A Word from Our Maker

G'day,

Choc Irwin speaking!

Gee, we had an interesting phone call from Richard Plumer, a Technical Assistant with NSW Ag, over at Mudgee. Seems they've done some pasture trials using 13 fertilisers (including R.U.M.) and a 'nil control'. Anyway, 170kg/ha of Super with Molybdenum beat just 5L/ha of R.U.M.

So we came a close second... but wait a minute! The Single Super with Moly would have cost $50 off... and the R.U.M. would have cost $20 at worst. If the figures were 'seasonally adjusted' as our politicians are fond of saying, then R.U.M.'d get the same results for less than half the cost. Sounds good to me! ...(the funny thing was that the 'nil control' finished 8th of 14 - does that mean the other six fertilisers were worse than nothing?!)

As you can see from the previous page, Paul Brown, down Griffith way, has had good results from a nice crop despite a salinity problem. And we are mighty pleased that R.U.M. helped reduce the effect of the salt and achieve a good germination. Apparently some other farmers in the M.LA. had to sow three times because the cold weather hindered germination But Paul, sowing at the same time, used R.U.M. and got his rice up and away at the first attempt. (the cost of doing it all again doesn't bear thinking about). Anyway this news has excited our WA rep, Alan Hardman, so much that he is having a chat to his Primary Industry Minister about the potential for R.U.M. to help with W.A.'s big salinity problem.

Well, it's been a great season... over 300 properties on the North West Slopes and Plains have used R.U.M. on their various crops. And despite Yellow Leaf Spot, frosts, army worm, salinity, and a few cases of the Doubting Thomases (a real bad disease), for many farmers, R.U.M. has meant the difference between a successful crop... and no crop at all!

Cheers,

Choc.

"Border" line case saved by R.U.M.

Greg Rae, with 1,300ha of the wheat crop condemned to a 'fate-worse-than-death'

At Kyalite, almost on the Victorian border near Balranald, Greg Rae, 'Yal Yal' has every reason to smile.

His 1,300ha of 'Ouyen' wheat has been rescued from 'a fate-worse-than-death'. Wet weather had leached the DAP away from the roots of his late-sown crop and subsequent cold weather had put it under enormous stress.

"So out came the boom-spray to add 5L/ha of R.U.M.", reported Greg. "Not only did it subdue some emerging Yellow Leaf Spot but my yield increased 25%... and because of the low cost of R.U.M. I saved heaps on fertiliser. It was an unexpected bonus."

Greg, as Choc always reminds us, "Have faith, mate. have faith!"