The event was facilitated by the Grain Industry Association of Western Australia (GIWA).

Attendees were treated to insights from GRDC Chairman John Woods who contextualised the growing production of grain in Western Australia. This has been capped by the two most recent years of historically high production at over 26 million tonnes in 2022.

Woods said that while helped by two favourable seasons in recent years, the water use efficiency of Australian grain production as a whole has been continually on an increasing trend over the last two decades.

This growth is arguably assisted by significant investments by the collaborative funding from grower levies and Federal Government contributions which are then leveraged with research institutions. 

A number of announcements were made at the Perth event outlining significant investments in future research.

These included a $12.7 million national research project to support the integration of long coleoptile wheat into Australian farming systems. The four-year project will be led by Australia's national science agency, CSIRO, along with research parties including the University of Melbourne, NSW Department of Primary Industries, QLD Department of Agriculture and Forestry (QLD DAF), SLR Agriculture, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), the University of South Australia and EPAG Research.

Another announcement at the Research Update came from Western Australian Agriculture and Food minister Jackie Jarvis, who announced that the Grower Group Alliance had joined forces with the WA Agricultural Research Collaboration bringing producer insights, industry networks and funding to help drive research extension and adoption across the state.

Awards recognising a significant contribution to the grains industry included one of Australia's leading research geneticists in wheat breeding, Dr Greg Rebetzke, the 2023 recipient of the GRDC 2023 Western Region Seed of Light Award.

Former Great Southern, WA, grain grower and livestock producer, Terry Enright, was  recognised for his outstanding contribution to the Australian grains industry, receiving the GRDC Seed of Gold award. The Seed of Gold recognises the outstanding contribution, dedication and commitment of individuals to the Australian grains industry.

Two other awards were made acknowledging contributions to the extension of research outcomes. DPIRD soil scientist, Gaus Azam, received the GRDC Recognising and Rewarding Excellence award for the western region and Esperance-based research scientist Jeremy Curry, also from DPIRD, was presented with the Emerging Leader award.

GRDC western panel chair, Darrin Lee, said the annual awards celebrated the grains sector's most committed researchers and innovators.

The GRDC Perth Research Update wrapped up on Tuesday but is followed by a series of regional updates including Bencubbin, WA, yesterday where a new $8.2 million research project was announced. The project will deliver new management packages to Australian grain growers to increase the reliability of canola establishment. The four-year project is a co-investment between the GRDC and the  CSIRO.

Other Western Australian Regional Grains Research Updates are planned for Nothampton on 8 March, Dalwallinu on 14 March, Albany on 20 March and Hopetoun on 22 March.