Business & Farming

Innovation

Water from air, solar-generating windows and next-gen cancer therapies: The 23 Australian companies solving global challenges

Cicada Innovations, Australia’s leading deep tech incubator, has announced the 23 ventures that will feature at Cicada x Tech23 2026, a showcase of Australia’s next great innovations. Despite ongoing uncertainty around government support for commercialising and scaling innovation, the pipeline for Australian deep tech is bursting.

Agritourism

From paddock to passport – Australia’s farmers unite behind booming agritourism movement: Australian Agritourism Network

There’s something quite magical about life on a farm. Picking apples fresh from the tree. Milking a cow. Finishing the day around a campfire, glass of local wine in hand. These simple pleasures have become bucket list items. And while it’s easy for farmers to take these everyday moments for granted, many are now embracing agritourism.

Smart ag

Komet bets on Irrigation Intelligence to close agriculture’s data gap: Komet Irrigation

Contributor, ARR.News
Agriculture
New Application Engineering & Digital Systems division and Experience Hub will generate globally relevant insights to advance pivot irrigation science, engineering, and decision-making. Following the successful launch of the Komet Experience Hub in Brazil, Komet is expanding its investment in Irrigation Intelligence to help close one of agriculture's biggest data gaps.

Bee-keeping

Varroa mite is here

Mim Rogers, Allora Advertiser
Agriculture
The Masters Family, owners of Dalrymple View Honey at Allora have been dealing with the Varroa Mites. According to Sharon Masters, we've now got to learn to live with Varroa. For beekeepers this means testing for the mites, every couple of weeks.

Paraquat

GRDC says APVMA decision may instigate further research into use patterns

Contributor, ARR.News
Agriculture
The Grains Research and Development Corporation says the decision by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority means grain growers will continue to have access to the herbicides, paraquat and diquat, under new restrictions.

Treatment resistance

Reduced sensitivity to fungicides detected in barley loose smut: GRDC

Contributor, ARR.News
Agriculture
Early signs of reduced fungicide performance in barley loose smut have been detected in key grain growing regions across Australia. While there is no cause for alarm, growers are reminded to remain proactive in disease management.

Smoke alarms

From power boards to portable heaters: How cost-of-living pressures are increasing house fire risk this winter: Brooks Australia

Contributor, ARR.News
Fire
With winter officially here, Australians across the country are turning off air conditioners and relying on heaters to stay warm, but while temperatures may be dropping, the risk of house fires increases during the colder months. ARR.News asked Jackson Holt from Brooks Australia about particular risks faced and specific advice for people in rural and regional Australia.

Truffle strike

Western Australian first – rare white truffle unearthed on Manjimup farm: Australian Truffle Traders

Contributor, ARR.News
Agriculture
In a Western Australian first, 1.5 kilograms of white truffles have been unearthed from the soil of Australian Truffle Traders’ farm in Manjimup. Family business Australian Truffle Traders discovered the bianchetto white truffles, known scientifically as Tuber borchii, on their Southern Forests farm yesterday.

Research - miticides

Australia has already spent over $100 million dealing with Varroa mite. Here’s what we can do next

The Conversation
Agriculture
The honeybee mite, Varroa destructor, finally breached Australia’s biosecurity defences 4 years ago, and is here to stay. Even more concerning, our standard treatments – such as specialised pesticides – are already failing. What does this mean for Australians, and what can we do about it?

Regional migration

Regional moves hit record levels as more Australians opt for life beyond the big cities: Regional Australia Institute

Contributor, ARR.News
Business

Tourism

Charleville’s Cosmos Centre named top Australian attraction

Contributor, ARR.News

Home-based business

Sarah Josh and the elixir of invention

Serena Kirby, ARR.News
Health
Necessity is often the Mother Of Invention so when mother of two, Sarah Josh, was pregnant with her third child, she went looking for natural skin care products that worked for her skin. Unable to find something suitable Sarah started making her own skincare products and sharing them with friends. Everybody loved them and, being keen to start a product-based business she could run from home, her skincare business - Liminal Elixirs - was born.

Medicine

Darling Downs Health celebrates third international accolade for stroke services

Ted Rogers, On Our Selection News
Aging
Toowoomba Hospital’s Geriatric, Adult Rehabilitation and Stroke Service (GARSS) has celebrated a major achievement during a special reunion with a former stroke patient. GARSS was recently awarded its third World Stroke Organization (WSO) Angels Gold Award, after first achieving gold status in 2025.

Research & innovation

Cauliflower waste could become protein for future foods: RMIT University

The Editor
Agriculture
Researchers at RMIT have found that high-power ultrasound can help extract protein from discarded cauliflower leaves, opening up a potential new use for a vegetable by-product ... ARR.News found out more about the process and potential opportunities from Kinjal Furia, the study's lead author and RMIT PhD candidate.

Agricultural drones

Drone brings down powerline

Yorke Peninsula Country Times
Energy
SA Power Networks has issued an urgent warning about the use of agricultural drones around powerlines, after a large drone crashed and dropped a high voltage line to the ground at Wasleys, east of Mallala. The incident is the first of its kind to have occurred in South Australia.
Drone and powerline

Pollination planning

Growers urged to prepare after Landline spotlights Varroa’s pollination toll: NFF

Contributor, ARR.News
Agriculture
Following ABC Landline's profile of the pollination impacts of Varroa mite, the NFF Horticulture Council and the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council (AHBIC) are jointly calling on horticulture producers to plan now for a future where reliable, managed pollination can no longer be taken for granted.

BCCM report

Co-operatives and mutuals demonstrate resilience with another year of strong revenue and earnings growth: BCCM

Contributor, ARR.News
Agriculture

Forestry

Stand is the new name of Australasia’s largest independent forestry management company: Stand Forestry Group

Two of New Zealand’s leading forestry businesses are celebrating the completion of their successful merger with the launch of a new name and brand identity to support ambitious growth plans. PF Olsen and Forest360 announced their merger late last year, backed by new investment from Adamantem Capital’s Environmental Opportunities Fund, and the support of PF Olsen cornerstone investor Quayside Holdings.

Rural confidence survey

Global unrest pushes Australian rural confidence lower, as farmers ‘reshape’ farm decisions: Rabobank

Contributor, ARR.News
Agriculture
Sentiment among Australia’s agricultural producers continued to track lower this quarter, with concerns about cost pressures in the wake of Middle Eastern tensions remaining top of mind for farmers across the country. The quarter two Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey, released today, found national sentiment at its lowest point since November 2006 as it dropped to a net reading of - 48 per cent.

Dairy

Industrial hemp

Murray Industrial Hemp – $10 million to build in Barham

Contributor, ARR.News
Agriculture
Murray Industrial Hemp (MIH) is thrilled with news the NSW Government has granted $10 million for a new hemp manufacturing business in Barham ... MIH will use the government funding, along with investments from local and national shareholders, to build industrial hemp processing and block manufacturing facilities in Barham.

Industry festival

Thousands embrace Clarence Harvest Celebration

Rodney Stevens, Clarence Valley Independent
Agriculture
Thousands of people from around the region descended on Maclean for three-day Clarence Harvest Celebration embracing the beef, sugar cane, and seafood industries of the valley. The premier weekend of the 2026 celebration followed the Clarence Kids Colour Run and Crowning Carnival and the Cane Harvest Ball, held in the preceding weeks.

Award

Top award for Gordon Country

Located in the Goomburra Valley, Gordon Country is officially the best Camping/4WD in Queensland. The Queensland Day Awards...

Seedbed Conditioner

Grain growers can increase drought and waterlogging resilience by 300 per cent

Greg Hamilton, ARR.News Sponsor
Agriculture
The new practice of Seedbed Conditioning not only improves the physical, biological and chemical properties of the root zone of cropping soils, it also produces very large and near-permanent improvements in the drought and waterlogging resilience of cropping soils.

Irrigation

Indian delegation studying the Riverland’s irrigation industry

Murray Pioneer
Agriculture
International attention has turned to the Riverland's irrigation industry, with senior Indian government officials visiting the region to study how growers are adapting to changing markets through crop diversification and agricultural transformation.

Emerging industry

Research

Grains

Leadership & You

Leaders must leave their ego at the door

David Stewart, RYP International
Business
Great leadership starts when ego steps aside, creating trust, stronger teams and cultures where people can contribute, learn and grow together.

Tribology

AgForce partnership aims to help producers reduce operating costs: Lowes Petroleum

Contributor, ARR.News
Agriculture
Queensland producers will gain access to discounts on ground and aviation fuels, and lubricant services through a new partnership between AgForce and Lowes Petroleum aimed at helping reduce operating costs and improve on-farm efficiency.

Commodities

Bendigo Bank Agribusiness June Insights: Rains rally cattle, while macadamias set to crack records

“The recent rain has given cattle producers the confidence to hold onto stock, abruptly tightening availability and driving a major price lift...”

Farm life

Deck-head of a bull

Contributor, The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper
Farming

Hospitality

McNamaras make their mark

Contributor, The Buloke Times
Business
Blake Lee. Justin McNamara never thought he'd own a pub. On Saturday, he and his husband Jayden will reopen the Watchem Hotel after a three-year closure ... the venue will launch as the first-ever permanent Driver Reviver site.

Food and wine tourism

Innovation

Compost invention

Viv Markham, Tarrangower Times
Community
It seems that compost is a subject that is exercising the minds of many across the shire, and Maldon resident Oliver Messenger is one of them. He has invented a composting system that has been granted an Australian patent with an international patent in the works.

Arts administration

New GM no stranger to local arts scene

Denmark Bulletin
Arts
Patricia Gill. Denmark Arts' new general manager Annette Drenth has worked with the organisation for the past eight months in a ‘passion project' as a mentor ... "I have also engaged with Denmark Arts and its programs for more than two decades, as a visitor regularly holidaying in Denmark with my small family," Annette said.
Abbie Pedersen

Safe hands in tough times for the arts

Denmark Bulletin
Arts
Patricia Gill. Abbie Pedersen hands over the directorship of Denmark Arts to Annette Drenth confident in the future of the organisation.

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