Pests, weeds and diseases are placing increasing pressure on grain production. Addressing these challenges will require new and more effective ways to prevent, prepare for, manage and respond.
There are opportunities to work smarter, not just harder. To do this well, we need practical input from people across the system.
Agronomists play a key role. They work directly with growers through trust-based relationships, are present in paddocks and often see issues as they emerge. However, their experiences and insights have not been well explored in past research.
About the project
This project aims to identify practical, ‘win–win’ approaches that deliver value for agronomists, growers and the broader system.
ABARES Social Sciences Program is leading this research which is funded by the National Grains Diagnostic and Surveillance Initiative (NGDSI).
The NGDSI is a partnership between the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and departments responsible for agriculture across the Australian Government and various state governments.
The research is supported by a reference group of industry and government representatives.
Project stages
- Stage 1 (until October 2026): Interviews, a survey and workshops with agronomists and other key stakeholders to identify opportunities for collaboration. It focuses on the grain growing regions in the west, south and north.
- Stage 2 (November 2026 - September 2027): The outcomes of Stage 1 will inform the next steps of the project, which may include a pilot program codesigned with agronomists.
The project is due for completion by September 2027.
Figure 1: Overview of the project steps
Who we’ve engaged so far
Over 200 people from across industry, governments and research have now provided input to this study through interviews, an agronomist survey and multi-stakeholder workshops. Their experience and input are shaping approaches that are practical, useful and grounded in real-world conditions.
- 76 interviews completed, including 30 interviews with agronomists from large agronomy firms, independent consultants and other advisory services.
- Interviewees also included state government staff, GRDC staff, industry representatives, grains biosecurity officers, researchers, growers and grower group representatives.
- Strong representation from Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia, with additional interviews conducted in Victoria.
- 4 workshops, 11 breakout-room discussions, 56 participants.
- Held separately for Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia during August and September 2026.
- Online agronomist survey was live from 10 August – 3 September 2026.
- 149 complete responses.
Stay updated
This page will be updated regularly as the project progresses. For more information, contact Laura Butler, the Project Officer, on socialsciences.abares@aff.gov.au.