Frost, now and in the future

Frost extension workshops contribute a 60% practice change in attendees 

A survey of 47 growers who attended a series of seven pre-planning workshops in 2021 designed to assist growers in avoiding damage from frost, found that 60% of participants specifically identified the workshop learnings as having contributed to practice change. 

The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) – invested, Grower Group Alliance (GGA) – led project Applying current knowledge to inform grower decision making to mitigate the impact of frost, now and in the future aimed to extend and apply the outcomes of previous research and development (R&D) relating to frost and share and build knowledge that will inform grower and advisor decisions relating to pre-season planning, in-season management and post-frost event responses. 

Pre-season frost Planning Workshop Walkers Hill Vineyard Lake Grace 8 March 2021

Project Manager Alison Lacey said as part of this investment GGA delivered an initial series of seven pre-planning workshops in 2021 across the central and southern grain growing regions of Western Australia (WA) to assist growers in avoiding damage from frost. 

“These workshops were designed to assist growers to plan to alleviate the effect of frost on their profitability through mitigation strategies and management following frost events,” she said. 

“Growers had the opportunity to draw on expert insights from grower champions who discussed the impact of frost on their businesses and the management strategies they have implemented.  

“GRDC extended the project to include an impact survey to measure actual implementation of strategies after the pre-season planning workshops, as well as demonstration sites and further pre-season and post frost event workshops,” she said. 

GGA’s Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Manager and Adoption Theo Nabben conducted interviews with 47 growers (50% of workshop participants) and over 85% could recall the three key messages 20 months (about 1 and a half years) after the workshops were delivered. 

Mr Nabben said it was pleasing to see a high adoption of key strategies after the workshops. 

“Between 83%-96% of participants had adopted strategies to identify and manage frost-prone areas,” he said.

Strategies included a diversity of crop types and varieties, and optimal seeding and flowering times.”  

“Of those attendees who were already applying the strategies, the workshops provided confirmation for their current approach.” 

The survey also found that 60% of participants specifically identified the workshop learnings as having contributed to practice change. 

Ms Lacey said the workshops demonstrated a good practice extension approach. 

“The design of this extension piece led to increased knowledge and practice change through expert interaction, peer-to-peer learning and sharing, and having a focus on grower management plans,” she said. 

The financial and emotional impact of frost to growers of winter grown grain crops is well known and can be potentially devastating.

In 2021 the cost of frost to the value of the Western Australian Crop was estimated at $750 million.

These workshops were all about minimizing the impact of frost on yield and profit by increasing the knowledge, confidence and ability of farm businesses to implement the best management practices to reduce the impact of frost.