Dialogue to help Gippsland’s forests
Scott McArdle is blunt. “Gippsland’s forests need our help. Fire, floods, storms, drought, pests, weeds, neglect, exploitation and the changing climate are all taking a huge toll – but if we all work together, the future can be different.” Mr McArdle is the executive officer of a new group, the Gippsland Forest Dialogue (GFD), that aims to do just that – meet the challenges facing the region’s forests and find ways to move forward.
Ag Speak – Budget must grow and protect agriculture
Kristin Murdock. NFF President Fiona Simson said the 43 recommendations in the peak farming body’s Pre-Budget Submission were built around its 2030 Roadmap and high on the list was the missing link in Australia’s defence against looming and existing biosecurity threats like Foot and Mouth Disease, Lumpy Skin Disease and Varroa Mite.
Photography competition features in Jacaranda Day
Winners of the annual Gomaren & Doctor’s Creek Focus on Farms photography competition will be announced at the Jacaranda Day festival in Goombungee this Saturday, 5 November. “No matter where you live, the connection to farming is an important part of our identity as Australians”: competition coordinator Jean Gundry ... the primary school category within the competition has a focus on insects.
The good and bad of the budget
Last week’s Federal Budget held a few incentives for Narrandera and other centres covered by the Narrandera Argus, including funding for key health worker accommodation across the Murrumbidgee Local Health District, a Leeton hospital upgrade, Griffith Hospital redevelopment plus Stronger Country Communities funding for Lockhart and The Rock swimming pools and continuation of the NSW Koala Strategy aimed at doubling koala numbers in NSW by 2050 ... However ...
Murray Crayfish rescue operation
A rescue and relocation operation is currently underway by NSW DPI Fisheries to save Murray Crayfish impacted by poor water quality following flooding along the Murray River. The rescued crayfish will be transported to Narrandera Fisheries Centre for safekeeping until conditions improve and they can be returned to the river safely.
Storms could “make or break”
Kirstin Nicholson. Mick Farrant’s dairy farm is on Flannery’s Road, McMillans and two thirds of his 1,100-acre property is underwater. Excess water from Pyramid and Bullock Creeks has inundated the farm. “It’s a big job moving cattle, it’s just a massive undertaking to shift a whole herd and get set up for them somewhere else. You don’t do that in five minutes,” he said.
In a pinch
It’s been over 10 years since a 5-year moratorium was placed on Murray crayfishing by NSW authorities for our stretch of the Murray River. Sadly, now it seems that Murray cray populations are at risk, not from fishing, but from poor water quality. Dissolved oxygen has fallen to 0.2 in the Murray at Barham and thousands of Murray cray have walked to the edges of the river from Echuca through to Swan Hill.
Kalyx Australia expands research capacity and acquires Staphyt’s New Zealand business
Kalyx Australia, a national agricultural business, announced it has completed its acquisition of Staphyt Research Limited’s New Zealand business; a move that sees the company grow its presence for the first time beyond Australian shores. For over two decades now, Kalyx has been leading independent agricultural research in Australia with their national presence and operational excellence.
Littleproud’s Budget reaction
The Nationals leader and member for Maranoa David Littleproud says Labor has broken the hearts of Maranoa locals in its ï¬rst Budget ... "in Labor’s ï¬rst Budget, Maranoa locals have been held back and left behind in three key areas - cost of living, childcare and infrastructure.
Tackling the growing food security issue: NSW Farmers
Food security is a growing problem for Australian families, according to a new state government report, with remote communities the worst affected. The Food production and supply in NSW report, from the NSW Legislative Assembly’s Committee on Environment and Planning, found food supply disruption was a driver of food insecurity, and that remote communities were unfairly burdened by the problem.
Philip Zylstra’s response #3 – self-thinning forest understoreys and wildfire risk debate
The mapped fire histories of the southwestern forests show that bushfires have been most frequent in forests with dense understoreys promoted by previous burns, and far less common in areas that have not been burned for several decades, allowing the understorey to naturally thin. Two new voices have entered the discussion on this here and made numerous claims, but their ill-informed comments have distracted from the point.
Scrapping global agricultural subsidies and tariffs reduces emissions, improves food security: ABARES
Improving food security, promoting global growth and cutting emissions can be achieved through the removal of agricultural subsidies and tariffs, according to the latest ABARES Insights report. Executive Director of ABARES Dr Jared Greenville said the global community needed to find a way for agriculture to reduce emissions while also feeding the world’s population.
8,200ha near Charleville added to Queensland protected areas, great lifestyle: Scanlon
More than 8,200 hectares of former sheep station in Queensland’s south west will become a protected area, the Palaszczuk Government has announced. Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said in an agreement struck between the Palaszczuk Government and Paniri Ventures, the addition of Ardgour Station Nature Refuge, 120km south of Charleville would protect important wetlands and ecosystems that form part of the Wyandra-Cunnamulla Claypans Aggregation.
Serpentine Jarrahdale Food and Farm Fest, 5 November 2022
From show jumping, hacking events and carriage driving to alpacas, goats, sheep, donkeys and poultry we have the animal sections to delight all of our visitors ... The Food and Farm Pavilion, sponsored by the Peel Harvey Catchment Council, will provide you with examples, from eggs to flowers, of all that is grown in the Shire.
Coleraine Show, 5 November 2022
2 November 2022: The 2022 Coleraine Show has been cancelled due to adverse weather
Coleraine P & A Society
Join in the fun at the...
141st Bairnsdale Show, 5 November 2022
This year we have decided that the Bairnsdale Show would be a great way to bring the community together and have a little fun with the family after such a trying time. The Show will showcase everything East Gippsland has to offer and the resilience of itsgreat community.
Adelaide Hills Sandstone – Uraidla & Summertown Country Show, 6 November 2022
As the days get warmer and the evenings get longer, it must be time for the Uraidla and Summertown Country Show.
Westbury Show, 5 November 2022
The Westbury Show, Tasmania's third oldest agricultural show, will be on again at Westbury Showgrounds on Saturday 5 November 2022.
Livelighter – Canning Show, 4-5 November 2022
With almost 16,000 smiles breaking attendance records for the third year in a row, and a 97% happiness rate for attendees, the award-winning LiveLighter Canning Show is now firmly one of Perth’s premier annual community events.
Self-thinning forest understoreys and wildfire risk debate – Roger Underwood responds
Dear Editor, I am compelled to respond to the naïve and dangerous comments by Professor Phillip Zylstra on forest bushfire management in Western Australia, in your most recent edition. I agree with the Bradshaw critique of Zylstra et al’s paper and I found Professor Zylstra’s defence to be unconvincing.
