DIAMONDS and flowers may be more traditional, but if you are one of Australia’s peak grain industry bodies you celebrate your anniversary with a paddock of wheat.
Formed by a group of farmers in Narrabri, Grain Growers Limited began life as the Premium Wheatgrowers Association in 1958.
As part of the 60th anniversary celebrations, Grain Growers Limited, joint chief executive officer, Dr Michael Southan said the company would be launching a new wheat variety later in the year.
“The name is still to come,” he said.
“It will commemorate the involvement we had with the development of the prime hard wheat grade classification in Australia.”
Instrumental in the development of the prime hard grade recognition in overseas markets, the company which was known as the Prime Wheat Association, eventually merged with other grade associations to ultimately form Grain Growers Limited.
Dr Southan said there will be limited seed available for a 2019 plant, as well as trials in the ground this season.
“Growers interested can get along to national variety trials,” he said.
“The line will be officially released in September at the Narrabri Plant Breeding Institute, IA Watson field day.”
Dr Southan said the Grain Growers Limited annual general meeting, to be held in Dubbo, would also include a field trip to a commercial paddock of the variety.
“We encourage growers from across Queensland and northern NSW to travel along to the field day as it is a great day, also to attend the AGM in Dubbo.”
