Best Australian Biosecurity Podcasts (2024)

1
A deep dive discussion into high priority pest: boll weevil (Biosecurity Excellence Series) 17:37

3h ago17:37

17:37

In the last podcast in the Biosecurity Excellence Series, we were joined by Doug McCollum from Cotton Australia and Stuart Kearns from Plant Health Australia to talk about the soon to be released revised cotton industry biosecurity plan and discussed how high priority pests are reviewed and allocated. In this episode, we’re going one step further a…

1
Preparing a new industry biosecurity plan with Doug McCollum & Stuart Kearns (Biosecurity Excellence Series) 15:37

4h ago15:37

15:37

There’s a new industry biosecurity plan for the cotton industry due for release shortly - but what exactly IS a biosecurity plan, and how is the pest status of particular pests actually determined? Find out the answers to these questions and more with two of Australia’s most knowledgeable professionals when it comes to cotton biosecurity - Cotton A…

1
Biosecurity Excellence - a conversation with Sharna Holman 8:39

25d ago8:39

8:39

There’s just 6 weeks to go until the 2024 Australian Cotton Conference on Queensland’s Gold Coast! Tune in to hear more from CottonInfo’s Technical Lead for Biosecurity, Sharna Holman, about why the CottonInfo team is planning to help ‘Set the Gold Standard’ in biosecurity awareness at Conference this year.…

1
Factors to consider when planning a pre-emergent herbicide program with Jeff Werth 13:59

2M ago13:59

13:59

Pre-emergent (residual) herbicides are becoming increasingly important in weed control strategies but there's much to consider when planning a residual herbicide program, as they do require more planning when considering crop rotations. In this podcast we hear from QDAF's Jeff Werth on the benefits of adopting a residual herbicide program when it c…

1
The value of attending Irricom with Lou Gall 10:07

6M ago10:07

10:07

Irricom 2024 - CottonInfo’s third irrigation forum - will take a deep dive into understanding the Water Use Efficiency of siphon-less and bankless designs. Tune in to hear more from CottonInfo’s Technical Lead for Irrigation Lou Gall on the value of attending this event on Feb 27th in Narrabri. More details & RSVP here: Irricom 2024, Narrabri | Cot…

1
IPM learnings, lessons and the future: a conversation with Richard Sequeira. 23:46

6M ago23:46

23:46

Welcome to Season 3 of Crop to Top and the first podcast episode for 2024. This episode was recorded on site in Emerald, Central Queensland and features a conversation between our CottonInfo Tech Lead for IPM Paul Grundy and QDAF Principal Research Scientist, Richard Sequeira. When Richard arrived in Central Queensland in 1996, the local cotton ind…

1
Update on the Australian Cotton Disease Collaboration with Elsie Hudson 11:42

8M ago11:42

11:42

Last year the Australian Cotton Disease Review was completed by the Centre for Crop Disease Management at Curtin University in WA and out of that … the Australian Cotton Disease Collaboration (ACDC) was been given the green light from the Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC) board. CRDC’s Innovation Broker leading the project is Elsie…

1
New guidelines for managing retention in Bollgard 3 crops 18:38

9M ago18:38

18:38

This podcast features a (virtual) round table discussion between CottonInfo’s IPM Tech Lead Paul Grundy and three CottonInfo REOs (Kieran O’Keeffe, Amanda Thomas & Janelle Montgomery) talking with Megan Woodward about the surprising trial results that formed the basis of the new guidelines - and how to best apply them. Other resources: Watch a new …

1
Using the WAND system with grower Hamish Clark 9:57

9M ago9:57

9:57

The Weather And Networked Data (WAND) network of towers is a joint project between CRDC, GRDC and GoannaAg that launched late 2022. The network allows growers to see the latest weather readings from their local tower, and predicts whether a hazardous inversion is current or likely to occur in the next 2 hours. CottonInfo's Megan Woodward caught up …

1
CottonInfo Podcast EXTRA: Planting Prep 14:11

10M ago14:11

14:11

Successfully planting cotton takes careful planning and good preparation. In this CottonInfo Podcast EXTRA, Cotton Seed Distributor's Chris Barry has a chat with grower John Cameron - a winner of the CSD Fast Start Award - about his approach to planting and some tips on achieving high establishment rates. This podcast recording has been developed a…

1
Aphids, mites & Group 1 resistance with Dr Lisa Bird 12:06

10M ago12:06

12:06

The new season is upon us and aphids are back on the radar and mites have been difficult to get on top of - so we thought there was no better time for an explainer of the season that was and gain an overview of what growers & consultants can do when it comes to aphid management in the months ahead. Dr Lisa Bird is a Senior Research Scientist with t…

1
CottonInfo Quick Chat: the power of grower groups with Kieran O'Keeffe 5:46

10M ago5:46

5:46

At the Australian Cotton Research Conference in early September, CottonInfo REO for Southern New South Wales, Kieran O'Keeffe gave a great presentation around the power of grower groups when it comes to the adoption of best practice. Kieran reported on some of the learnings of two pilot cotton grower groups that were formed in the 2021/22 season in…

1
Taking action on disease at a grassroots level with Amanda Thomas 12:17

11M ago12:17

12:17

Megan Woodward caught up with CottonInfo Regional Extension Officer for the Macquarie Valley, and newly appointed Extension Technical Lead for Disease, Amanda Thomas, on site at the Australian Cotton Research Conference in Toowoomba at the start of September. Amanda's been heavily involved in the Cotton Disease Action Research Initiative over the p…

1
Importance of 'clean slate' crop hygiene with Dr Murray Sharman 11:00

12M ago11:00

11:00

Dr Murray Sharman is a Principal Plant Pathologist with the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, based in Brisbane. Murray reports that while no actual losses were reported due to Cotton Bunchy Top in cotton growing valley's last season - there was a much higher rate of occurrence of CBT, especially through northern NSW and on the Da…

1
CottonInfo Quick Chat: Gross Margin risk analyses with George Revell 8:53

12M ago8:53

8:53

George Revell is a Principal Economist for AgEcon who specialises in investment impact assessments to support improved investment decision making. George is a regular contributor to CottonInfo, most recently developing two new Gross Margin risk analysis fact sheets specifically for cotton growers - one regarding nitrogen prices and NFUE, and the ot…

1
Water Advanced Sensing with Andrew McKay 13:19

1y ago13:19

13:19

In this episode we catch up with CottonInfo REO for St George, Dirranbandi & Border Rivers - Andrew McKay. Andrew has played a critical extension role to the CRDC-supported Bankless Irrigation Optimisation Project carried out by the University of Southern Queensland. As part of the research, Andrew's been involved in the water advanced sensing aspe…

1
Securing an engaged and adaptable workforce with Dr Nicole McDonald 13:30

1y ago13:30

13:30

Dr Nicole McDonald is a Senior Research Officer with CQ University and she’s also the lead on a project called SHIFT, which is part of a CRDC funded action-research project officially known as ‘Delivering Best Practice for Management of Future Workforce Skills.’ In this episode we talk about the SHIFT Workforce Solutions Unconference taking place o…

1
The Transition: From Beagles to Labradors 27:35

1y ago27:35

27:35

Leanne Kendra joined the department and the detector dog program at a very interesting time in 2009, when the program was transitioning from beagles to Labradors. She outlines some of the differences between the breeds discussing both pros and cons. She was also one of the very few handlers who have transitioned a detector dog from their initial tr…

1
Taking the Lead: From Kennel Assistant to Technical Supervisor 24:52

1y ago24:52

24:52

Sarah Tibbetts first worked as a kennel hand, assisting the biosecurity detector dog program. She has since joined the department, has progressed her career and is now a technical supervisor for the detector dog teams in Sydney. In this episode she outlines the role of a technical supervisor, maintaining both handler and detector dog proficiency an…

1
Pup 2 Pup: From Seal Handler to Dog Handler 30:44

1y ago30:44

30:44

Kelvin Wong recently joined the detector dog program in 2022 and has now found his feet with detector dog Udell at his side. In this episode Kevin outlines learning and development techniques, team culture and changing your working style to match your detector dog. Kevin previously worked at Taronga Zoo and covers the similarities of training seals…

1
Establishing the Biosecurity Detector Dog Active Response Program 45:59

1y ago45:59

45:59

Clare O’Shannessy was in the Detector Dog program for 14 years. Clare played an integral role in the program’s expansion into international mail centres. In this episode we follow Clare through the initial steps of detecting mail and sourcing various dog breeds and converting them into detector dogs. Clare also talks about some handler attributes a…

1
Girl Power: Sydney’s First Two Biosecurity Detector Dog Teams 32:37

1y ago32:37

32:37

Dee Apps was one of the first few detector dog handlers with a stunning career starting from 1993, one year after the program established up until 2010. In this interview Dee shares a few stories from her time as a detector handler including training stories, interesting seizures with her detector dog Jessie and even a few celebrity encounters.…

1
Australia’s First Biosecurity Detector Dog Handlers Part 2: Dog and Human Behaviour 23:36

1y ago23:36

23:36

Harry Smithard was one of the first detector dog handlers along with Rachel from our previous episode. In this podcast Harry outlines the initial challenges of the detector dog program. Harry also talks us through key attributes of a detector dog handler including observing not only dog behaviour but human behaviour as well.…

1
Australia’s First Biosecurity Detector Dog Handlers Part 1: Learning on the Fly 28:57

1y ago28:57

28:57

Rachel Holdforth was one of the very first detector dog handlers. Rachel talks us through the initial pairing of detector dogs with handlers, matching dog and handler personalities to form the best possible combination. She also discusses her initial training and how handlers often had to improvise when the detector dog program was in its infancy.…

1
Establishing the Biosecurity Detector Dog Program 39:46

1y ago39:46

39:46

Bob Stirling, one of the founders of the Australian biosecurity detector dog program, talks us through his journey with the detector dog program. From the program’s humble beginnings involving hiring handlers and trainers and finding the iconic beagles to the expansion into the international mail centres. The work and effort Bob gave to the program…

1
CQ Update with Kim Stevens 12:29

1y ago12:29

12:29

In this episode we catch up with CottonInfo's Regional Extension Officer in Central Queensland, Kim Stevens. Kim offers an update on an extremely busy end of April/start of May in her district, including the latest on cotton trials in Monto, the recent Xtend Flex field days in Theodore and Springsure, and how the 22/23 season in shaping up locally.…

1
Crop hygiene & winter clean-up with Paul Grundy 12:42

1y ago12:42

12:42

Paul Grundy is CottonInfo’s Techical Lead for Integrated Pest Management and works for Qld DAF. In a season that started cold and soggy, Paul reckons that to ensure a decent 23/24 season the time is now to start prepping for a ‘Winter Clean-Up’ after a particularly challenging season on the pest management front. In this episode we talk 'breaking t…

1
CottonInfo Quick Chat: Nitrogen Management with Jon Baird 10:11

1+ y ago10:11

10:11

Jon Baird is CottonInfo’s Techical Lead for Nutrition and works for NSW DPI. He’s been on the road a lot during the first quarter of 2023, both across the cotton industry and with the grains industry. The topic everyone wants to chat to him about is nitrogen management – and that’s what we nabbed him to talk about, too. In a spare 10 minutes in his…

1
Fibre Quality with Rene van der Sluijs 15:22

1+ y ago15:22

15:22

In this episode we speak with Rene van der Sluijs - he's the Principal Consultant at Textile Technical Services and for the past decade he’s been CottonInfo’s Technical Lead for fibre quality. He's fresh off the road from presenting at the 2023 Marketing and Fibre Quality Workshops in Goondiwindi and Mungindi where there was excellent patronage - w…

1
CottonInfo Feature Interview: Warwick Waters 20:22

1+ y ago20:22

20:22

After a hiatus, the CottonInfo 'Crop to Top' podcast is back for 2023! In this feature interview, CottonInfo's Megan Woodward speaks with Program Manager Warwick Waters - and they cover a lot of ground in just 20 minutes. Consider this your refresher course in all things CottonInfo! Listen now to gain some great insights into the power of the Cotto…

1
Set, Monitor, Respond! Effective biosecurity compliance 38:12

1+ y ago38:12

38:12

Peter Timson, First Assistant Secretary of the Biosecurity Compliance and Enforcement division, discusses how the department prevents and manages biosecurity risks both offshore and onshore. The division’s core activities include monitoring compliance with biosecurity laws, responding to breaches, and enforcing regulations to protect Australia from…

1
Bats on cotton farms - how these tiny mammals can help you 23:15

2y ago23:15

23:15

You might not have seen them – but there is a fair chance that they are on your farm. In this episode of Crop to Top, Brad Pfeffer talks with Professor Stuart Parsons about bats and how they fit into the bigger picture of farm biodiversity and pest management. This research, which involved cutting edge technology such as acoustic sensors and artifi…

1
The Plant Innovation Centre: Solutions to biosecurity issues 33:02

2y ago33:02

33:02

Dr Adrian Dinsdale, Assistant Director at the Plant Innovation Centre (PIC) at Post Entry Quarantine (PEQ), is leading a team of dedicated scientists working on advancements in technologies and innovations which are helping to secure Australia's border. Learn about how game-changing technological advancements such as the MinION and High Throughput …

1
Talking defoliation with Don Biffen and Mike Bange 14:25

2y ago14:25

14:25

In this episode, Brad Pfeffer is talking defoliation with industry experts on the topic: Don Biffen and Michael Bange (CSD). If you're looking for more information on defoliation CottonInfo has plenty of useful resources for you. Blog (what do the consultants say): Defoliation: What do the consultants say? | CottonInfo Videos: Growth and developmen…

1
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug: Assistance to eliminate with AI 36:48

2y ago36:48

36:48

Dr Alexander Schmidt-Lebuhn, Scientist at the CSIRO, explains how the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) could destroy over 300 types of plants including our food crops all across Australia. Dr Schmidt-Lebuhn is at the forefront of designing a app using Artificial Intelligence (AI) that can identify the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug and tells the fasci…

1
Herbicide resistance: Lessons from the United States 41:30

2y ago41:30

41:30

Palmer Amaranth has a reputation of being a superweed. In this episode, Eric Koetz from CottonInfo talks with Stanley Culpepper from the University of Georgia about the experience in the United States in dealing with herbicide resistance in this weed, the lessons learnt, and how cotton farmers in Georgia are taking an integrated weed management app…

1
Reducing contamination at picking (Part 2) 9:39

2+ y ago9:39

9:39

In the second part of our series on reducing contamination at picking, in this episode we talk with the CottonInfo Technical Lead for Fibre Quality, Rene van der Sluijs on the topics of natural contamination, seed coat fragments, and sticky cotton.By CottonInfo

1
Khapra Beetle: A little grain pest with a big impact. 39:01

2+ y ago39:01

39:01

Dr Gabrielle Vivian- Smith and Steve Peios take us through the threat of the Khapra Beetle to Australia’s grain and dry-goods industries. We find out how the beetle could establish itself in Australia and what measures are in place to protect our farmers, and food industries from this serious pest. Read more about the Khapra beetle at: https://www.…

1
Reducing contamination at picking (part 1) 15:35

2+ y ago15:35

15:35

This is the first of a two-part podcast looking at the issue of contamination at picking. In this episode, we talk with the CottonInfo Technical Lead for fibre quality, Rene van der Sluijs, and St George grower Scott Brimblecombe.By CottonInfo

1
Jumping in boots and all to a four metre wheel spacing 7:01

2+ y ago7:01

7:01

In this episode, Brad Pfeffer sits down with Dalby cotton grower Dan Hayllor to talk about the work that the family has done to reduce compaction from machinery. One of the big changes that they have made in recent years is converting their cotton picker to a four metre wheel spacing. With all their machinery on 4 metres, it has allowed for a seaml…

1
Post Entry Quarantine for Plant and Animal Imports 18:27

2+ y ago18:27

18:27

Post Entry Quarantine (PEQ) plays a significant role in ensuring plants and animals are safely imported and comply with Australia’s biosecurity conditions. In this episode, Meaghan Brierly, Senior Biosecurity Officer joins the team to talk through the import process for domestic animals, plants and even bees, why those processes and import conditio…

1
Effective spray application: Cotton grower perspectives 7:00

2+ y ago7:00

7:00

In this episode of Crop to Top, Brad Pfeffer with CottonInfo talks with two growers on the topic of spray management and reducing drift. We meet with Delungra grower Charles Boileau to talk about his practices in a dryland farming system and we talk with Chris Hardy from Colleambally about his observations on the importance of managing drift from a…

1
Grower perspectives: Bankless channel irrigation and automation 10:13

2+ y ago10:13

10:13

In this podcast we hear from St George growers Craig Saunders and Lucas Wuersching about their experience with (automated) bankless channel irrigation with tailwater backup. Craig and Lucas talk about the benefits in water savings and labour as well what they hope to learn from a trial with CottonInfo in the 21/22 growing season. This trial is asse…

1
Lunar New Year and biosecurity (Cantonese version) 9:38

2+ y ago9:38

9:38

This podcast episode is produced in-language, spoken in Cantonese. Tina and Michael discuss their roles at the Sydney Gateway Facility and the importance of ensuring Lunar New Year items sent or brought to Australia do not pose a biosecurity risk. For more information on biosecurity and Lunar New Year, visit awe.gov.au/lunar-new-year. For more epis…

1
Antimicrobial Awareness Week 17:59

2+ y ago17:59

17:59

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an issue that poses a serious and long-term threat to human and animal health in Australia and around the world. Antimicrobial Awareness Week (AAW) is celebrated from 18 - 24 November each year and provides an opportunity to recognise the challenges and risks that AMR can pose. In this episode of Detect and Protect…

1
Building a stronger biosecurity system to manage growing pest and disease risks 43:24

3y ago43:24

43:24

In the latest episode of Detect and Protect the team is joined by Andrew Tongue, Deputy Secretary of Biosecurity and Compliance, to learn more about the importance of biosecurity for Australia. We discuss the growing pest and disease risks facing Australia and how they are being addressed, as well as examples of new biosecurity innovations. We also…

1
The cotton industry workforce: A chat with Dr Nicole McDonald 20:09

3y ago20:09

20:09

CottonInfo's Sharna Holman interviews University of Central Queensland researcher, Dr Nicole McDonald, about her research into the cotton industry workforce.By CottonInfo

1
The best noses in biosecurity: Australia’s biosecurity detector dogs 35:58

3y ago35:58

35:58

Australia’s biosecurity detector dogs and their handlers play a vital role at our airports and mail centres. They help intercept biosecurity risk items, like food, plants and meat, brought in by passengers or through the mail. In this episode of Detect and Protect, we are joined by Jeff and Colleen from the detector dog team. Listeners will learn m…

1
Irrigation benchmarking 15:17

4+ y ago15:17

15:17

In this podcast, CottonInfo's Sharna Holman interviews the NSW DPI water benchmarking team.By CottonInfo

1
Andrew Bate: Swarm Farm Robotics 18:00

8+ y ago18:00

18:00

In this podcast, we speak with farmer and agronomist Andrew Bate who has a vision to use robotics to revolutionise the way we farm. Andrew and Jocie Bate farm “Bendee” near Emerald on the QLD Central Highlands where they grow dryland crops such as chickpea, wheat, mungbeans and sorghum. They also breed, fatten and feedlot beef cattle.…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Australian Biosecurity Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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