Committed to soybeans
From the November 2006 edition of Agriculture Today.
Northern Rivers grain growers are feeling very fortunate when they see the plight of their counterparts in other, much drier, parts of the State.
Following good early spring rain, they are now harvesting a profitable winter cereal crop – and they’re about to get ready for summer soybean production.
Like most Northern Rivers grain growers, soybean production underpins the cropping activities of respected Casino district farmer, Tom Moses.
Using nitrogen liberated from soybean crop residues, Tom grows barley, wheat, maize and cool-season forage crops for growing out and finishing beef cattle.
A 2.5 tonnes per hectare soybean crop grown on the North Coast is capable of supplying up to 60 kilograms of nitrogen for the following winter crop.
This amount is generally higher than that for irrigated soybeans grown on vertosols in the northwest of NSW.
From a May 10 sowing, Tom Moses had all his Sunstate wheat harvested by October 20 this year.
Drilled with a starter nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur fertiliser, the Sunstate averaged three tonnes a hectare.
Stored for a later delivery, Tom will receive $310 per tonne on farm.
The wheat straw baled by Karlton Kook, a Kyogle grain harvest and baling contractor, will be used in mixed rations by dairy farmers.
“It was a cheap crop to grow,” Tom said quietly, “but margins are getting skinnier with increases in input costs”.
A common problem facing white hilum soybean growers is achieving food grade protein specification of 40 per cent (dry matter basis).
This standard now applies to beans for soyflour as low protein/ high oil is undesirable for soyflour processing and product quality.
Through smart management, including astute fertilisation and having fertile, well drained soils, Tom Moses’ last season Soya 791 soybeans tested 44pc protein.
“I did hear that growers were getting low proteins with A6785 variety,” Tom said.
The most attractive large-seeded, food-grade soybean varieties are Cowrie and Surf.
These varieties mainly produce acceptable protein levels and have some good agronomic features.
The Japanese love the appearance of Cowrie but no matter what variety, it must have the minimum protein level, say the exporters.
Both Cowrie and Surf were bred by NSW DPI Research agronomists at Grafton and Narrabri for the National Soybean Improvement Program.
The publication, North Coast NSW Soybean Variety and Planting Guide, is available from the NSW DPI Internet site www.dpi.nsw.gov.au
Contact Bede Clarke, Casino (02) 6662 2288.
