Eleven new weather stations have been installed across the Western Australian Grainbelt, including three new stations in the Central Wheatbelt, providing more accurate information ahead of the grain season, thanks to Royalties for Regions.
Member for Central Wheatbelt, Mia Davies MLA, said the new stations would complement the State’s existing 145 weather station network.
“These new weather stations will provide real-time information including rainfall, temperature, humidity, evaporation rates, and wind speed and direction,” Ms Davies said.
“Local stations provide grain growers with valuable, localised information, helping them to understand the weather in their region and help their crops reach their maximum potential.”
Soil moisture probes will also be installed in coming months to complement the weather stations, as part of the $10 million eConnected Grainbelt Project, funded by Royalties for Regions.
Ms Davies said the installations would be located on eDemonstation sites hosted by local grower groups, which would provide feedback to the project on how weather data could be better applied to help growers to deliver more productive and profitable crops.
“These eDemonstration sites provide a unique opportunity for growers, consultants and industry to get together and learn about, compare and contrast all of the decision support tools, systems and technologies available for on farm decision making.”
The eDemonstation sites in Central Wheatbelt include:
- Corrigin Farm Improvement Group, Corrigin
- Merredin and District Farm Improvement Group, Merredin
- Wheatbelt Natural Resource Management Inc, Northam
Regional Development Minister Terry Redman said the eConnected Grainbelt project would enable the agricultural sector to meet growing demand and strengthen regional communities where agriculture was a major economic activity.
“The project is connecting growers to the information they need to make appropriate decisions that are tailored for their paddocks, their business, and the variable conditions they face each season,” Mr Redman said.
The weather data is available on the Department of Agriculture and Food’s online at www.agric.wa.gov.au or through the department’s Weather app.
The $10 million eConnected Grainbelt project is part of the $300 million Royalties for Regions funded Seizing the Opportunity Agriculture Initiative.
For media enquiries please contact Mia Davies MLA on 9041 1702 (Merredin Office), 9622 2871 (Northam office) or email mia.davies@mp.wa.gov.au
