The 4Farmers Podcast

In this 24th episode, Bill sits down with Professor Ken Flower to explore a remarkable career spanning Zimbabwe, the UK and Western Australia, and a lifetime of work in agronomy, weed science and farming systems. Ken shares how growing up on a farm in Zimbabwe shaped his path into agriculture, from early work in tobacco research and weed control to completing postgraduate studies in weed science and eventually moving into academic research. The conversation dives into the evolution of no-till farming, why early systems often struggled, and the key changes that helped no-till become a practical and widely adopted approach. Ken also reflects on the major differences between farming systems in Zimbabwe and Western Australia, particularly around input use, scale and efficiency. Now a Professor at the University of Western Australia, Ken is working at the intersection of agronomy, herbicide resistance, weed mapping and emerging technology. He discusses how AI, computer algorithms and better use of historical data could help farmers and researchers better understand weed distribution and improve future weed management. Topics covered include: • Ken’s farming background and early career in Zimbabwe • Tobacco agronomy and weed control • The transition from conventional cultivation to no-till • Moving to Western Australia and joining WANTFA • Herbicide resistance and weed management • Weed mapping and data-driven agriculture • The opportunities and limitations of AI in farming • What the future of agronomy could look like A fascinating conversation about how farming systems evolve, what we can learn from the past, and where technology may take agriculture next. Subscribe for more conversations with farmers, researchers and industry leaders shaping the future of Australian agriculture.

In this special 23rd episode of the 4Farmers Podcast, Bill sits down with Jacinta Patterson and Cameron Beeck to explore the story, people and future behind 4Farmers. First, Jacinta Patterson shares what it was like growing up in the Patterson family and watching 4Farmers grow from its early beginnings into a business that has spent more than 30 years supporting Australian farmers. She reflects on her parents Phil and Wendy Patterson, the unconventional early days of the company, and the family values that continue to shape the business today. Then, Bill speaks with 4Farmers General Manager Cameron Beeck about his journey from growing up on a WA farm to agricultural science, plant breeding and spending 14 years living and working in Mozambique. Cameron shares his perspective on farming systems, food security, agricultural innovation and the challenges of introducing new technology in different farming environments. The conversation finishes with Cameron’s vision for the next chapter of 4Farmers, using practical research, field trials and innovative thinking to develop better solutions for Australian growers. A conversation about family, farming, innovation and continuing to make a positive impact on agriculture.

In Episode 22 of the 4Farmers Podcast, Bill Crabtree sits down with Professor Wallace Cowling, one of Western Australia’s most respected plant breeders, to explore the science and history behind lupins, canola and modern crop breeding. Wallace shares how his career took him from Melbourne and the United States to the WA Department of Agriculture, where he worked alongside renowned agricultural scientist John Gladstones. He reflects on the discoveries that helped domesticate lupins, the changing role of legumes in farming systems and the long-term breeding programs that brought better-adapted canola varieties to the WA wheatbelt. The conversation also tackles common misconceptions about hybrid and genetically modified crops, explains how herbicide-tolerant canola transformed weed control and crop rotations, and explores the importance of maintaining genetic diversity for future farming conditions. Drawing on a lifetime of research, Professor Wallace Cowling leaves young agricultural scientists with one enduring piece of advice: talk to farmers, understand their problems and ensure research delivers practical value in the paddock.

Rob Delane has spent much of his career at the heart of Western Australian agriculture, from early research in the Ord River and Geraldton to senior leadership in the Department of Agriculture and major roles in Australian biosecurity. In this episode, Bill Crabtree and Rob revisit the evolution of WA farming, including the early days of lupin and grain research, deep ripping, no-till adoption, collaboration between farmers, researchers and agribusiness, and the sometimes heated debates that came with agricultural change. Rob also reflects on leading the Department of Agriculture through major restructuring, the development of Australia's biosecurity systems, and why he believes the future of agricultural R&D may require greater direct leadership from growers themselves. A fascinating conversation about the people, disagreements, decisions and innovations that helped shape modern Western Australian agriculture.

In EP 20 of Bill Crabtree’s conversation with Geoff Fosbery, they explore the challenges, weaknesses and opportunities shaping modern Western Australian agriculture. Drawing on more than four decades of experience, Geoff explains why diversity is essential to building resilient farming systems and why repeatedly relying on the same crops, herbicides and management practices will eventually create problems. The conversation covers crop rotation, herbicide resistance, ryegrass competition, early sowing, soil acidity, lime and gypsum, no-till farming, regenerative agriculture and the emerging potential of lentils in Western Australia. Geoff also shares practical lessons from his career as a technical farm consultant, including why getting a crop established ahead of the weeds can sometimes be more valuable than simply increasing seeding rates. It is a wide-ranging conversation filled with practical agronomy insights, farming history and important lessons for the future of Australian agriculture.

Bill sits down with respected WA agronomist Geoff Fosbery to look back on a career shaped by curiosity, experimentation, and some of the biggest changes in Western Australian agriculture. Geoff shares how growing up around Corrigin sparked his passion for farming, before taking us through his early work with the Department of Agriculture in Merredin and Three Springs. A major part of the conversation explores his pioneering work with gypsum, soil acidity, nutrient limitations, and the importance of understanding how one change in the farming system can affect everything else. They also discuss early sowing, wheat varieties, herbicide resistance, no-till farming, and the people and research that helped reshape agriculture across the WA Wheatbelt. This is Part 1 of Bill’s conversation with Geoff Fosbery, packed with agricultural history, practical agronomy, and lessons that remain highly relevant to farming today.

What happens when agriculture meets artificial intelligence? In this episode, Bill Crabtree interviews rising weed science researcher Guy Coleman about the future of precision agriculture and how AI, robotics, computer vision, and autonomous machines are changing the battle against weeds. The discussion covers laser weeders, smart sprayers, herbicide resistance, harvest weed seed control, and the growing role of machine learning in farming systems worldwide. A fascinating conversation for farmers, agronomists, ag-tech enthusiasts, and anyone curious about where agriculture is heading next.

In this 17th episode, Bill we sat down with David Seagreen, a chemist, innovator, and one of the minds behind some of the most interesting developments in modern agriculture. From growing up in a farming community in South Africa to building a fertilizer company in Western Australia, David shares the journey that shaped his thinking around soil, water, and plant nutrition. We dive into: The real problem with water use in farming Why traditional approaches don’t always work The science behind products like Aquifer and CalBud How nanotechnology and surface area can impact plant growth And how small changes in application can lead to major differences in yield This isn’t theory, it’s decades of hands-on experimentation, problem-solving, and pushing boundaries in agriculture. If you’re interested in improving water efficiency, understanding soil behavior, or just thinking differently about farming inputs, this episode is worth your time.

Farming isn’t just about crops, it’s about constant learning. In this episode, we sit down with Jeremy Lemon to unpack his journey from South Australia to Western Australia, and how he spent over two decades helping shape farming systems in Esperance. From early canola trials to soil challenges and major industry shifts, this is a grounded, experience-driven conversation about agriculture at its core.

In this 15th episode, we sit down with Kevin Young, one of Western Australia’s most respected agricultural minds, to unpack decades of innovation, failure, and breakthrough in crop science. From his early days in barley agronomy to pioneering high-yield systems, Kevin shares how farming evolved from 2-ton crops to 6–8 ton potential, and what made that shift possible. We dive deep into: The rise of no-till farming The science behind yield improvements Lessons from decades in plant breeding The reality of failure in agriculture And the development of Mohawk, a winter wheat variety changing how farmers think about early sowing This episode is both technical and deeply human, a story of persistence, curiosity, and long-term impact on Australian agriculture. Whether you’re a farmer, agronomist, or just curious about how food systems evolve, this is one conversation worth listening to.

In this episode of 4Farmers, Bill sits down with Trevor Whittington for a wide-ranging conversation that moves far beyond agronomy. Trevor comes from a long farming lineage in Western Australia and has spent decades working across agriculture, agri-politics, government policy, and international affairs. From growing up on the land to advising ministers and working in Indigenous pastoral enterprises, Trevor brings a unique perspective on the challenges facing modern agriculture. This conversation explores everything from soil science and farming innovation to global geopolitics, energy policy, and the future of food production. Topics discussed include: The changing landscape of Western Australian agriculture Why farm sizes are increasing and farmer numbers are declining The role of GM crops and agricultural technology Indigenous land ownership and pastoral station management Global grain markets and future commodity prices Population trends and their impact on food demand Energy policy, nuclear power, and farming economics The intersection of agriculture and geopolitics Trevor shares insights drawn from decades of experience in policy, farming, and international travel across more than 60 countries. The episode offers a candid look at the forces shaping the future of agriculture, from the paddock to global politics.

In this 13th episode of the 4Farmers Podcast, we sit down with Mark Seymour, research agronomist based in Esperance, to unpack over 40 years of change in Western Australian agriculture. From the early days of lupins and alternative legumes to the rise of canola dominance, Mark shares an honest, experienced perspective on how rotations evolved, why pulses declined in some regions, and whether we may have leaned too heavily on certain systems. We dive into: • The boom years of lupins in WA • Why canola transformed rotations • What really limits lentils and faba beans • Soil pH, herbicide sensitivity, and hidden risks • Waterlogging, drainage, and system thinking • Whether legumes still have a serious future in WA This is not a surface-level chat. It is a deep look at decisions, trade-offs, and long-term system impacts from someone who has been there since the late 1980s. If you care about sustainable rotations, crop profitability, and the future of WA farming, this episode is a must-listen.

Professor David Lindsay has spent a lifetime at the forefront of Australian agricultural science but this conversation goes far beyond the lab. In this episode, Bill sits down with David to explore a career that shaped modern understanding of animal reproduction, fertility, nutrition, and farmer–scientist collaboration. From early breakthroughs in sheep fertility to the role of lupins, hormones, and gut biology, David reflects on the discoveries that genuinely changed farming systems across Western Australia. Along the way, David shares candid stories from the paddock, the lecture theatre, and the research world that reveal how knowledge is built and how it can be lost. This episode is essential listening for scientists, agronomists, farmers, students, and anyone interested in how ideas shape industries, policy, and public trust.

In this episode, Bill sits down with Professor Kevin Folta, molecular biologist at the University of Florida and host of the Talking Biotech podcast, to unpack the science, controversy, and real-world impact of genetic engineering in modern agriculture. From the early days of producing insulin in bacteria to the development of Bt crops and genetically engineered oilseeds, Professor Folta shares how biotechnology was built to solve practical farming problems and why resistance to these tools has grown despite nearly three decades of safe global use. The conversation dives into the communication breakdown between scientists and the public, exploring why data alone often fails to build trust. Kevin reflects on hard lessons learned engaging with concerned parents, the environmental movement, and policymakers, and explains why safety, transparency, and honesty matter more than technical jargon. The episode concludes with a powerful call to action for farmers to step into the public conversation. As trusted voices, their role in sharing real experiences can drive meaningful change, one conversation at a time. As Professor Folta puts it, the science takes care of itself. The challenge now is ensuring farmers have access to every tool available to feed the world safely, responsibly, and sustainably.

Agronomist and innovator Wayne Smith returns for one of the most candid conversations ever recorded on this podcast. Wayne opens up about the rise and collapse of Caluka Farms an ambitious livestock project that pushed the limits of pasture productivity, animal genetics and high-rainfall farming in Western Australia. Wayne also shares powerful insights on: • Trace-element deficiencies across Africa and Australia • Why many high-rainfall pastures underperform and how to fix them • How corporates get farming strategy wrong by ignoring the paddock-level detail • The future of livestock marketing, meat export policy and industry transparency This is a clear, practical and emotionally grounded conversation for anyone who cares about Australian farming from how we grow grass, to how we grow sheep, to how we rebuild an industry that still holds massive untapped potential. A must-listen for farmers, agronomists, investors and anyone seeking to understand what is truly possible in livestock agriculture when constraints are removed, and systems are pushed to their limits.

Agronomist Wayne Smith has been behind some of the biggest shifts in Australian broadacre farming. In this episode, he joins Bill to unpack how no-till, better rotations, improved nutrition and smarter agronomy lifted WA cropping from two-tonne wheat to the high-yield systems farmers run today. Wayne shares the breakthroughs that changed everything from zinc, copper and molybdenum diagnostics to the early disc-seeder revolution, stubble retention, deep roots and the move toward earlier sowing. He also reflects on the cultural resistance of the 80s and 90s, the “yeah-but” years, and the mindset shifts that helped WA growers become global leaders in no-till cropping. A clear, honest and practical conversation for growers, agronomists and anyone wanting to understand why Australia’s grain yields have risen so dramatically.

Dr David Bowran has spent a lifetime at the forefront of agricultural science, from early herbicide trials in the jungles of Sabah to leading Western Australia’s research into weed management, chemistry, and crop tolerance. In this episode, Bill dives deep with David into the real science behind herbicides, the myths that refuse to die, and the innovations that transformed broadacre farming. David shares candid stories from his decades in the field, including the rise of selective herbicides, the origins of IMI-tolerant crops, the controversy around glyphosate, and why understanding natural resistance is critical for the future. He also unpacks emerging risks in global agriculture, from biosecurity threats to the coming wave of autonomous and drone-driven farming systems. This conversation offers rare clarity and grounded scientific insight into one of the most misunderstood areas of modern agriculture. In this episode: • How selective chemistry reshaped Australian farming • The truth about glyphosate, DDT, and toxicity • The creation of IMI-tolerant wheats and why it mattered A must-listen for growers, agronomists, researchers, and anyone who wants to understand the real science driving Australian agriculture.

Dr Bill Bowden has spent more than five decades shaping the way Western Australia understands soil, fertiliser strategy and plant nutrition. In this episode, he joins host Bill Crabtree for a candid conversation about the science, history and hard-won lessons behind modern cropping systems. From the early days of superphosphate to the complexities of trace elements, root development, pH buffering and nutrient availability, Bill breaks down how WA’s most infertile soils became productive and what farmers must keep in mind as systems evolve. Together they unpack: • The rise of phosphorus use and the foundations of soil testing in WA • Copper, zinc, manganese and why positional availability still matters • Root biology and the shift from input-focused thinking to system understanding • No-till, deep ripping and the long-running debate around disturbance • Rock phosphate, calcination and the realities of using alternative P sources • The biological engine driving soils from microbes to termites A must-listen for growers, agronomists, researchers and anyone working to improve soil fertility and system resilience across Australian agriculture.

Dr. Steve Carr joins Bill "No-Till Bill" Crabtree for a deep dive into soil acidity, the silent crop killer affecting thousands of Western Australian farms. With decades of research experience from UWA and hands-on fieldwork in the Eastern Wheatbelt, Dr. Carr breaks down the complex science behind why WA's ancient soils are naturally acidic and how modern agriculture accelerates the problem. Dr. Carr's expertise transforms complex soil chemistry into actionable knowledge that can save your crops and boost profitability. Whether you're battling stubborn acid patches or planning long-term soil health strategies, this episode delivers the scientific insights you need.

From decades in rural broadcasting to witnessing the rise and fall of major agricultural industries, former ABC journalist Owen Grieve joins Bill “No-Till Bill” Crabtree for one of the most honest and controversial conversations yet. Together, they unpack the live sheep export ban, government policies that have shaped (and shaken) rural Australia, and the media’s role in shaping public perception of farmers. It’s a deep, unfiltered look at what’s really happening to Australia’s sheep industry and why it matters to every farming family. Whether you’re a farmer, policymaker, or simply curious about the truth behind the headlines, this episode shines a light on the stories that rarely make it to the city.