Grains

A partnership arrangement between two Maude Road businesses, Fellows’ grain storage facility and Nutrien Ag Solutions has realised $612 for Can Assist Hay. The money was raised through weighbridge operations at the Fellows yard, and are carried out by Sophie Stephens and Riley Jackson (pictured) of Nutrien Ag Solutions when the weighbridge is unattended.

Grain Producers Australia is urging growers to be alert, vigilant and proactive, to maintain high standards for pesticide application, and protect crops from spray drift damage. GPA’s timely warning comes after Cotton Australia recently raised their concerns about early signs of off-target spray drift damage, with ongoing wet weather and seasonal challenges, leading to escalating weed growth.

Escorting and helping our judge, Hamish Mines, around the 23 crops entered in this year’s competition was a pleasant surprise and a testament to modern farming practices and the skills of our farmers. Despite the tough season, expected yields and grain quality will still be good in the crops inspected and in others we drove by on our 200km tour of the Kaniva district.

The demolition process of the Wunkar silo is almost complete. Wunkar local, Terry Smith, captured the removal of the three-cell, 6000-tonne silo that was carried out last week, with the concrete structure that stood for 64 years now rubble.

The passion of grain growers for the responsible stewardship of the land is a clear message farmers are sharing with Australian consumers in a new information series for the community. The information series promoted by GrainGrowers highlights a modern, high-technology approach that allows growers to maximise available growing conditions, delivering high-quality, safe food to consumers while protecting the land. 

GrainGrowers has called on the federal government to work with industry to ensure Australian growers can tap into biotechnology developments and deliver timely access to innovative crop genetics.

GrainGrowers has welcomed Treasurer Chalmer’s announcement ... that as part of a broader $900 million package to cut red tape, there will be a specific focus on consumer right to repair. “When agricultural machinery breaks down, it’s more than an inconvenience – it’s a significant financial loss for growers,” said GrainGrowers CEO Shona Gawel.

While the wider implications of a new US administration under President Trump for Australian agriculture will only become apparent over time, there are a number of key watch factors for the sector, particularly for grains and oilseeds, Rabobank says in newly-released commentary.

Rachel Hagan. Viterra's proposed purchase of the Maitland AWB Grainflow site, along with two other facilities, has been reported to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission by T-Ports. The proposed acquisition of Grainflow sites at Maitland and Crystal Brook, and Cargill’s mobile shiploader at Port Adelaide, has caused backlash from T-Ports…

GrainGrowers today launched a comprehensive report shedding light on the significant implications of the upcoming United States presidential election for Australian grain growers … the report, Navigating Uncertainty: What the United States Election Means for Australia's Grain Industry addresses concerns about increasing trade protectionism and geopolitical tensions.

Grain handlers at GrainCorp sites across NSW have voted to stop work as part of protected industrial action, said the Australian Workers’ Union which represents the workers. The 200+ workers will commence their action with a month of random 1 hour stoppages at grain handling sites throughout the state beginning next Tuesday the 29th.

Australia is looking towards harvesting a "marginally larger" winter crop this season, despite significant weather challenges experienced in a number of key grain-growing regions throughout the year, Rabobank says in its just-released 2024/25 Australian Winter Crop Forecast. The agribusiness banking specialist says the nation is on track to produce an estimated total winter crop of 47.1 million tonnes…

Weed seeker and spot spraying technology is reducing the cropping area paraquat is applied to by between 40-90 percent for one Western Australian grower.  But now, proposed changes to the use of this herbicide could ban this practice and potentially lead to more of the chemical being used across larger areas of Australia’s grain growing regions. 

Australian pulse production is expected to reach historically-high levels this season, as growers capitalise on strong international demand, particularly from India – a major consumer of chickpeas and lentils ... RaboResearch general manager Australia and New Zealand Stefan Vogel said the 2024/25 Australian pulse harvest … is expected to exceed last year’s volumes, due to a higher area planted and despite dry seasonal conditions in some growing areas.

Grain handlers at Graincorp sites across NSW will vote on whether to take industrial action after negotiations broke down with the company, said the union which represents the workers. The 200 workers may decide to refuse to load or unload grain trucks and trains after an application was made to the Fair Work Commission to hold a ‘protected action ballot’ application on Tuesday.

Michelle Daw. Yorke Peninsula farmers are facing difficult decisions due to some of the lowest rainfall figures on record, compounded by hot, dry weather and frosts in September. These harsh conditions have severely impacted crop yields across the region, with many farmers facing difficult decisions ahead of the upcoming harvest.

Thousands of grain producers will be put under unnecessary pressure to rethink sustainable farming practices that benefit the environment if proposed changes to the use of two key herbicides are approved. This is according to Grain Producers Australia Southern Region Director Mark Schilling, who is just one of thousands of grain producers who rely on timed applications of paraquat and diquat in their programs to ensure a strong harvest result.

As the price of reliable rainfall farmland in Western Australia is careering past $10,000 per hectare, and the big corporates are out there with their even bigger chequebooks, outbidding the neighbours, what options do farmers have if they want to stay in the game? Well, the answer is to follow the example of their forefathers and up stumps and find a new country with some new land that can be opened up.

Sophie Baldwin. Roger Reid thought he was doing the right thing when he made the decision to invest some big dollars into water efficiency projects on his mixed farming property in the Riverina. However, Roger has been left scratching his head and questioning his decision this season, after the Bullatale Creek was reduced to water holes and he couldn’t access water.

Grain Producers Australia hosted an online session delving into the chemical review of key herbicides paraquat and diquat. The Session included insights from GPA RD&E Spokesperson Andrew Weidemann and Interim Chief Executive Pete Arkle.

This year, global grain production will be somewhere between 2.5 and 3.0 billion tonnes, of that around 500 million tonnes will be available for export ... Take your pick as to the impact of going organic, but on average, between a third and half the world starves. But what about just taking out paraquat and glyphosate—the foundation chemicals for no-till farming?

Michelle Daw. The GrainFlow site at Maitland is one of five storage and handling sites in South Australia and western Victoria to be bought by Viterra from Cargill. The other sites are at Crystal Brook, Mallala, Pinnaroo and Dimboola. Viterra has also announced it will buy Cargill’s mobile ship loader at Port Adelaide.