The forums will be held in Mandurah, Bremer Bay and Dunsborough on 18, 19 and 20 January.

Hosted as part of the GRDC's National Grower Network (NGN), these events are an opportunity to catch up with other growers and grains industry representatives, enjoy complimentary food and refreshments and raise ideas about opportunities and constraints relevant to the industry.

Participants will hear from guest speakers including former Bureau of Meteorology media and communications manager Neil Bennett, who will speak at the Mandurah event, providing insights into weather and how to interpret forecasts.

At Bremer Bay and Dunsborough, attendees will hear from Australian cricketing legend Brad Hogg, who will share his personal story and messages about the importance of mental health and suicide prevention, as the inaugural ambassador of the Grain Producers Australia (GPA) Farmer Mates Mental Health Initiative.

Also speaking at all three forums will be research engineer and General Manager of Research at Kondinin Group, Ben White, wo will provide an update on ‘what's around the corner' in the AgTech space.

GRDC western region Grower Relations Manager, Jo Wheeler, said the popular Summer Sesh series provided an opportunity for those involved in the grains industry to discuss, in a relaxed setting, ideas about issues affecting grower profitability.

"The NGN has been developed to create a touchpoint for growers and industry to connect directly with GRDC," she said.

"This is a genuine opportunity for growers to have a say when it comes to their research, development and extension (RD&E) needs and priorities on-farm; it's a ground-up approach to information gathering."

The Summer Sesh events will be held from 4-7pm at the following locations:

Mandurah - The Sebel Mandurah, Marco Polo Drive 1, Wednesday, 18 January
Bremer Bay - Bremer Bay Resort, 1 Frantom Way, Bremer Bay, Thursday 19 January
Dunsborough - Abbey Beach Resort, 595 Bussell Hwy, Broadwater, Friday, 20 January

For more information or to register, visit https://bit.ly/3Cv1XxG or contact Rural Edge on 0401 090 286 or admin@ruraledge.org.au.