Dear Prime Minister,
John Hasell, President, WAFarmers. I write on behalf of the Western Australian farmers and service businesses that rely on the live sheep trade to support their families and communities. A trade that for purely political reasons your government has decided to end on the logic that it has lost its social licence to operate.
Global avocado trade expected to grow in an increasingly competitive market – Rabobank report
The global avocado trade will continue to grow in the next few years, but the market will be more competitive, forcing operators to be not only more efficient, but also increasingly sustainable, according to a new report by agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank. In the report Global Avocado Growth Far From Over, Rabobank says world avocado production expanded by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately seven per cent over the past decade.
Third White Spot detection as fishermen face a 2-year control order
White Spot virus has been detected in a third Palmers Island prawn farm leaving around 50 prawn trawler owners staring down the barrel of a two-year extension on the control order preventing them from removing any green prawns from the Clarence River. For an industry already on its knees after no income for the past 16 weeks due to the current control order, this third detection on April 21 on a prawn farm on North Bank Road spells further problems.
Federal budget “falls short” for farmers and regional NSW: NSW Farmers
NSW Farmers’ Association is disappointed the federal government has missed key opportunities in the federal budget to strengthen Australian agriculture and rural communities. President of NSW Farmers Xavier Martin said the federal budget has “fallen short” of expectations, particularly around the significant biosecurity threats Australian farmers face.
‘Cost of living’ budget does little to stem rising food prices as farmers taxed more: NFF
Tonight’s ‘cost of living’ budget is a missed opportunity to address food price inflation, according to Australia’s peak farm body. National Farmers’ Federation President, Fiona Simson, said the budget does nothing to get to the heart of rampant food price inflation – which NFF polling shows is weighing on the minds of 8 in 10 Australians.
Budget a mixed result for grains industry: GrainGrowers
The federal budget has delivered a mixed result for rural Australia, with GrainGrowers expressing disappointment and calling for additional work in a number of areas ... While welcoming the steadfast commitment to maintaining Fuel Tax Credits and the extra attention to childcare, GrainGrowers said the government had missed a range of valuable investment opportunities for grain growers.
2023-24 Federal Budget: What it means for agriculture and regional Australia: NAB
NAB’s team of leading economists has broken down the 2023-2024 Federal Budget, looking at what it means for agriculture and regional Australia. The centrepiece of this year’s Budget for the agricultural sector is $1 billion over the forward estimates (and $268 million annually ongoing) and for a strengthened biosecurity system.
Rural Bank Insights: May 2023
Rural Bank Insights provides a monthly commentary on production and pricing trends for Australian agriculture, providing producers with a timely overview of current trends and an outlook for the coming months ... Cattle, cropping, dairy, horticulture, sheep, wool.
Caring for the land – sustainable agriculture: YCDC Landcare Group
An attractive, coloured brochure has recently been released by the Yellow Creek-Dairy Creek Landcare Group, Victoria ... Cindy McLeish MP, State Member for Eildon, attended the launch of the brochure CARING FOR THE LAND – Sustainable Agriculture, and spoke of its relevance to the beauty of our country which we must endeavour to maintain.
Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement: A new era for Australia-UK trade: MLA
Prime Ministers Albanese and Sunak met in London on 5 May 2023 and announced the long-awaited entry into force date of midnight 31 May 2023 for the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (A-UK FTA), following the expected completion of UK domestic processes ... The A-UK FTA, which was agreed in principle in June 2021 and signed on 17 December 2021, will see Australian beef and sheepmeat/goat meat access to the UK liberalised over a transition period.
World’s best surfers savour a taste of Margaret River at the Western Australia Margaret River Pro
Over 220 kilograms of Margaret River Produce has been enjoyed by the world’s best surfers and the World Surf League crew during the opening days of the Western Australia Margaret River Pro. Margaret River Produce, the newly formed brand of the Margaret River Producers Association, manned a tasting station that featured over 25 producers and local farmers, all from within a 50-kilometre radius of the competition site, Surfers Point.
Bellingen Show, 13-14 May 2023
The much-anticipated annual Bellingen Show is just around the corner with a glossy printed program just released allowing attendees to plan their weekend well in advance. To provide a glimpse into the show's highlights, we invited several Bellingen Show committee members to share their personal recommendations.
From foal to champion racehorse – Michael seizes a career in thoroughbred breeding: AgriFutures
Bringing a new life into the world is always a special moment, and for Michael Dickson the opportunity to foal down a mare for the first time is a favourite memory. “It all went so well. That life came into the world and I was the only one assisting – I really enjoyed that”: Michael Dickson.
Statement on Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement: NFF
The National Farmers’ Federation welcomes the 5 May 2023 announcement that the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement will enter into force on 31 May 2023. The FTA improves access to an important market for Australian farmers and will allow them to diversify their markets. It will importantly give UK customers the option of sustainable, high quality Australian produce on supermarket shelves to complement their existing home-grown options.
Proof that species are declining in our forests set up to protect them: Robert Onfray
Robert Onfray. As we celebrate World Endangered Species Day on 19 May, I thought it timely this month to look closely at how species are faring in Australia, particularly in reserves authorities have established to protect them ... We don’t hear about this aspect of monitoring in our reserves because the government, bureaucrats and environmental activists don’t want the public to know just how poorly managed our reserves are.
Boosting technical expertise to combat FMD and LSD in Indonesia: DAFF
The Australian Government has kicked off a new $1.4 million capacity enhancing project in Indonesia, providing Australian expertise in-country, to assist in the fight to control foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and lumpy skin disease (LSD) ... Australia’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Mark Schipp said the project would be delivered by the FAO in partnership with the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) operating out of the MOA offices in Jakarta.
Propagating success with new TAFE horticulture course
An exciting new horticulture course at TAFE NSW Narrandera has seen bumper enrolments. The Certificate II in Horticulture, offered for the first time at Narrandera this year, comes as the gardening services industry is booming with many people emerging from Covid lockdowns with a greener thumb!
TFGA and Rural Youth initiative to identify farm leaders of tomorrow
Two rural peak bodies in Tasmania are joining forces to identify and help prepare young people for leadership roles in Tasmania's agriculture sector. This initiative is timely, given that Youth Week Tasmania (YWT) is the largest single celebration of young people on the Tasmanian calendar.
Farmers welcome biosecurity boost but warn against double-dipping: NSW Farmers
The state’s peak farming body has welcomed reports the federal government will deliver a long-term, sustainable funding model for biosecurity, but are concerned about possible double-ups on fees and charges ... “We already pay a large amount in fees and charges, and also through the investment of levy dollars – many of our levy dollars go to biosecurity – to help support Australia’s biosecurity system”: NSW Farmers Biosecurity Committee chair Ian McColl.
Just add water, again
While Victoria wrestles with the federal government over the Murray-Darling Basin Plan Sustainable Diversion Limit project, the delivery of held environmental water ramps up to flood Gunbower Forest again. Described as the ‘Special Sauce’ by North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA), held environmental water will be used to irrigate the forest following two flooding events in 2022, an irrigation event and the following wide-scale major flooding. It’s not tree or canopy health that is driving the NCCMA’s call for water this time around but food for water birds.
Closing down
The timber mill at Corryong will close by September, once the existing log stock is milled. It will be the end of an era for Walkers Sawmill after 87 years of operation under three generations of the family. Current owner, Graham Walker, was in Corryong on Friday to announce the closure of the mill to its 21 employees.
Closing town’s mill is best course of action: Graham Walker
Graham Walker. I came to Corryong last Friday to announce to the employees that our sawmill will close once the existing log stock is milled. The gloomy sky over our log stack showed how I was feeling as I delivered the bad news ... If we were to continue business as usual, we had no certainty of sawlog quantity from VicForests as they are still embroiled in battle with ‘Friends of the Forest’ and court injunctions and they had only guaranteed 55 per cent of our 19,000m3 allocation.
