Forest decline, koala plagues and megafires
Vic Jurskis's clear account of the history of the cycle of plagues and crashes of koalas in Australia's eastern states and the circumstances of those plagues and crashes makes one question whether the time frame for assessing the status of koalas should be 200 years, not 20, and whether the public perception about this much-loved animal is fully informed.
Expanding market for Wimmera Southern Mallee produce
Wimmera Harvest Fare, a joint Wimmera Development Association and Centre for Participation project, was launched earlier this month. The new initiative offers independent supermarkets the opportunity to showcase a variety of products from the 13 participating food producers from across the region, to enhance local access and to boost tourist access to regionally made food.
Austin shears over 500!
What a fantastic effort shearing 503 xb lambs in a day by young lad Doltan Austin. Simply put, that’s one lamb every 57 seconds of a standard eight-hour shearing day. Jason “Chippa’ Gordon said, “I have been a student of shearing exploits for many years and I can’t recall a feat ever achieved like this in the area.”
Vote for our community: Buloke’s Paddock Run
The Paddock Run flood initiative, which was driven by the Buloke community, has been nominated for the Disaster Preparedness category in the 2023 National Awards for Local Government ... Council partnered with over 45 food businesses and grain receival sites across the shire to deliver flood support and assistance information to the paddock, truck, tractor, harvester, ute etc., using a less conventional, but more practical delivery method – via their stomachs.
Wimmera growers to have a say on grains research investment: GRDC
Wimmera grain growers have an opportunity to directly contribute ideas and raise local issues to help the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) invest in locally relevant research, development and extension (RD&E) at upcoming forums. As part of GRDC’s National Grower Network (NGN), grower forums will be held at Goroke, Wallup, Rupanyup, Toolondo and Kaniva from 27 to 30 March, 2023.
Beef producers kicking breeding decisions up a notch with genomics: NEOGEN Australasia
The uptake of genomic technology among the commercial beef industry is on the rise as producers understand the power of taking their breeding decisions to the next level. Neogen Australasia NSW Genomics Territory Manager Hannah Powe said the utilisation of genotyping had exceeded expectations with 79 per cent of Angus bulls listed in catalogues in 2022 carrying genomic predictions...
Forestry Centre of Excellence Strategic Plan launches vision for SA: Scriven
The Strategic Plan for the Forestry Centre of Excellence has been launched by the State Government, laying out the vision behind this $15 million 10-year collaborative project. The Centre, the first of its kind in South Australia, is being developed to create long-term research and development capability to enhance the Green Triangle’s economic prosperity, generating more jobs and investment in the region.
Low emissions roadmap for Queensland agriculture launched: Furner
Queensland’s agriculture industry will play a big part in reaching the state’s 2050 net zero emissions target, with the pathway set out by the 21 March 2023 release of the Low Emissions Agriculture Roadmap 2022-2032 by the Palaszczuk Government. The Roadmap charts a clear route for Queensland to achieve even cleaner and greener food and fibre production, while remaining a world-leader in agriculture.
Say no to the lines rally: Property Rights Australia
"Landowners and farmers have made it clear at a rally held in Widgee on Friday 17 March, Powerlink and the State Government are not listening to the community ... The community has attended so-called stakeholder meetings in rural and regional Queensland only to discover that the consultation process is tokenism with little to no consideration of alternative power corridors on State owned land": Chair of Property Rights Australia (PRA) Rob Atkinson.
Ukrainians from Odessa know how to be funny without money
In Ukraine, the best place to make homemade wine is the Odessa region. Here, grapes are grown in almost every rural house. Ukrainian law allows foreigners to buy such houses. But there are no buyers from abroad. Because no one promotes the rural real estate of the region on an international scale. The war further diverted attention from this region. But right now is the time to make profitable deals.
An open letter to the Hon. Chris Minns MP and the Hon. Penny Sharpe MP: Forestry Australia
Despite the public perception that the only way to protect species is to create more conservation reserves, Forestry Australia’s view is that koala recovery can best be achieved through a landscape-wide approach to active management of these populations and their forest habitats across all land tenures. There is considerable evidence that the National Park estate is continuing to be degraded due to unnatural fire regimes, pests and diseases, and a lack of active management to mitigate their impacts.
Bunyip Show, 26 March 2023
Bunyip and District Agricultural Society Inc.
Bunyip Show
Coonawarra to herald in the new vintage with a bang
‘A smash and a squash’ - that’s how the Coonawarra Grape and Wine industry are set to herald in the 2023 Vintage (aka. V23), with community members and dignitaries to gather at the iconic Coonawarra Railway Siding for the first official Vintage Launch Ceremony in many years ... “Vintage in Coonawarra is more than when a wine's grapes are harvested. It heralds the anniversary of a new year in Coonawarra, where we reflect and say goodbye to the previous season”: Coonawarra Vignerons Executive Officer, Hugh Koch.
Concerns about commodity prices, interest rates and re-emergence of drought weighing on farmer outlook: Rabobank
Australian farmers continue to ride the rollercoaster of seasons, commodity prices and economic factors, with rural sentiment at the start of 2023 dipping to its lowest level reported since late 2018. The latest quarterly Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey, released on 16 March 2023, found after rallying late last year, sentiment in the rural sector had fallen again this quarter as farmers continue to navigate a range of economic and financial uncertainties.
Warwick Show, 24-26 March 2023
Warwick Show & Rodeo Society Inc.
This year at the show we will have something for everyone to enjoy at the Warwick Show with Bees,...
Act Belong Commit Darkan Sheepfest – A show that is good for a town
Act Belong Commit Darkan Sheepfest is now more than a sheep and wool show. The event is a testament to the cultural and economic value that a show can provide to a community and town.
Cut the red tape – We need a new National Code to fix Australia’s broken landscapes: Mulloon Institute
"Farmers and landholders are keen to regenerate millions of kilometres of eroded and degraded watercourses throughout this country, but environmental and planning regulations are preventing many of them from undertaking this valuable work, due to the time and cost of submitting multiple applications, special reports and detailed designs to multiple government authorities for permission to undertake on-ground works," says Mulloon Institute Chairman Gary Nairn A.O.
Farms and homes are vulnerable after flood damaged levee
The Bungawalbin levee runs through Debbie Johnston’s property. The 7.8km long levee is meant to protect the Bungawalbin catchment from flooding ... It was built in 1945 to protect the Lower Richmond from minor–moderate floods, Ms Johnston said. “It broke here in 2017, 2021 and again in 2022. It can no longer protect us.”
107th Gloucester Show, 24-25 March 2023
The lawn mower racers will return, along with the pie eating competition, camp oven cook up and billy boiling comp.
Farmers reach agreement with Inland Rail builder: NSW Farmers
Landholders can expect better treatment during the construction of Inland Rail thanks to a landmark agreement between NSW Farmers and the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC). Inland Rail and NSW Farmers have worked together to develop a joint information pack that acknowledges and addresses issues of concern to property owners...
Rural Bank Monthly Insights – A dry start and falling prices for Autumn
Rural Bank has released its March 2023 Insights report, with commentary on production and pricing trends for Australian agriculture: cattle, cropping, dairy, horticulture, sheep and wool.
Digitised greenhouse gas calculator launched for producers: MLA
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has launched an online, web-based greenhouse gas (GHG) calculator based on the Sheep and Beef Greenhouse Accounting Framework (SB-GAF) tool for Australian sheep and beef producers. The digitised version of the SB-GAF tool is based off the freely available excel version of the tool available on the Primary Industries Climate Challenges Centre (PICCC) website to ensure consistency across the sector.
