Woods Grains, GOONDIWINDI QLD
CATEGORY: SUSTAINABILITY
The adoption of no-till farming more than 30 years ago is a clear indication that sustainability is entrenched in Tom Woods’ thinking.
The open-minded farmer first heard of no-till farming in 1983, and immediately turned a third of his cropping into this system. A year later, the entire cropping area was no-till.
For Tom, it made sense but it also showed his deep appreciation of the value of good soils and a healthy environment to produce crops.
Tom is unashamedly a business man and his goals are to grow quality crops and improve returns.
But he is also a poster boy for sustainable farming methods, and the use of these to run a highly successful business has not gone unnoticed by the broader community.
Tom is a regular attendee at Grains Research and Development Corporation updates, keen to hear firsthand the latest information on being able to produce crops sustainably.
He’s also happy to invest in equipment that enables him to farm this way, including the recent purchase of WEEDit technology fitted to his boom spray which allows for targeted spraying of specific weeds.
Underlying every decision Tom makes is the desire to improve the quality of the soils in which he grows his crops. He knows the cultivation methods of the past have destroyed the structure and the decisions he makes, including no-till farming, are gradually building them back up.