28 November, 2017

Word Count: 393

NEW ON-FARM WEATHER STATIONS FOR BUNGEET AND MIEPOLL

Farmers in the Riverine Plains region now have free access to two additional weather stations and moisture probes, installed at Bungeet and Miepoll, as part of a project facilitated by local faRming systems group, Riverine Plains Inc.

Riverine Plains Inc Research and Extension Officer, Dr Cassandra Schefe, explained that access to real-time weather information was important to help farmers manage their spray and fertiliser applications, harvest fire risk and also their response to damaging environmental events such as frost.

“Weather patterns, topography and soil types all vary across a region and while there are official BOM weather stations located at Shepparton, Yarrawonga, Wangaratta and Benalla, these may not reflect conditions at individual locations across the Goulburn Broken catchment” she said.

“Local weather stations, such as those recently installed at Bungeet and Miepoll, can act to fill the void across the region and work to help farmers save time when making decisions” she added.

The on-farm weather stations continuously record air temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind speed and direction: this data is then used to calculate Delta T for spraying, fire safety during grain harvest, as well as frost risk. Soil moisture probes installed at varying depth increments at the sites also provide information to help farmers monitor crop water use and fertiliser application.

The new weather stations at Bungeet and Miepoll complement Riverine Plains Inc’s existing weather stations located at Barooga, Berrigan, Culcairn, Henty, Howlong Lockhart, Pleasant Hills, Rand, Redlands, Dookie, Rutherglen Telford, Yabba and Yarrawonga.

Information from the Goulburn Broken CMA funded Bungeet and Miepoll weather stations, and the entire Riverine Plains Inc weather station network, is available for free public access via the weather page at riverineplains.org.au. Simply select the nearest location then save to your smartphone, tablet or computer.

The Miepoll and Bungeet weather stations were installed through the Improving fertiliser and chemical use through local real time weather and soil information for farmers of the productive plains project. The project was funded by Goulburn Broken CMA through the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

For more information please contact Riverine Plains on (03) 5744 1713 or visit riverineplains.org.au.

Riverine Plains Inc is an independent farming systems group specialising in farmer driven research and extension across north-east Victoria and southern New South Wales. For more information, or to become a member, please visit www.riverineplains.org.au

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More Information or Interview:

Cassandra Schefe, Extension Officer, Riverine Plains (03 5744 1713 / 0419 238 798)