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Tom Wolfe pulls back the curtain on the forces driving (and sometimes derailing) new spray technology – and how farmers can cut through the noise to find what will work for them!

In this episode of Beyond Resistance, spray technology expert Tom Wolfe tackles one of agriculture’s most complex balancing acts – aligning stewardship, technology, and on-farm practicality.

As optical spot spraying, precision application, and automation surge ahead, farmers are caught in the crossfire of competing priorities: herbicide manufacturers pushing product strategies, machinery manufacturers driving rapid equipment innovation, with industry’s shared responsibility for sustainable chemical use. Tom unpacks where these interests converge – and where they collide – revealing the practical realities farmers face when trying to integrate new tools without sacrificing agronomic outcomes or profitability.

We explore how stewardship principles can work hand-in-hand with technology, the regulatory and market pressures shaping decisions, and why the right fit for a farm isn’t always the flashiest or most promoted option. This is a candid, insightful conversation for growers, advisers, and industry stakeholders navigating the future of weed control in a world where every spray counts.

2025 GRDC Research Updates Paper

Agrimetrix Research & Training

Webinar: Making Every Drop(let) Count – An International Perspective on Spraying Efficiencies

#AskAnExpert: How can I gain more spray efficiency?

#Big6 #sprayefficacy #sprayefficiency #stewardship #weedsmart #innovation

Learn more about WeedSmart and the Big 6 framework for proven weed management practices by visiting our website.

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Queue up our other WeedSmart podcasts & audio: #RegionalUpdates & #BeyondResistance podcasts for great stories from across the Australian growing regions. #Paddocktalk fortnightly weed management news & updates for you.

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Austin Rayner, farm manager with EF Smart Pty Ltd, brings an update from Midwest WA with insights into the weed strategy after a period of soil amelioration investment combined with new chemistry, leading to a low weed seed bank plus leaving plenty of other tools in the toolbox for future management. While building to this situation using a diverse weed management program based around the Big 6, the Smart's enterprise continues to keep an eye on emerging challenges, ready to overcome through incorporation of all of the weed management tools where you can.

You can hear from Austin at the 2025 WeedSmart Week held at the end of July (29th and 30th) in the midwest region of WA at Geraldton!

Learn more about WeedSmart and the Big 6 framework for proven weed management practices by visiting our website.

Don't forget to follow us on our socials:

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Bluesky

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Keen for a monthly update? Subscribe here!

Got a question or topic you are interested to hear about? Send us an email

See our other Regional Updates and Beyond Resistance podcasts for great stories from across the Australian growing regions.

#drivesafe #farmsafe

Got a question or topic you're interested in? Send us a text!

Our June Regional Update gives us an insight into the Northern cropping region during this year, as crops are being harvested and sown simultaneously with the season presenting a few challenges. Hear from UQ graduate, Max Schmelzer as he talks about herbicide resistance and tools in the box working to address the weed seed bank across their family farm.

A focus on the insights from new technology used helps to address the weed strategy for the future germinations across their dual season enterprise. Taking note of the data created from weed control applications helps inform potential sources of new outbreaks, adding value to the weed management strategy.

Take a listen!

Links and Further Information:

WeedSmart Big 6 Case Study: Jamie and Susie Grant, Jimbour Qld Weed management with a focus on prevention through stubble retention, soil health and rotation of chemicals using sensor spraying and automation.

Learn more about WeedSmart and the Big 6 framework for proven weed management practices by visiting our website.

Don't forget to follow us on our socials:

Twitter/X

Bluesky

Facebook

LinkedIn

Keen for a monthly update? Subscribe here!

Got a question or topic you are interested to hear about? Send us an email

See our other Regional Updates and Beyond Resistance podcasts for great stories from across the Australian growing regions.

#drivesafe #farmsafe