Locusts land in SA
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.
Making every kilogram of fertiliser count: Australian silicon solution aids farmers amid urea shortage
Queensland company MaxSil is converting waste glass destined for landfill into ultrafine silica that improves plant uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium helping farmers do more with the fertiliser they have. ARR.News found out more from MaxSil founder David Archer and Oscar Ledlin, co-founder of parent company Sustainable Concrete Group.
Renewed effort to supercharge faba bean breeding and expansion: GRDC
A new national Faba Bean Breeding Program will provide growers with improved higher-yielding varieties of faba beans with better disease resistance, quality traits and adaptation across Australian growing regions. Australia is the world’s largest exporter of faba beans, supplying around one-third of global trade, with key markets including Egypt, the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia.
New machine improves soil fertility and increases crop yields
A new machine designed and exhaustively tested at a field-scale over 15 years and 32 sites in Western Australia, Queensland and Pakistan has been shown to increase crop yields by 25 per cent, on average (range 10 to 40 per cent).
Bendigo Bank Agribusiness April insights: Rising input costs squeeze farmer margins
Recent rains have given Aussie farmers a valuable head start on sowing this season’s winter crop, but higher freight, fuel, and fertiliser costs are squeezing margins across the country, Bendigo Bank Agribusiness’ latest Monthly Commodity Update outlines.
Canola poised for expanded role in Australia’s biofuel future: Rabobank
As Australians grapple with current fuel price hikes and supply challenges, a new report highlights the key role the nation’s canola could play as a biofuel in future energy transition and fuel security.
Urea $1400 : Going… going… gone
Urea hit the equivalent of $2,800 a tonne in today’s dollars back in 1974. That’s not a typo—and it’s not ancient history either. To understand how that happens, you need to start with geography. Roughly a third of global fertiliser trade by sea—not production, trade—passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Fuel fury
Caitlin Menadue. Yorke Peninsula farmers, businesses and residents are grappling with the ongoing fuel crisis, as prices soar, independent retailers start to run dry and there’s no visible end in sight .... "Tractors, sprayers, seeders and trucks all rely on diesel to operate, and with seeding approaching it is essential that grain producers can access reliable fuel supplies."
Mouse alert for WA growers – act now to reduce numbers before seeding: GRDC
Western Australian grain growers are urged to check their paddocks for signs of mouse activity in the lead up to seeding, with reports of high activity in the northern and southern agricultural regions. Growers north of Geraldton are reporting numbers as high as 40 mouse burrows per 100 square metres. Two or three burrows per 100 square metres would be cause for concern.
Local farming family named finalist in national awards
Caitlin Menadue. Minlaton's Michael and Rebecca Thompson have been named finalists in a national cropping award recognising excellence in Australian agriculture. The recognition places the Yorke Peninsula pair among some of the country’s leading producers, with winners to be announced at a gala ceremony in Melbourne on February 13.
Geopolitics the “dominant risk” for agriculture in year ahead, but Australia remains well positioned: Rabobank
Geopolitics remains the "dominant risk factor" for Australian agriculture in the year ahead, Rabobank says in its newly-released annual outlook, with the prospect that fast-changing global trade rules and volatile commodity prices are set to continue.
Grains Research Updates 2026 – Celebrating three decades of research insights for the north: GRDC
The countdown is on for the Grains Research and Development Corporation’s (GRDC) 2026 Grains Research Update series for growers and agronomists seeking practical, science-backed strategies to boost profitability. The events return to New South Wales and Queensland starting next month, with registrations now open for forums in Wagga Wagga, Corowa, West Wyalong, Dubbo, Goondiwindi and Narrabri.
When fewer people meet more food
For most of the modern era, the story of food was scarcity. More people meant more demand, higher prices, and ever-expanding markets for farmers. That part of human history has now come to an end. For the first time, global population growth is slowing sharply at the same time as global food production continues to rise.
Time for action: WA’s rail buy back promise cannot wait
We now have a bumper crop, a tax windfall for government, and broad agreement across agriculture, transport and local government that the system is stretched. The buy-back was presented as a serious response to a real capacity, efficiency and safety problem. The only question left is whether the government is prepared to act.
The Roaring 1920s to the Turbulent 2020s
This week, the comparison shifts to machinery and markets — how, in both decades a century apart, a revolution in farm equipment collided head-on with falling commodity prices and soaring machinery costs. The rhyme is almost eerie: technological leaps meeting financial cliffs.
Kaniva A&P Society – Wheat Crop Competition 2025
The Kaniva A&P Society conducted another successful crop competition in November attracting a good variety of entries from across the district ... There were 21 crop entries: 3 Durum, 7 Heavy, 8 Mixed, and 3 Light. The judging covered a wide area, from Lawloit through to the Border, ensuring full representation of the district.
Serviceton silo art now complete
Painting of a new art installation at GrainCorp's Serviceton site has now finished, marking a major milestone for the town and its place on the Wimmera Mallee's growing network of silo art installations. Adelaide-based artist Jack Fran spent about two weeks painting the mural, which tells the story of the South Australia–Victoria border dispute and features historical surveyors Henry Wade and Edward White.
Bumper beef and grain production, improving conditions set growers and consumers up for Happy New Year: Bendigo Bank
The Bendigo Bank Agribusiness Monthly Commodity Update for November contains several positive findings and a major milestone as the year draws to a close. Australian cattle exports reached the second highest monthly volume on record, the third-largest winter grain crop is waiting in the wings and there’s good news for consumers in the run-up to Christmas...
GrainGrowers responds to carbon tax debate
A key panel session at the Digital Agrifood Summit exploring Denmark's proposed carbon tax on agriculture has highlighted the need to avoid simplistic comparisons between Australian and European models. GrainGrowers CEO Shona Gawel said the summit, attended by leaders across agriculture, technology, and policy, prompted robust discussion about the relevance and risks of similar mechanisms in the Australian context.
Albanese Labor Government delivers new Pakistan market access for Australian farmers: Collins
Pakistan has approved market access for Genetically Modified (GM) canola from Australia. Australia is a trusted and reliable supplier of canola to Pakistan, with non-GM canola exports valued at $506 million in the last financial year – making Pakistan one of Australia’s top markets for canola.
Australian farmer sentiment lifts: Rabobank
Confidence in Australia’s farming sector has lifted, as the nation’s farmers hang their hopes on continuing strong commodity prices – particularly in livestock sectors – and better seasonal conditions in a number of regions, the latest Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey has found.
Another robust harvest ahead, but prices fail to keep pace – Rabobank 2025/26 Australian winter crop forecast: Rabobank
Australia is forecast to harvest a larger winter grain crop this year, with Rabobank estimating total volumes to reach 62.8 million tonnes in its just-released annual 2025/26 Australian Winter Crop Forecast.
