Grains

Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry production is expected to hit a record combined value of $101.6 billion in 2025-2026, according to the latest ABARES forecasts released today. ABARES Executive Director Dr Jared Greenville said the new record value was mostly down to livestock.

The travels of former Donald resident, Mary Raynes, have so far also included meetings in Puebla with Heineken and Central Altiplano Maltería, Mexico ... Australia has been right in the brew of it, supplying on average 61 per cent, up to 85 per cent of Mexico's total malting barley imports.

Sentiment in Australia’s agricultural sector has softened over the winter months, as the nation’s farmers contend with higher input costs and mixed seasonal conditions, the latest Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey has found. The survey, released today, found net farm sector confidence has eased to a neutral reading of zero (down from five per cent in the previous survey).

Crop pathologists and fungal disease experts are concerned about the increasing use of precautionary fungicide applications in Australian canola. Repeated applications of a single fungicide as ‘cheap insurance’ against disease could have serious long-term consequences.

Australian grain growers have reduced their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity, while continuing to produce high quality cereals, pulses and oilseeds, according to a new report released by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).

Sophie Baldwin. Since the 1970s, the Chalmers family have been growing rice, so they certainly know a thing or two about the importance of performance and business planning. For Michael and Felicia that acumen was rewarded with the couple recently crowned CY25 SunRice grower of the year.

Today’s release of the August Bendigo Bank Agribusiness Monthly Commodity Update finds that widespread rain in late July marked a turning point for Australia’s winter cropping season. Recent falls have further reinforced production confidence in NSW, Qld and large parts of WA and growers in Victoria and South Australia have also been given a renewed shot at achieving average yields or better...

Grain Producers Australia is calling for a rigorous investigation of the recent acceleration of Australian farmland purchases, by US-owned foreign investors with serious financial clout, emboldened by major tax breaks. 

Key grains research outcomes will be shared next Tuesday, 5 August at the Grains Research and Development Corporation's (GRDC) free Grains Research Updates event. Events are being held at multiple locations across Queensland and New South Wales this week and next week, with Dalby by far the closest to Clifton.

Former Donald resident, Mary Raynes, was among speakers at the 2025 AEGIC Australian barley seminars in China, early this month. The daughter of Donald’s Peter and Colleen Raynes, Mary was the leader of the delegation representing the Australia barley supply chain delivering the two major seminars.

Leading agronomic researcher and consultant, Mick Faulkner from Agrilink Agricultural Consultants (South Australia), will present groundbreaking findings at the upcoming Australian Fodder Industry Association (AFIA) Annual Conference held on the Gold Coast from Tuesday 22 July to Thursday 24 July 24, 2025. Mick’s presentation, titled “Evaluation and positioning of dual-purpose cereals for the export hay market”...

New University of South Australia research is providing evidence of biological triggers of oil production in oats, a discovery that will help processing and potentially drive further demand for Australian-grown oats ... In this study, two contemporary varieties of oats were examined using spatial imaging techniques to track oil build-up during grain development.

Hugh Schuitemaker. A senior Riverland politician is "deeply concerned" at the potential risks caused by a decision to allow bee colonies from varroa mite outbreak areas into South Australia. PIRSA has announced the movement of bee colonies from varroa-positive interstate jurisdictions into South Australia will now be permitted entry under specific movement conditions, in an attempt to support business continuity for the beekeeping industry and pollination-dependent partners.

Lawson Grains, controlled by Canadian investment giant AIMCo and New Forests, has put up for grabs an expansive cropping aggregation in the Riverina that could fetch about $40m. The Buckingbong Aggregation takes in three separate parcels totalling 4245ha of cropping area, with more than 90 per cent of it arable.

Western Australian grain growers are set to benefit from a series of targeted projects focused on time of sowing in response to increasing seasonal variability. Delivered through the Grains Research and Development Corporation’s (GRDC) National Grower Network (NGN), the local projects are designed to support growers in making more informed sowing decisions...

The global grains and oilseeds trade continues to grow steadily and reached around 880 million metric tons in 2023/24, with an estimated value of USD 330 billion, according to Rabobank’s just-published global grains and oilseeds world map.

Climate change has such a large negative impact on Ukrainian agriculture that it affects the country's macroeconomic indicators ... Farmers from all regions of Ukraine have sown 5.5 million hectares of spring grain and leguminous crops ... However, this spring cannot be called ordinary.

In many European countries right now - Spain, France, Hungary and Poland - farmers are just putting the finishing touches on planting their sweet corn. Similar plantings occur in other parts of the world - from South Africa to Chile, Uruguay and New Zealand - at a different time of the year. They have one key thing in common: they source their sweet corn seeds from Snowy River Seeds in Orbost.

Michelle Daw. Grain Producers South Australia says new federal drought support measures will offer limited immediate relief to grain producers facing severe financial pressure across SA.

The Birchip Community Leisure Centre (BCLC) is celebrating a significant boost thanks to the generous support of Cargill Cares, which has donated $25,000 to help fund the installation of a new and much-needed coolroom. The coolroom will be a game-changer for the centre, improving food storage and service capacity for the many community events...

The ongoing threat of mouse activity to Australian grain growers is the focus of two key investments aimed at reducing the impact of mice in crops ... While advancements in farming systems have resulted in tremendous benefits, they have also inadvertently contributed to increasing the pest problem.