CIA Focus Site

Justin Sutherland (Coleambally)

A third-generation rice farmer and holding numerous roles within the Ricegrowers’ Association, Justin is an active member in the local rice industry.

His dedication to the industry extends to offering his property as the CIA Focus Site since the program began in 2023, where two paddocks were dedicated to testing management practices.

There has been consistent improvement in average yield year-on-year with pasture paddocks achieving 14-16t/ha and Justin’s yield improving from 10.3 to 12.5t/ha.

The CIA Reference Group are committed to continuous improvement, which contributed to the increase in CIA average yields across the board. As dedicated growers they strategically approach each years’ crop with learnings from the previous year, using the Focus Site to trial new methods.

One area of focus for the Group has been experimentation with beds for Justin and the regions soil type. In previous crop years the use of beds on the trial sites has been successful, with most of the Reference Group growers now planning to incorporate them into future seasons.

Aerial view of green Riverina farmland with fields of grass and crops, divided by dirt paths, under partly cloudy sky.
Outline icon of a notepad with lines and a pencil
Icon of a notepad and pencil.
Group of people gathered under a black canopy tent near a body of water on a dirt road during sunset, with cars parked behind them and rice fields on either side.
Group of people standing near an irrigation channel with rice crops
A group of seven adults sitting around a table in a meeting room, listening to a presenter standing near a large screen displaying a PowerPoint slide.
Group of people sitting around a table in a room for a Focus Site meeting
People gathered outdoors on a dry, cracked earth landscape with a clear blue sky, participating in a focus site group meeting