Agronomist Bill Crabtree (photo) received the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Seed of Light Award at the GRDC-supported 2006 Agribusiness Crop Updates at the Burswood Entertainment Complex last week.

Presenting the award for excellence in communication, Western Panel Chairman Dale Baker said Mr Crabtree was affectionately known as 'No-Till Bill', courtesy of more than a decade vigorously promoting no-tillage.

A Life Member of the WA No Till Farmers’ Association (WANTFA), he worked for them for more than five years and edited their newsletter for 10 years.

“Since leaving WANTFA and assuming a voluntary role advocating biotechnology adoption in WA, he is becoming known as 'Biotech Bill',” Mr Baker said.

“While best known for his promotion of no-till, Bill has in the past couple of years, outside of his full-time business of Crabtree Agricultural Consulting, promoted the potential benefits of biotechnology, especially GM canola, in WA cropping systems.

“This is despite the fact that there is a moratorium in place here and in all other states, aside from Queensland,” Mr Baker said.

Last year Mr Crabtree conducted, with GRDC support, a series of GM workshops around WA, which attracted big numbers of farmers thirsty for information on the benefits of GM technology.

In July and August, he will host, with GRDC support, WA growers on an educational tour of Canada, looking at GM canola production systems, bio-diesel and no-till.

Mr Crabtree said he felt honoured to receive the Seed of Light, noting that he had been alerted by his own travel and consistent observations that GM crops made farmers that WA competed with more profit and less pesticide dependant than WA growers. 

“I hope politics will give way to good science and the moratoria will soon be lifted," he said.

Mr Baker said the GRDC believed growers should be exposed to cutting edge agronomic information on important issues such as no-till and GM and believed Mr Crabtree had been tireless in his efforts to advance the debate and adoption of both.

“For this reason, the GRDC believes he is a very worthy recipient of the prestigious Seed of Light award for excellence in communication.”