Life membership for BCG quartet
After 128 years of service to Australia’s leading farming systems group, Ian and Anne McClelland and John and Robyn Ferrier have been awarded life memberships of Birchip Cropping Group (BCG). The life memberships, which were presented at the group’s Trials Review Day, recognised the leadership, vision, passion and hard work each has provided BCG over four decades.
GRDC leads $42m initiative to bolster biosecurity for Australia’s grain growers: GRDC
A groundbreaking $42.7 million national biosecurity initiative led by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) in partnership with five state government departments is set to transform the effectiveness and responsiveness of Australia’s grains biosecurity system. The six-year initiative will use state-of-the-art technology and processes to improve Australia’s ability to rapidly detect and accurately diagnose exotic pests and plant diseases...
Keen interest at Pacific Seeds field days
Pacific Seeds popular field days are being held this week at Foundation Farm Allora. Sessions have been packed with interested farmers, suppliers and agronomists finding out the latest research findings, technologies and planting methods.
The rise of insecticide resistance in the redlegged earth mite: AgriFutures Australia
Insecticide resistance in redlegged earth mites (RLEM) has been closely monitored over the last 15 years ... The RLEM poses a significant threat to establishing crops and pastures across the southern growing regions of Australia.
GRDC invests $1.9m in research for climate-resilient crops
The GRDC has partnered with the Australian National University (ANU) and industry partners to invest in research to accelerate the development of climate-resilient crops … investment will focus on the development of heat tolerant wheat genetics, as well as determining what makes a wheat crop able to survive, grow and produce yields under high-temperature conditions.
Government changes to Biosecurity Protection Levy a step forward: GrainGrowers
Announced changes to the Biosecurity Protection Levy are an important step forward in developing a sustainable system and address some of the concerns raised by industry GrainGrowers said ... “While there are still issues to be addressed, the announcement is a positive step, and we look forward to further discussions, particularly around accountability and performance issues”: GrainGrowers Chair Rhys Turton.
Not all farmers are farmers when it comes to fairness: GPA
Barry Large. There's an awful lot of noise being made right now about the prices every day Australians are being charged at the checkout, whilst the big supermarkets rake-in record profits. Added to this political rhetoric driven by the cost-of-living crisis is an apparent concern about the need to ensure Australian farmers receive their fair share of the retail dollar.
Australian agriculture “moving confidently into 2024” – Rabobank annual outlook
Australia’s agricultural sector is "moving confidently into 2024", with an overall positive outlook for the nation’s farmers and agribusiness industries in the year ahead, Rabobank says in its newly-released annual outlook ... while agri commodity prices are "well down on the highs seen over the previous two years", the bank’s price forecasts point to "continued positive farm margins in key agricultural sectors in 2024"
An event for BCG”ˆmembers: disease management on trials day agenda
“Good crop disease management will be required in 2024 due to the early summer rain events and potential disease risk in south-east of Victoria,” Agriculture Victoria Research Scientist Dr Hari Dadu has confirmed. The cereal disease expert will be outlining his approach at the BCG Members’ Only Trials Review Day on Friday, February 23, at the Birchip Leisure Centre.
Australian agricultural trade logistics to face headwinds from escalating Red Sea tensions – Rabobank
Trade logistics are set to become increasingly challenging for Australia’s agricultural sector with the escalating tensions in the Red Sea disrupting global trade, according to agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank. However, there are also potential upsides for the nation’s wheat and barley exports, the bank said.
Tasmania’s industrial hemp variety trial results on show at Epping Forest: AgriFutures Australia
Tasmanian farmers have the opportunity to take a close-up look at the results of a three-year industrial hemp variety trial at a field day to be held in the Northern Midlands ... Fairfield is home to one of nine sites across the country that make up the AgriFutures Australia national Industrial Hemp Variety Trial (IHVT) program.
Country music legend James Blundell shares industrial hemp trial results: AgriFutures Australia
Industrial hemp grower and country music legend James Blundell will open the gates to his southern Queensland property where a range of different industrial hemp varieties are being trialled for their suitability to the local growing conditions ... The sites are among nine across the country that make up the AgriFutures Australia national Industrial Hemp Variety Trial (IHVT) program...
Index rises with cattle prices in November: NAB
For the first time in thirteen months, the NAB Rural Commodities Index saw an increase in November, with cattle prices being the single greatest driver. NAB’s December Rural Commodities Wrap ... reports the Index increased 3.5 per cent month-on-month in November, retracing its October fall to be slightly above its September level.
World-first solution to combat spray drift saves growers time, money: GRDC
More than 2,400 grain and cotton growers and spray contractors across Queensland and New South Wales have signed on to a world-first, Australian-developed weather data system to help minimise spray drift and limit the damage it causes to food and fibre crops and the environment. Spray drift is a significant problem for agriculture.
Leeton’s SunRice named top agricultural exporter
The SunRice group, with headquarters in Leeton, has won the Agribusiness, Food and Beverages Award at the 61st annual Australian Export Awards at Parliament House. The top prize was presented to CEO Paul Serra by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade)… The decision by the Federal Government department to recognise SunRice came just days before the Federal Senate passed a controversial new bill giving the government increased powers to buy back water from irrigators.
Signs ‘green shoots’ of optimism returning to Australia’s farm sector: Rabobank
Australia’s farmers are approaching the end of the year with a hint of improving optimism as rural confidence levels nudge slightly higher in the latest quarter. The Q4 Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey, found net level farmer confidence across the nation edged up marginally…
Kaniva A & P Society – Wheat Crop Competition 2023
Judging of the district wheat crops entered into the Kaniva A & P Society competition was conducted on Monday November 20th by Hamish Mines – Agronomy Teacher Longerenong College/ Agronomist Driscoll Ag. Twenty crops were entered in the competition for 2023 made up of 5 Durum and 15 bread type wheats, 7 on heavy ground, 7 on mixed ground and 1 on light ground. An even spread of crops were inspected from Lawloit to South Lillimur, Serviceton and north to Dinyarrak.
Wallaroo sites welcome first lentil deliveries
Michelle Daw. Both bulk grain handling companies operating at Wallaroo have accepted lentils into their local storage facilities for the first time this season. T-Ports loaded export lentils from the port for the first time yesterday ... Viterra will load lentils — including from YP and Mid North growers — onto a vessel at Inner Harbour ...
Header demonstration
Last week Nhill and District Sporting Club hosted CLAAS Harvest Centre Swayn & McCabe for their CLAAS LEXION Auspro Header Demonstration in the community paddock on Park Street ... It was great to see the machine in action...
GrainGrowers welcomes significant boost to Roads to Recovery Program
GrainGrowers has welcomed the Federal Government's commitment to increase the Roads to Recovery funding program ... GrainGrowers CEO Shona Gawel said last year’s repeated flood events and persistent and unprecedented rainfall has deteriorated critical road infrastructure across Australia’s grain-growing regions and exacerbated systemic underfunding of the regional road network.
A brief history of the original old Nhill Mill
John Williams. By the middle of the nineteenth century, the growing of wheat and its conversion to flour had become major industries in the colony of Victoria. Steam-driven mills were set up in major cereal-growing areas and Nhill’s future prosperity was built upon the growing of wheat and the establishment of a steam grinding mill.
Spray drift: not on our watch
Michelle Daw. Prompted by its investigation into 26 reports of off-target impacts of the herbicide Overwatch on Yorke Peninsula, Primary Industries and Regions South Australia says it will crackdown on non-compliant use of agricultural chemicals ... PIRSA has referred the reports to the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority but has not yet received feedback. Manufactured by FMC Australia, Overwatch is a pre-emergent herbicide which is applied during seeding time in April/May to control annual ryegrass and some broadleaf weeds in broadacre crops.
