Welcome to our first newsletter of 2026.
Since our initial stakeholder consultation successful crop establishment and seeding decision-making under dry and variable seasonal conditions across South Australian cropping regions has been a priority. Through the Hub and other Future Drought Fund projects there has been a major effort in South Australia (& southern Australia) to translate research findings into practical, regionally relevant decision-making tools that support confident and timely seeding decisions.
In 2026, the Hub will be partnering with nine SA farming systems groups in continuation of this work with a strong focus on improving farmer capacity to manage establishment risk and respond to seasonal variability. Our efforts will commence with an interactive session on March 11 on tools and tactics for improving crop establishment, following the Hart Field-Site Group ‘Getting the crop in” seminar (Hart Field Site Group – Getting the Crop In Seminar).
The Hub is also very pleased to be partnering with Wine Australia, Limestone Coast Grape and Wine Council, Mclaren Vale Grape Wine & Tourism Industry Association, Adelaide Hills Wine Region, Langhorne Creek Grape and Wine, Barossa Australia, and the Clare Valley Wine and Grape Association. The projects will work directly wine grape growers on enhancing drought management planning and mitigating impacts of a hotter and drier climate with an increasingly scarce and costly water resource. Importantly, the project will leverage the SA Hub Drought Resilience Information and Knowledge Sharing (DRINKS) effort in each region. I look forward to bringing updates on the achievements of these projects as they progress.
In March and April, the Kick off ya Boots roadshow heads to Kimba, Cleve, Blyth and Strathalbyn for more community evenings in partnership with ifarmwell.com.au, a great opportunity to connect locally. More details are available on the Events page.
The SA Drought Hub is pleased to welcome Deborah Francis to the team as the new Future Drought Fund (FDF) Programs Officer, strengthening the Hub’s collaboration and coordination across drought resilience initiatives.
We would also like to draw your attention to the newly launched South Australian Soil Gap Analysis, led by Lucy Porter, which provides important insights into soil capability gaps, extension needs and adoption barriers across the state. Congratulations also to Demi Taylor on her selection for the 2026 WoTL Stepping into Leadership program, supporting the next generation of leaders in agriculture.
I look forward to connecting with many of you in the coming months as we continue working together to strengthen resilience across our regions.
