THE annual Ricegrowers' Association of Australia conference will be held in Leeton next month.

Record rice yields and a discussion of the Murray Darling Basin Authority's much-anticipated basin plan should ensure a buzz.

The keynote speaker at the conference will be MDBA chairman Mike Taylor, who will talk about the draft basin plan.

The conference will include a tour of SunRice's Leeton mill, CopRice, and its specialty rice foods manufacturing site.

The conference will be held at Leeton's Roxy Theatre on August 5, from 10am to 5.30pm, followed by an informal dinner.

To register, phone the RGA on (02) 6953 0433.

Pest facts

ARMYWORMS have been reported in wheat, barley and vetch crops near Donald, according to the latest edition of PestFacts.

The caterpillars have been found on separate farms.

In the wheat crops, about5 per cent of plants across several paddocks had damage, ranging from nibbling through to being completely chewed off at ground level.

Grain training

GRAIN Growers Association has launched a training opportunities website.

The Online Agricultural Training Services website - http://www.agtrainingservices.com.au/default.asp - links farmers, students and agribusiness professionals with course providers.

Better crops

BETTER plant health, increased root mass and a reduction in insect attacks are some of the benefits claimed in Wimmera pastures and crops this year from using the Best company's soil renovator, TM, previously known as TM21.

Horsham agronomist Barry Robinson is holding a free technical update at Grains Innovation Park on August 5 at 7.30pm, to look at the advantages of the biostimulant.

For further details, phone Mr Robinson on 0429 846 272.