GrainGrowers Blog

GrainGrowers recently hosted delegates from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator and NSW Farmers on a tour of the Riverina grain growing region as part of the 2026 Grains Immersion Tour.

The National Policy Group (NPG) met in Sydney this week for a productive discussion on a range of policy and industry priorities impacting Australian grain growers.

GrainGrowers Director Fiona Marshall recently joined the National Farmers Federation on a Trade Diversification Visit to Indonesia.

My name is Tim Gersbach and I am a third-generation grain grower from Capella in Central Queensland. I farm with my wife, Courtney, our two kids and my mum and dad.

Hi, I'm Robyn Williams, and together with my husband Brendan, we farm near Bendigo in central Victoria.

GrainGrowers has welcomed the release of the Australian Government's National Bioenergy Feedstock Strategy, which recognises the critical role Australian agriculture will play in supporting the development of Australia's low carbon liquid fuels industry.

Hi, I’m Mark Modra and I farm with my family at Cummins on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. We crop around 1,100 hectares and run a small sheep enterprise. I’ve been farming for 30 years and while I’m now based around Cummins, I grew up on Thistle Island, where my family ran between 4,000 and 7,000 sheep across 10,000 acres.

As Australians sit down to complete the 2026 Census this Tuesday night, the importance of the process and the data it collects every five years cannot be underestimated.

Hi, we’re Kathy and Shaune Moloney and we farm at Oaklands in the Southern Riverina. We’re both fourth-generation farmers and farm on the property Shaune’s family first settled on in 1906, so it’s been in the family for 120 years. Shaune’s parents are still involved in the business and, while they’re not out on the farm every day, they still like to know exactly when it’s raining.

Hi, I’m Sarah Jacobson and I’m based in Forbes in Central West NSW. I work for Lawson Grains, a corporate farming business with operations across New South Wales and Western Australia and a total landholding of more than 100,000 hectares.

Australia's grain industry has always depended on trade. With around 70 per cent of Australian grain exported in most years, growers rely on open markets, efficient supply chains and a rules-based trading system to remain competitive.

I'm Sam Donaldson, and I farm with my family in Yallaroi, throughout the Gwydir region of New South Wales. I represent the fifth generation to work on our aggregation, alongside my parents, Scott and Ainslie, who continue to lead the business. My youngest brother, Will, works full-time on the farm with me, while my other brother, Jake, is a commodity broker who manages and coordinates our grain marketing and movements.

Hi, I’m Rob Terry and I’m based in Stowport, about six kilometres from the ocean, just east of Burnie, in Tasmania. I farm here with my wife Veronica and two teenage children. We farm on 54 hectares, where our soils are red ferrosol and free draining. We typically get about 1200 mm of rain a year.

Hi I’m Cathy. I farm with my family north of Koorda and we’re planting somewhere around the 9000 hectares this season. I farm with my husband Peter and our son Sandy, who is back on the farm after working away for a couple of years. Our daughter Hayley is living down south working for Nutrien.

Hi I’m Deb Charlton and I am a grower from Marrar, NSW, about half an hour from Wagga Wagga. Alongside farming, I’m also a NSW Farmers Executive Council member, a member of the NSW Farmers Grain Committee and a committee member of the NSW Farmers Agricultural Science Committee. Also a grain grower member of the National Mouse Monitory Committee and have been involved with industry advocacy for about 30 years now.

Hi, I’m Brenton. I farm with my wife Penny, about 10 kilometres south of Waikerie in South Australia’s Riverland, on low rainfall country that traditionally averages around 250 millimetres in a good year — although we haven’t seen that for a while.

I’m Andrew Messina, based at Spring Park Farms in Mullewa, about 100 km east of Geraldton. Our properties extend roughly 50 km west and 100 km south of Mullewa towards Dongara. I farm with my wife, Tracey, my brother Rod, and his wife, Sam, and we also employ five full-time staff.

Australia’s grain industry is typically viewed through a domestic lens as the source of everyday pantry staples like bread and breakfast cereal. However, this overlooks one of the most strategically important aspects of Australian grain: its role in feeding the region.