The Editor

Ongoing inflationary pressures, a weaker global economic outlook and the prospect of a wet winter across many production regions of Australia is causing volatility for the agriculture sector... NAB Senior Agribusiness Economist, Phin Ziebell, said Australian agriculture was facing a number of opportunities and risks as a result of current global conditions.

The Joint Declaration of Intent for Cooperation in Bioeconomy was signed by Queensland Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick and German Federal Minister of Education and Research Bettina Stark-Watzinger. Bioeconomies are an emerging model for government and business, with a greater focus on sustainably using renewable biological resources to produce food, energy and industrial goods.

Farmers and regional communities in the state’s Central West can now readily access detailed, real-time weather observations received by the new Doppler radar at Yeoval. Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW Dugald Saunders said the information provided by the radar will revolutionise how weather-dependent decisions are made, and will enhance the productivity of rural communities.

"Native vegetation helps mitigate climate change by sequestering carbon. This policy seeks to achieve a net gain in native vegetation, while providing regulatory clarity for business, and building a strong, accessible evidence base for policymaking, decisions, and transparency" : WA Environment Minister, Reece Whitby.

Overseen by Forestry Australia, the Trials Review, Information and Genetics (TRIG) project aims to improve information pathways to assist the expansion of farm forestry in Victoria. TRIG Project Steering Committee Chair, Dr Kevin Harding said the project aims to build on Victoria’s history of farm forestry to help the state reach carbon targets and expand the productive farm-tree estate.

NSW Farmers is urging Australia’s new Labor government to act on power imbalances in poultry meat supply chains...The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has identified potential unfair contract terms (UCTs) in chicken growing contracts, including terms that allowed processors to vary growers’ supply arrangements or impose additional costs on growers.  

The new national parks will be created by linking existing state forests, parks and reserves. The largest, combining Lerderderg State Park and Wombat State Forest to create the Wombat-Lerderderg National Park covering more than 44,000 hectares between Daylesford and Bacchus Marsh ... ARR.News asked some questions of the Minister which were responded to by a Victorian Government spokesperson.

Food and fibre production has been significantly and catastrophically impacted by rain events from March 2021, not only the flooding of 2022, resulting in significant hardship for town residents and businesses, and particularly the farming community ... NSW Farmers CEO Pete Arkle said the three tiers of government needed to work together with farming and community leaders to look at how to rebuild more resilient businesses, communities and regions.

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) welcomes the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) crackdown on chicken meat processers and any potential unfair contract terms in the industry ... “Greater contract term transparency between processors and growers is critical to foster a fair deal for all and we see this as a positive step forward for the chicken meat industry” : Colin Peel, VFF President.