into seeding depth, press wheel pressure and seed treatment. Meanwhile, soil health remained front of mind, with DPIRD’s Wayne Parker leading discussions at a soil pit about the challenges of cropping sand over gravel duplex soils and management options available.
After lunch, Ashley Herbert from Agrarian Management delivered an engaging session on the impact of land values on purchase, leasing, and management decisions—information many farmers were eager to take home.
The day also featured two lively panel sessions. The first saw growers and ag-tech innovators discuss precision agriculture technologies, ranging from green-on-green spraying and swarm bots to drones and autonomous machinery. Later, a grower-led discussion on soil amelioration gave attendees real-world insights into on-farm practices, supported by live demonstrations of a Horsch Tiger and Discordon implement.
Guest speaker Tom Longmire closed the formal program with insights from farming in Beaumont’s high to medium rainfall zone, highlighting how precision and autonomous technologies are boosting productivity and efficiency on his family farm.
The field day wrapped up with fireside curries and refreshments—an opportunity for farmers and industry members to reflect on the day and strengthen connections.
Aerial photo credits Australia Agritech
Liebe Group Executive Officer Chris O’Callaghan said the event once again demonstrated the value of farmer-led research and collaboration.
“Spring Field Day is always a highlight on our calendar. It gives growers a chance to see trials first-hand, ask questions directly of researchers and peers, and take home ideas that can make a real difference on farm,” he said.
The Liebe Group extended thanks to its long-term event partner Elders Dalwallinu, diamond partners Rabobank, CSBP, CBH Group, and RSM, as well as the Grains Research & Development Corporation for its investment in many of the trials showcased.
Special thanks were also given to Darren, James, Michael, Colin, and Ruth Cail for hosting the 2025 site. Next year, the Spring Field Day will head to Kalannie, where the Nixon family will host the event.
Results from this year’s trials will be published in the Liebe Group’s Annual Research & Development Report, on the group’s website, and via the national Farm Trials platform.
