Rain with follow-up needed

FARMER Brenton Cunning wants a good traditional break to arrive in the next two weeks to germinate seed planted in his dusty paddocks near Kerang.

Dusty start: Dry sowing comes with its dusty hazards as vetch is planted on this paddock near Lalbert. Picture: Brenton Cunning.

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CANNIE Ridge agronomist and farmer Brenton Cunning wants a “good traditional break” to arrive in the next two weeks to germinate seed planted in his dusty paddocks near Kerang.

“A traditional autumn break of 25-50mm would help basically anyone trying to grow crops or pasture.”

Mr Cunning has sown more than 300ha of vetch into bone-dry paddocks and is starting to sow his canola dry.

“It is basically dry for the top 20-30cm for most paddocks,” he said. “We need a good rain anytime soon … 5-10mm with nothing to follow up would be a bit dicey.

“We won’t get anything to strike until we get rain, but to get a small rain with no follow-up could be dangerous.”