Agriculture

AusNet has formally applied to the Victorian Government to compulsorily acquire easements from Victorian farmers to build the Western Renewables Link (WRL) transmission line before the Environmental Effects Statement (EES) is completed.

A significant new hotel and tourism development in the Barossa Valley has been granted planning approval, paving the way for a world-class hospitality offering in one of South Australia's most celebrated wine regions.

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has labelled AusNet’s application for compulsory land acquisition powers for the Western Renewables Link (WRL) as a disgrace, warning it represents a huge escalation in pressure tactics against regional landholders. 

Alpaca studs across Australia are opening their gates to show their flocks and share their wisdom about all things alpaca. Still a comparatively young industry in Australia, the Australian Alpaca Association, founded in 1990, organises National Alpaca Week to promote their favourite farm animal and its diversity of uses ... Learn a lot about alpacas by listening to the ARR.News interview with Taryan Mathews from Precision Alpaca Group.

NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin says the Albanese Government needs to provide answers after it scrapped a multi billion dollar freight project that was poised to connect productive farming businesses and communities across the country. “NSW Farmers policy supported Inland Rail because moving freight more efficiently matters to farm businesses, regional communities, and the prosperity of the nation,” Mr Martin said.

More than 50 delegates from some of the world’s leading fashion brands, retailers and non-government organisations have travelled from across Australia and overseas to the Namoi Valley, as part of Cotton Australia’s flagship Camp Cotton event - reinforcing growing global demand for traceable, sustainably produced natural fibres.

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) welcomes the Victorian Government’s announcement to secure a vital 10 million litre diesel reserve for Victorian agriculture industry. VFF Acting President Peter Star said it was a sensible step to strengthen confidence across the sector and a step in the right direction after sustained advocacy from farmers and the industry. 

Caitlin Menadue. Recent reports from farmers during the early stages of seeding have indicated an increase in locust activity across several cropping regions in South Australia, Grain Producers South Australia has warned. GPSA chief executive Brad Perry said producers from Yorke Peninsula, the Riverland, Eyre Peninsula and Flinders Ranges had reported locusts on farms.

New South Wales is facing an increasingly parched winter outlook as latest data reveals a looming expansion of drought conditions across the northeast, southeast, and western regions of the state. The latest Combined Drought Indicator (CDI) map ... paints a sobering picture of the state's agricultural landscape.

Join us at the upcoming webinar exploring the Australian Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Sector Energy Transition Roadmap. Recently published and co?designed with industry, the Roadmap sets out a coordinated and practical pathway for the sector to reduce its reliance on diesel.

Australia’s primary producers have new guidance to navigate the shift in energy systems, with national research outlining both the challenges ahead and the practical pathways available. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Energy Transition Roadmap (2026–2036), released by AgriFutures Australia, provides a system-wide view of how agriculture, fisheries and forestry can adapt to changing energy markets and technologies while maintaining productivity.

A surprise wedding announcement. Plus whale vomit found in the Great Southern.

... the approval of five additional export beef establishments for exports to Indonesia, including one establishment also receiving approval for sheep and goat meat ... is a boost for Australia’s trade relationship with Indonesia where more high-quality Australian halal red meat will now be available.

Elders Ltd (ASX: ELD) has been appointed by Jumbuck Pastoral to undertake the divestment of a contiguous aggregation of three pastoral stations spanning 1,289,700 hectares. The aggregation is an iconic powerhouse of wool and sheep meat production, having the prescribed capacity to carry over 83,300 sheep.

The Albanese Government is ignoring warnings of a deepening crisis in Australia’s wine sector, which is adding to the social and economic pressures on growers.

While headline annual inflation rose sharply in the March 2026 Consumer Price Index (CPI), the re-acceleration in inflation was not, at this point, food led, with food price inflation remaining similar to levels recorded since mid-2025.

Since the beginning of Operation Epic Fury in the Persian Gulf, the price of diesel fuel and gas for cars in Ukraine has increased by almost 30 per cent. The price of the cheapest gasoline has risen by almost 15 per cent ... What do farmers do? What is the Ukrainian government doing?

Australian farmland prices are expected to grow modestly in 2026, continuing the trend seen over the past year, Rabobank says in its latest annual Australian Farmland Price Outlook. The report, by the specialist agribusiness bank’s RaboResearch division, says the outlook for agricultural land prices in 2026 points to "moderated" growth, with the median price per hectare set to increase by approximately two per cent in its "base case" forecast.

A ground-breaking artificial intelligence (AI) system has detected almost 90 unplanned fires since it was rolled out across more than a million hectares in South Australia, helping firefighters coordinate earlier bushfire responses.

The state’s peak farming organisation has called on the NSW Government to answer urgent questions about how it will protect groundwater, farm biosecurity, and landholders as it promotes new gas exploration. NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said farmers recognised the need for reliable energy but warned hasty exploration without strong safeguards could create unmanageable risks for rural and remote communities.