RiskWi$e: New podcast drop with farmer Mark Modra

We’ve added another podcast to the Riskwi$e catalogue. Jake Giles, EPAG Research is back in the field interviewing farmers across the EP to get their take on the season so far.

In this episode Jake sits down with Yeelanna grower Mark Modra to discuss the opportunities and challenges that come with a strong seasonal start.

Mark farms a diverse mix of country around Cummins, Edillilie and Port Lincoln, ranging from productive red-brown earths to more challenging sandy, gravelly and waterlogging-prone soils. This variability means every season requires careful decisions around crop choice, nitrogen, weed control and input spending.

The conversation explores how Mark has adjusted his rotation in response to high nitrogen prices and changing gross margins, including reducing wheat and increasing legumes and canola. He explains why maximum yield does not always mean maximum profit and discusses the challenge of knowing when to keep investing in crops during what he describes as a “wet drought”.

Jake and Mark also discuss the role of sheep in the farming system, soil amelioration, canola sustainability audits and the increasing compliance requirements facing growers.

It is an honest and practical conversation about managing risk, responding to seasonal conditions and making decisions that support both productivity and profitability.

Visit the AIR EP RiskWi$e project page to download a listen today!

The EP Ag Chat podcast series are available at the following page: airep.com.au/epagchatspodcast

This podcast is produced as part of the GRDC-funded RiskWi$e project.