What is the Facey Group?

The Facey Group is a farmer run group that aims to improve on-farm practice to keep farms healthy and profitable into the future. Based in Wickepin Western Australia, the Facey Group is an innovative, highly motivated, organised and well-resourced grower group with a strong focus on our local region.

From Little Things Big Things Grow 

The Facey Group was formed in January 2001, with the aim of bringing the community together to work towards achieving economic, social and environmental sustainability for the region. It is a forum for people in the district to discuss and question current farming systems and how we can improve them, and to explore and trial new systems and methods.

The group was formed out of existing Landcare Groups, and whilst environmental sustainability is a goal, the Group recognises that practices have to be profitable for farmers to adopt them.

Farmers saw an important need to conduct trials and demonstrations in the local region. The key was access information that was local, current, and relevant on topic such as the time of sowing, varieties, soil health, rotations fertiliser rates and types as well as much more. Access to this information would enable farmers to adopt practices which they saw as beneficial and would increase their production, resulting in increased profits. Without profitably local farmers where would our local communities be? Thus, the establishment and growth of the Facey Group plays an important role in the future not only of our farmers but the survival of our communities

What does the Facey Group do?

The Facey Group’s key function is to service its farming members through research, development and extension. Current members farm in the Shires of Wickepin, Narrogin, Corrigin, Kulin, Williams, Cuballing/Popanyinning, Wagin/Woodanilling, Katanning, Lake King, Dumbleyung and Pingelly.

The group hosts an array of field days, seminars, workshops and training courses throughout the year. The group also hosts field trials and demonstrations at the group’s main site, satellite sites as on member’s farms each year.

Each year, issues requiring further investigation are identified and prioritised. The group then decides how to address the issues, taking into consideration the available skills and resources of the group. This is achieved through the groups four specialty groups:  Cropping, Sheep and Pasture, Women In Agriculture and Natural Resource Management.

Where is the Facey Group Based?

The Facey Group main office is based in Wickepin. The group leases land for the purpose of our "main" trail site which is located on a main road on the outskirts of the town. The group also has a satellite site that rotates around the region each season, playing an important role in ensuring that our trial work is directly related to the issues our members face at a local level.

Who runs the group?

The Group has a management committee of 7 members and 5 specialist groups. These are overseen by an Executive Committee of 4 thus the group is 100% member and grower driven and managed, which is what makes it so successful.

The Facey Group employs an Executive Officer, a Sustainable Agricultural Coordinator  & a  part time Administration Manager.