Central Highlands - QLD

Central Highlands Territory Manager

Wayne Ross

Ph: 07 4982 1611

Fax: 07 4982 2765

Mob: 0439 487 442

My name is Wayne Ross and I am Pacific Seeds’ new Territory Manager for the Queensland Central Highlands.

I am CQ “born and bred” and come from a broadacre property “Barngo” between Emerald and Capella. I also sharefarmed on the Mackenzie River, 100 kilometres north of Dingo for Les Ashton. I live in Emerald with wife Sandy and daughter Ellie.

Pacific Seeds has a great name in our area and provided me with a lot of support while I was farming. I am proud to now be on the Pacific Seeds team and am keen to provide a high level of support to growers.

This winter, our Summer Grains Agronomist Trevor Philp has been conducting cold start trials on grain sorghum and corn. I have included some of his observations in the newsletter I will be mailing out.

CQ has had widespread, soaking rain this winter, which has increased the moisture profiles and enhanced spring planting opportunities. All attention will soon be focused on the spring and summer plants, which are so important in Central Queensland. At this stage it’s looking promising.

On the back of this, farmers in the region will be setting up for a small spring plant but also a larger summer plant.

Our “backbone” CQ grain sorghum varieties MR-Maxi, MR-Buster and Pacific MR43 will be in good supply for spring and summer plants. Limited supplies of Pacific MR32 and MR-Striker will be available for the spring plant, with the majority of the seed coming online in November. MR-Bounty will be in limited supply for spring and summer plant. I recommend that you place your orders as soon as possible.

In terms of sunflowers, we are hoping to see a larger plant this year than in the past due to a better understanding of TSV in the area and also due to promising contracts. Cargill have reviewed requirements to 170,000 tonnes for monos and 45,000 tonnes for polys. If you want to know about mono or poly sunflower contracts, please give me a call. I can point you towards the right person to talk to regarding availability.

I am looking forward to catching up with as many of you as possible in the coming months – and if you see a bright red Hilux during your travels around the area, it’s probably me!

All the best for the festive season,

Wayne.

wayne.ross@pacseeds.com.au

Last Updated: November 25, 2008