Birchip Cropping Group's online field day a success

The BCG's biggest annual event was cancelled in late July due to COVID-19, but an online alternative was launched last Friday.

The event offers a virtual tour of the BCG's latest field trials, complete with interactive videos and information.

Birchip Cropping Group senior research manager James Murray said the event had so far been well received.

"It went live on Friday, and over that weekend period there were 400 different individuals that logged on and utilised the site," he said.

"We were fairly flabbergasted with that response. That's an incredible result from the community.

"The feedback cycle hasn't been fully analysed, but that's a really promising start."

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The tour is still accessible via the BCG's website.

Mr Murray said the success of the event demonstrated the feasibility of online initiatives.

He said the pandemic had forced the BCG and Wimmera-Mallee farmers to become more savvy with technology.

"We've been wanting to do these sort of things for quite a while now, but we've just got busy doing other bits and pieces," he said.

"And because there was always that opportunity to deliver in a more traditional sense, there wasn't the urgency to do it.

"But our hands were forced this year, and certainly the staff, our board members, and the farming members that I've spoken to have been rapt with what we've been able to deliver."

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Mr Murray said an online approach was particularly beneficial for the Wimmera-Mallee region.

"It can be particularly important when we are trying to deliver to a region that is so geographically spread," he said.

"Everyone has an iPhone and a computer with reasonable reception, so it has become pretty accessible.

"It's certainly not without it's learning curves. It's new for everyone involved.

"But this has really presented an opportunity to make it stick in the future, to help deliver information in a really easy to digest format."

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