GRDC grower relations manager - West, Jo Wheeler, said growers were keenly aware that fine-tuning harvest machinery set up could be a critical part of maximising on-farm profitability at the end of the growing season.
"Growers want more information about best practice harvester set up because they know it can make a difference financially," Wheeler said.
"Research supports this with income losses from canola left on the ground during harvest estimated at about $75 per hectare."
The half-day forums, led by industry experts, will provide information and discussion around preventable harvester losses, improvements in efficiency and output, calibrating harvester technology, reducing the risk of harvester fires and methods of harvest weed seed control (HWSC).
These practical, interactive forums will also demonstrate how harvest losses can be accurately measured and identify where losses are occurring.
Wheeler said while not all grain losses could be prevented, losses associated with machinery settings and configuration could be minimised, and these forums could give growers and operators the confidence to make changes to maximise their returns.
"Measuring harvest losses every day or multiple times a day can seem tedious to operators, but the payoff from adjusting the machine to minimise the loss is worth the hassle. You can't manage what you don't measure," she said.
"We will also have experts from different harvest support services speaking at the forums and offering practical demonstrations because it is important to acknowledge that there are differences in machinery set up depending on the environment."
The Facey Group will deliver the free GRDC Harvester Forums across the western region at:
* Goomalling Harvester Forum - 14 September from 9am-1.30pm
* Morawa Harvester Forum - 15 September from 9am-1.30pm
* Darkan Harvester Forum - 21 September from 1.30pm-5.30pm
* Kondinin Harvester Forum - 22 September from 1.30pm-5.30pm
* Ongerup Harvester Forum - 23 September from 1.30pm-5.30pm.
For more information or to register, visit: https://grdc.com.au/events
