Hi, I’m Alisha Campbell, and together with my husband, Matt, we farm across three properties in the Toobeah and Thallon regions of Queensland. Our farm spans approximately 14,800 hectacres where the majority is cropping, both broadacre dryland and irrigation where we grow a mix of cotton, wheat, barley, chickpeas, and sorghum. We also have a grazing country running a breeding herd of Santa Gertrudis cattle on one of our Thallon properties.
Our region’s climate is unpredictable, to say the least. On average, we receive around 500mm of rainfall annually, though it is rarely the right amount at the right time!
So far, this season has been a mix of challenges and progress. We have just wrapped up our winter harvest, where we were lucky with only a couple of rain stoppages in 5 weeks. It’s been a busy time on the farm since then, as we’ve been keeping on top of the weeds in our broadacre country, as well as planting cotton. With recent rains, things are looking promising, and everyone has been kept on their toes.
Like many farmers, we face lots of challenges. Our biggest challenge in recent seasons has been the significant amounts of damage from spray drift. For our summer season, and it looks like it could be an even bigger problem this summer. While it’s terrible to see many instances of spray drift reported in the media, it does present an opportunity to educate others about the risks and to be more aware when spraying.
What makes us proud to be Aussie grain growers is the unwavering resilience of our farming community. We have a work ethic and determination like no other. The focus on innovations and sustainability in Australian farming really sets us apart and places us firmly as world leaders in the industry. This commitment ensures a bright future for agriculture in Australia for generations to come.